Sandra Edwards Colloquium 2022

Associate Dean for Research and Professor and Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri. Director of the Performance, Participation and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory. Dr. Wolf’s lab generates knowledge that guides intervention aimed at improving participation in work and community activities post- neurological injury. The majority of this research is with individuals with stroke and cancer-related cognitive impairment. The two primary objectives are: (1) to identify and manage cognitive deficits to improve participation after neurological injury; and (2) to investigate the efficacy of self-management education and cognitive-strategy training based interventions to improve health and participation outcomes after neurological injury. His lab has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for the past 10 years and has also received funding from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience, and the Boston Rehabilitation Outcomes Measurement Center. Dr. Wolf is also Editor-in-Chief of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health.

Associate Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Director of the Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Programs, Columbia University in New York City. He has been a pediatric occupational therapist for 18 years and has practiced in the Philippines and the US. His research has focused on the application of Occupational Adaptation theory in instrument development and testing the effectiveness of interventions for children with specific learning disabilities, with particular focus on children with reading difficulties. He received extensive training in using the Rasch model of measurement to provide empirical support for substantive validity of assessment tools.

Assistant Professor and Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Southern Indiana. His research experience includes non-pharmacological management of challenging behaviors in persons with dementia and caregiving in Alzheimer's disease. His clinical interests are in older adults with memory impairments and their caregivers. Dr. Arthur is an advisory board member of the MINKA Smart Home Incubation Lab. He has completed technology simulation projects involving occupational therapy, nursing, social work, and medicine. He will draw on his clinical experience to share how smart home technology can support occupation and participation for people with cognitive impairments and their care partners.

A former care partner for her mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Fournier has the calling to share what she had learned from walking this path with her mom to other caregivers after her mom passed away. Currently, Dr. Fournier is actively involved in dementia related projects as a project coordinator at the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program at the University of Southern Indiana, including the MINKA Smart Home Incubation Lab. She will discuss the potential of using technology to support caregiving based on her personal experience.