I am sincerely honoured and grateful to be a recipient of the 2018 Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation (COTF) Goldwin Howland Scholarship. Thank you to the COTF and the review committee.
This scholarship will contribute to my doctoral research project at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. My project focuses on the low vision rehabilitation, an emerging area of the occupational therapy practice. Within the low vision rehabilitation setting, occupational therapists work to maximize the ability of the clients with low vision to function independently through the use of specific interventions, including assistive technology. However, currently the assistive technology system is quite outdated and does not support clients’ needs and preferences, restricting the opportunities for occupational therapists to deliver optimal assistive technology services for the low vision clients. My research examines ways to improve the provision of low vision assistive technology devices and services to best support older adults with low vision.
My research looks to reform the assistive technology provision services to optimally serve the needs of the clients and provide tangible data on the essential role of the occupational therapists in the provision of the low vision assistive technology. It will help to further develop occupational therapists’ role and contribution to the field of assistive technology, low vision rehabilitation research and education, and provide a strong foundation for future advocacy and funding. I am absolutely thrilled to be able to examine this topic further with the support of COTF and their donors. Thank you COTF for recognizing and supporting my work.
Natasha Altin