I haven't blogged or shared information on Fit4Work in a while, as I have been very busy putting materials together to share in a wider venue. The change when you work with students on this level can be really dramatic, which is really motivating.
Since I have started on this Fit4Work journey, lectured to therapists, and worked with students, the need has been readily apparent and I decided I could reach more people if I could put my materials together and share. I want to save you time by documenting what I have learned so far, how I have put forms and information together, as well as my clinical approach to physical therapy assessment. Our role in advocacy and program development is, in many ways, more important than the assessment and interventions that we provide. By influencing the educational system on a local and national level, we can influence the programs students engage in. Promoting fitness for vocational tasks, as well as for life, helps all of our students, regardless of whether they are on the caseload or not. And lastly, we need to get this information in the hands of researchers, who can help us to validate tools that I, and others develop, so that we can have more tools at our disposal to evaluate students.
Drumroll please...It is with great pleasure that I announce my book: Fit4Work: Fitness for Vocational Tasks for Youth with Disabilities. This book is part story, part clinical decision model and a lot of information on physical therapy assessment. If you have come to one of my lectures you have heard the stories and have some of the resources, this book includes all of them that I have to date. I plan to update the blog in the coming months and disseminate ICF domain activity tools that have been recently published and can be used in assessment. Join me in promoting fitness for vocational tasks for students with disabilities!