barbarasmith's Profile

About Me

I am an occupational therapist with interests in autism, sensory integration and hippotherapy (using horses). I also work with adults who have low vision needs. I am currently employed at a farm where we use horses as treatment tools to develop skills such as balance, strength and eye-hand coordination. I enjoy adding to my website and blogs and have recently made some YouTube videos. I love to spread the word about how hippotherapy helps children with special needs and I love creating new and fun activities for the children.

My Awards & Certifications

I am certified in Sensory Integration and Hippotherapy and author of The Recycling Occupational Therapist. This guide teaches how to make therapeutic activities for individuals with developmental disabilities. I use mainly common household recycling objects such as laundry bottles and cardboard boxes. I decided to write this book when working with developmentally disabled adults in a state school and realized that it was difficult to find successful activities. I ended up designing my own activities and compiled them into this book.

My Experience

I have been an occupational therapist for over 30 years and have worked in many different settings including: public schools, sheltered workshops, day programs, school collaboratives, farms, home care and state institutions. I have never worked in long term care, but I spent a great deal of time in an assisted living facility and nursing home when my mother developed Alzheimer's disease. I wrote about this experience and the many occupational therapy adaptations I designed for her in my book titled: Still Giving Kisses: A Guide to Helping and Enjoying the Alzheimer's Victim You Love. The title reflects one of the remaining functional skills she retained while in the late stages of the disease.

More information is provided on my web site at: http://www.barbarasmithoccupationaltherapist.com

My Tags