AOTA's 88th Annual Conference and Expo

Presidential Address Now on YouTube!

2008-04-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

On the first day of Expo....

2008-04-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

On the first day of AOTA conference expo, my true exhibitors gave to me:

1 Peoplefirst Rehab Bag

1 Cariant Health Partners Bag

1 Sammons & Prestons Bag

1 John Hopkins Bag

2 Tangles

1 OT Magnet (paid for)

1 bag clip

3 post it notes

mints

tape measure

laser pointer

1 CLAUDIA ALLEN's AUTOGRAPH!!

Stretch demo CD

keychain

chapstick

chocolate

11 pens...

and a partridge in a pear tree.

*Sorry this is quite late...going to be doing some blog catch-up over the next day or so now that I have unlimited access to Internet on my own familiar computer.

Famous people galore...

2008-04-10T20:53:00.001-07:00

Hi all! I'm blogging from the AOTA Expo Hall! I technically have lots to write about, but the Expo closes in 15 minutes AND my hotel charges too much for internet, BOO. Anyway, the highlights of today included meeting, in no particular order....my professor Rosemary (update: Rosemary was sad she didn't get any OMG's...I said it was because I see her daily, but for her sake....OMG x 10, 0000), CLAUDIA ALLEN!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG, Chris BLUHM (Chief Operating Officer of AOTA)!!! OMG OMG OMG!!! Linda Roccio of Gerontology Listserv Fame!! OMG OMG!!! Emily Harlow (AOTA rocker), Frank Gainer (AOTA rocker), and other people I can't remember right now. Still hunting down ol' Penny for her autograph. I did get Claudia Allen's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today has been great. It's been wonderful seeing all the energy of OTs all condensed into one place. The opening ceremony was especially great. Everybody gave great talks and I have to say, watching a ton of OTs getting jiggy in the aisles was pretty awesome as well. Warren McDonald was a wonderful speaker and very inspiring. And the Expo...AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG. Amazing. I got to play with neat toys and try out the NeuroCom Balance System (Apparently I have vestibular issues), meet lots of wonderful people, get lots of random cool pens and such, and well, I could go on and on. And I will, ad nauseam, when I finally have access to Internet for more than like, three seconds. FUN DAY!!!

Karen Dobyns
UTHSC Memphis, MOT Student II
otstudents.blogspot.com
karen.dobyns@gmail.com

Policy at Conference!

2008-04-10T13:19:00.001-07:00

Well, here we are at yet another conference and annual meeting! AOTA's Policy Staff has already been hard at work even though the conference officially begins today!

Many of AOTA's governance groups meet at conference and many of them want policy updates and information. On Tuesday, the Executive Director, Fred Somers, reported on the significant accomplishments of AOTA in federal, state, and regulatory issues. He highlighted the change in the Medicare requirement for wheelchair assessments--AOTA won a change advocating that OTs are well trained to do wheelchair evaluations without extra certification. He mentioned the 6-month extension of the cap exception process but also emphasized the need for advocacy to extend that by July 1. He praised state advocacy that led to OTA licensure in Virginia and progress in other states.

Also on Tuesday, Tim Nanof of Federal Affairs and Chuck Willmarth of State and Reimbursement Policy presented to the Association of Affiliated State Presidents on the need for advocacy and other activities to return occupational therapy to mental health. On Wednesday, Tim and Chuck were joined at ASAP by Ralph Kohl, also of State Policy, to present the presidents with an update on issues like the athletic trainers pursuit of recognition, the new home health bill to improve OTs status in home health, and other issues. The state presidents were eager to meet with these staff and ask their questions to empower them when they return home.

In the Representative Assembly, each Task Group had a length discussion about health care reform to provide feedback to policy staff that can inform AOTA's work on Capitol Hill and state capitals.

Everywhere staff goes, people have questions, comments and also give staff a lot of "thank you's" for their advocacy for OT. It is a reward for all our hard work for YOU!

There is never a dull moment! Also, we had a surprise public relations event. The cartoon "Agnes" published a cartoon referencing the AOTA conference! Check it out:
www. arcamax.com/agnes

Christina Metzler
Chief Public Affairs Officer/AOTA

What time is it?

2008-04-09T16:48:00.001-07:00

I've finally arrived to Long Beach, CA! The weather is gorgeous here with bright blue skies and bright sun...but even with the nice weather, I'm finding that my jet lag has taken over and I'm struggling to stay awake and become accustomed to the time change.

I was able to register for the conference and upon my entrance ran into a former classmate and Wendy Coster (the director of the OT and Rehab Counseling program at Boston University (BU) and speaker for this year's Slagle lecture)! I was so surprised and happy to see both of them and share a little bit about my internship experiences thus far. I'm looking forward to hearing Wendy speak and catching up with more alumni, classmates, and professors from BU during conference.
I'm also looking forward to attending sessions, meeting my supervisor as well as others who are participating in the conference.

