Transcript Emerging Trends: Field of Vision Rehabilitation

Emerging Trends:
Field of Vision Rehabilitation
Mary Frances McAndrews, CVRT
Jayne Meekings, CVRT, CLVT
Julia Halpern-Gold, COMS, CVRT
How has the field changed?
Home Training
Instructors
University
Trained
Instructors
Agency Trained Instructors
• 1950’s
Veterans Administration was training individuals
at Hines VA to provide O&M instruction
These individuals were then returning to home
agency and training other instructors
University Training Programs
1960-Boston College started 1st graduate
O&M training program
1961-Western Michigan started graduate
O&M training program
1963-Western Michigan started 1st
graduate Rehab Teaching training program
Who are all these people???
Orientation and Mobility Specialist
Mobility Instructor
Peripatologist
Rehabilitation Teacher
ADL Instructor
Low Vision Therapist
Travel Trainer
Manual Skills Instructor
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
Living Skills Instructor
Dual Certification Programs
• 1983-Boston College pilots dual
certification program-O&M and RT
• 1997-Low Vision Therapist certification is
offered through AER
• January, 2000-ACVREP becomes
certifying body for blind rehabilitation
professionals
Vision Rehab vs
Blind Rehab vs
Multisensory
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Vision Rehabilitation- focus on LOW VISION individuals
short-term targeted training /training offered in home or
outpatient program
• Comprehensive Rehabilitation- focus on PROGRESSIVE VISION
LOSS long -term training/training offered in residential setting
• Multi-sensory Rehabilitation- focus on individuals with vision
loss and other disabilities (deafness, TBI, stroke) training
offered long-term with interdisciplinary team inpatient and
outpatient
Demographics:
Vision Impaired Population
Summary of Virginia Statistics -2009
• LB = 34,627
25,521 > 44 years of age
• VI = 232,651
204,731 > 44 years of age
• Totals: 267,278
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230,252 > 45yr.
Virginia OBG Statistics from 2008 & 2009 (DBVI)
20 case workers
2009 - 1,434 people served
2008 – 1,317 people served
Demographics:
Professionals Serving Them
• Low Vision Demonstration Project Final Report
November, 2010
• VRTs – Less than 550
• O&M Specialists – 2,000
• OTs – 100,000 (this number does not indicate
the numbers trained in vision rehabilitation)
• 50% of DBVI VRTs are over the age of 55
Where are VRTs & LVTs going?
Medical Community is recognizing Occupational Therapists as Vision
Therapists & Vision Rehab Therapists
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American Academy of Ophthalmology
SMARTSIGHT-MAKING THE MOST OF REMAINING VISION 2007-Academy Initiative in Vision Rehabilitation
Order for Rehabilitation Training “The physician’s order for Medicare –reimbursed occupational therapy
rehabilitation training should include :……
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Glaucoma Research Foundation January 2011 Gleams Newsletter Article
“Getting Help if You Have Low Vision”
“An occupational therapist can also help you learn new ways to do daily tasks”…..
“Occupational therapists help patients decide what type of lighting is most comfortable…
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Janet R. Meyers, MS, OTR/L, CLVT and Denise Thomas Wilcox, PT, OD, PhD of the Philadelphia VAMC
Advanced Low Vision Clinic Program have coauthored a chapter on low vision evaluation in a book just
published by the American Occupational Therapy Association Press. Occupational Therapy Interventions
for Adults with Low Vision is a textbook that will be used in occupational therapy curricula across the
country.
Functional Independence No Matter
Who Provides the Service
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Smartsight OT Rehabilitation Training Activities List
Scotoma awareness and uses for central and peripheral field loss
Visual Motor-scanning, tracing, tracking and target localization
Visual Perceptual skill: visual closure, visual perspective
Reading & writing
ADL
Application of optical and non-optical devices
Environmental adaptations: lighting, contrast, labeling, organization, hazards
Workplace assessments and adaptations
Adaptive computers: enlargement, speech output
Safe mobility in home and community
Recreational
Resources-local & national
Caregiver support and training
Driver evaluation and training (not reimbursable)
Medical Model=Effectiveness,
Accountability, and Professionalism
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Contrast Sensitivity Testing
Visual Field Testing for Central Scotomas
Near Vision Testing
Distance Vision Testing
Contrast Sensitivity Tests
MARS ($150)
LEA Flip Card-More reasonable & portable ($90)
Visual Field Testing
• Macular Mapping online Testing
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My Vision Test
A free modern Amsler Grid test for Macular
Degeneration
Near Vision Reading Assessments
Smith Kettlewell Reading Test Kit-Available from Mattingly International
Medical Model=Effective Service
Provider
• Consultation on multi-disciplinary team
• Established licensure & clinical practice
standards
• More opportunities for professional growth
and career advancement
Licensure-History & Debate
• 5-year Medicare Low Vision Rehabilitation
Demonstration Project
• NY Licensure Bills to “Provide for the licensing
of orientation and mobility specialists and
vision rehabilitation therapists”
• Benefits of licensure to profession, agency and
customers
Future of Vision Rehab
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AER Blindness Professionals Recruitment Taskforce Strategic Work Plan 2011
Mission Statement:
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Goal 1: Partnerships: The AER Blindness Professionals Recruitment Committee
will establish and maintain partnerships of professionals, parents, blind
students and other committed organizations and individuals to ensure that
recruitment efforts effectively meet appropriately documented service needs.
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Goal 2: Products: The Committee will develop recruitment products and
venues as well as strategies to attract potential professionals to the field, and
will provide these materials and strategies as well as training in their use to
recruiters and employers.
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Goal 3: Promotions: The Committee will actively mobilize professionals,
parents, students, and others to help promote the field, recruit potential
professionals to join, and mentor new professionals on an ongoing basis.
ACVREP news for CVRT
• Certification eligibility guidelines are up for
review
• Stakeholder input scheduled March 26th @
1:00 PM EST. For more information contact
[email protected]
• Focus strategic goal planning and formalizing
standards-Subject Matter Expert Committee
Resources for Review
• AER- American Association for Education & Rehab
Personnel Prep Committee www.aerbvi.org
• ACVREP- Academy for Certification of Vision
Rehabilitation and Education Professionalswww.acvrep.org
• Conference -www.envisionconference.org
• Research and info- www.lowvisionproject.org
• Veterans’ Services for Persons –Blind & Low
Vision
www.veteranseyecare.com/veterans/news/lowvision.cfm