After registering and learning how to "scan" people in for events that I'll be helping out with, I took a stroll down Pine Ave. with my three roommates (all currently MSOT-2 students at BU) to grab something to eat. Along our way we ran into Ellen Cohn, one of my former professors, who directed us toward Pine Ave. There are many places to eat around here and the convention center is only a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

I'm so excited for opening day! I'll try to keep all of you posted on my experience here, but for now I'm going to catch up on some rest!

Maddie, OTS
MSOT student, Boston University

pd.aota@gmail.com

mfmaglio@bu.edu

Here We Come!

2008-04-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

So, I'm all packed and ready to fly out....I hope. :) I have clothes for whatever the weather throws at me, homework for the plane rides, resumes and business cards, and an extra suitcase to fill up with Expo items.

We couldn't get our flight changed so we will arrive in Long Beach later tonight. I'm a little disappointed but it will all work out just fine. I'm going to have to text some of my family a picture once I get there since they were lucky enough to get 6 inches of snow last week. lol.

I'm really excited for what's to come during this conference. The speakers, sessions and information get me very excited about my future. It feels a lot like that 'summer camp high' you get from meeting new friends and learning and experience new things. When you can't wait to go home and tell everyone about it. Does anyone else relate to that?

~Kara Speidel~

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
~Mahatma Gandhi~

"There is science, logic, reason; there is thought verified by experience. And then there is California." ~Edward Abbey

2008-04-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I'm Maddie, an occupational therapy student at Boston University. I'm currently entering my final internship (at AOTA) and feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to experience my first AOTA conference as part of my internship!

I moved to the Washington D.C. area from Boston, MA last Thursday, after completing my previous internships. I must admit that I do miss working as an intern-- learning about OT, treating patients, and sharing thoughts with my supervisors and other staff. Yet, I realize that the AOTA conference will be quite an experience in and of itself, and both the conference and my final internship will undoubtedly enhance my interest in OT and confidence as a future practitioner.

As I prepare for my trip, I appreciate the fact that I will have a chance to reminisce with some classmates, friends, and professors, as well as a chance to meet students, faculty, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and others who contribute to and work within the OT field.

I look forward to meeting those of you who will be attending conference and hearing from others via this blog.

I invite those of you who explore this blog to join me and my fellow bloggers on our journey to the 88th Annual AOTA Conference by viewing our comments through this blog! Please feel free to comment and ask questions.

Cheers!

Maddie, OTS
MSOT student, Boston University
pd.aota@gmail.com
mfmaglio@bu.edu

The most important questions for AOTA Conference

2008-03-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

What am I going to wear!!!!!!! What am I going to pack!!! How much luggage will I bring!!! What sessions should I go to!!? How many free pens can one accumulate in three days?! Can I get Penny Moyer's autograph??!!

These are the burning questions...please, experienced conference-goers, give us wisdom...(hint, hint...look at that comment button!!)

Karen
MOT 2 student at UTHSC, Memphis
otstudents.blogspot.com

Only 13 more days!

2008-03-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Kara and I am a third year MOT student at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. That's right, North Dakota. :) This year I am going to conference for the second time and I am SO excited.

Last year was my first and it was quite an adventure. A classmate (Michelle) and I were the ASD reps for our school. Flights are a little spendy out of Bismarck and sometimes Fargo, so we compared the flight costs to driving costs. Driving costs were much more reasonable so that's what we decided to do.....1038.42 miles each way. Our drive was full of homework, caffeine, navigating, and major jam sessions. Overall, it was a good experience, and it also helped us in our choice this year....we're flying. :)

Conference was amazing. We learned so many new things, met new people, and collected many fun 'souvenirs.' It was so inspiring to be in the same place with so many people that share my beliefs, values, and passion. I've stayed in touch with some of the students I met and they've been great resources and companions. I'll be very excited to see them again in Long Beach.

Along with a little insomnia, we brought back a LOT of enthusiasm to ND. So much so that we have over ten students coming from our school which is the most ever to my knowledge and we're very excited about that. Upon returning to U Mary after conference last year I became more involved in our school and state OT organizations and I had a whole new zest for OT. Michelle, another classmate, and I decided to be ambitious even ran for Steering Committee positions for the ASD with AOTA. We didn't win, but it was fun just being a part of the process. I will definitely be as involved as possible with AOTA in the future because of my experience as an ASD rep. It is something I'd recommend to any OT student.

I have quite a few things on my schedule before conference, but I'll just say list some things related to school & OT. This week I'll be trying to change my flight time so I can arrive Tuesday night or Wednesday morning instead of late Wednesday. I'll be crossing my fingers about that. Then there comes school: next week I have to get the poster for my thesis finished and off to the printer, study for a couple tests, make a presentation for an assessment, finish an Assistive Tech assignment, read two novels for a prep class for fieldwork in Guatemala, and a couple other random assignments. Needless to say, I have some work to do. But it will be great to get it all done before conference, take a deep breath, and head toward some warm sun!

Kara Speidel
kara.speidel@gmail.com

AOTA is Stuffed!

2008-03-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, it’s Molly, the associate editor of OT Practice!

Can you believe that Conference is just a few weeks away? Here at HQ in Bethesda, there is a frenzy of activity to put the finishing touches on what is sure to be an exceptionally great Conference this year! Yesterday was our traditional Tote Stuffing Extravaganza—we stuffed 4,000 bags with various important materials for your Conference experience. It was hard work there in the trenches, but we all survived, and completed the stuffing in record time, under 3 hours. (It was cold in the garage, and we kept warm only if we kept moving! But it was worth it, and besides, the cold just makes us dream of the days we’ll be in warm and sunny Long Beach….)

We thought you might enjoy seeing some of the staff hard at work, and plus, get a sneak peek at this year’s bag (modeled by yours truly). Thanks to AOTA staffer Jennifer Hart for taking all these great photos!

Can’t wait to see you all in California!

—Molly

There were three tables for tote stuffing, and each had their own strategic way to stuff. We were thinking of having a contest to see which table could stuff the most totes, but with 4,000 bags, you tend to lose track after awhile....

Nobody is spared from the Tote Stuffing Extravaganza. Not even Chuck Partridge, our CFO. But really, we just needed him down there because he was the only one tall enough to stack the totes in the double-tall boxes.

We even had big time help from AOTF, including the Foundation's new Executive Director, Chuck Christiansen. He's been on the job, what, four days now, and already he's in the trenches. (Of tote stuffing, that is.) Hey, we don't mess around when it comes to Conference. All hands on deck!

Jeff Casper and Lands Banks, two of the masterminds behind Conference. These are the guys who Make Things Happen. We would be lost without them, to say the least.

Ta-Da! Your 2008 Conference tote bag, stuffed with all sorts of goodies! Enjoy!

Conference is getting close...OT students are getting excited!!

2008-03-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

AOTA Conference is getting so close! It's really exciting!

I'm Karen, a second year MOT student in Memphis, TN. I'm going to Long Beach along with my OT classmates Brooke (Class President) and Meg (AOTA Rep) on Tuesday of that week in April, so that Meg is there in time for ASD meetings! We are looking forward to the plane ride together, but not looking forward to navigating LAX to Long Beach! We got cheap tickets at least...well, "cheap" being relative.

Brooke and Meg went to last year's AOTA conference in St. Louis, but this is my first time. All my classmates who went to conference last year talked about the ENERGY that permeated the conference - the power of so many people invested in occupational therapy, all in one place. I'm looking forward to experiencing that OT power myself! Plus Brooke brought me home this giant canvas bag full of free goodies like pens! Let's face it, nothing is more exciting than a free pen. Seriously!! Kind of.

Anyway, I can't wait to see the exhibits and can't wait to hear some big names in OT speak. We all need to figure out which conference sessions we most want to go to, along with backups! We'll split up as needed of course. Even if the information in some sessions goes over my head, it's nice to have exposure.

The thing I most look forward to at AOTA Conference is NETWORKING. I've made many online OT friends - students and practitioners and professors and even a public ACOTE member! - through my OT student blog, and I look forward to getting to meet some of them, as well as making some new friends and contacts. I'm actually somewhat shy in real life (people all over the world are choking as they read that line), so I'm going to do my best to mingle!

And finally, full disclosure: ::hides face in shame::, but I have "business" cards. Yeah, business cards. Or perhaps they would be more aptly named "contact" cards. With my name, e-mail address, telephone and school on it. I figure it's a lot easier to give one to someone who wants to exchange information, than awkwardly hunting for a pen and then tearing off a piece of paper from an old receipt and trying to write neatly against a wall or something. So...maybe that's going overboard and I *WAY* overthought that, but if you all join me, then at least I'm not the only dork...

Karen
karen.dobyns@gmail.com
otstudents.blogspot.com

Imagine the Possibilities!

2008-01-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Join us in Long Beach, California for the AOTA 2008 Annual Conference & Expo! This beautiful setting is the perfect backdrop for unparalleled continuing education, energizing interaction with colleagues, and professional rejuvenation.

AOTA President Penelope Moyers will lead off the conference with a high-energy Welcome Ceremony where we celebrate our unity and creativity as a profession. Then, we are honored to welcome keynote speaker Warren Macdonald, whose life story will not only move you but empower you to imagine the possibilities for your clients, as well as for your own life and career.

More than 500 educational sessions will fill your days with a rich, practical, and varied learning experience, one that will deepen your knowledge in your own area of interest or specialty practice and allow you to explore the wide possibilities of the profession. With 25 primary focus areas and 7 secondary focus areas, this year’s offerings reflect many facets of the occupational therapy profession and provide an unrivaled opportunity to share the expertise and insight of outstanding practitioners while earning up to 24 Contact Hours.

OPEN YOUR IMAGINATION.
COME TO CONFERENCE 2008!