Were you aware that there are 54.8 million people in the U.S. receiving Social Security benefits? That is 17.6% of our population. With the baby boomer generation adding to those numbers daily, the fund could be depleted by 2033.   Began in 1935 by Congress to provide ''old age benefits'' for families, workers and employers ...

  Well as I mentioned in my last blog I have retired as a COTA. I don't miss getting up in the mornings to get ready for work, but I already miss meeting and working with people. That was one of the key matters considered as this decision was made because I knew it would leave a blank in my life.   As much as there were always a few ...

  I really have to say the new computer system is really affecting my productivity. It is terrible, but lately all I do during a treatment is check minutes. In the many buildings I travel to therapists are dealing with the issue in different ways, and for the most part I don't like it.   So our daily log is now one page with a list ...

  Just this week I had a patient who made my day. This person was very friendly, willing to participate addressing all of their goals, and had some great stories. It made the entire treatment pass so quickly I went way over the scheduled time.   But this got me thinking about patients I've worked with over the years, especially some ...

  Some time ago I wrote a blog about COTA salaries, and in it I mentioned that with the increased cost of schooling and decrease in salaries that soon we may see a shortage of people seeking to enter the field. Was that a bad prediction?   The cost of the two required years of OTA school can vary greatly. At the local community ...

  You might have seen this in the news, but the presidents federal Health Care Fraud and Abuse Program are hard at work uncovering scams in the system. In 2012 alone they were able to recover $4.2 billion from both companies and individuals who were trying to cheat the system. This was the highest three year total recovered since the ...

  Just the other day I treated a person with a diagnosis list as long as your arm. It's a shame to see someone with so many problems, especially someone as young as this person was. Getting up in years myself I know what it's like to always have the doctor find things you didn't know you had and that don't bother you, that is until they ...

  How many times have you had a patient tell you that even though they can't perform a task in therapy, they will be able to do it when they get home? Of course the typical reply to this is how will you accomplish this at home if you can't do it here, but that usually gets no reply. ...

  One grief I face daily is seeing the equipment at many long term care facilities. Most of it is in some state of disrepair all the way to barely useable. Supplies of basic items such as tissues, sanitizers and pens are usually minimal.   Wheelchairs are one of the items I see daily that need repair. Worn seat covers, torn ...

  Just the other day I was talking with one of the nurses I work with, and we got into a discussion of wasted dollars in healthcare. One of the patients was upset because for three days in a row the lab nurse came to draw blood. Another patient was mad because they were being sent out to the hospital for a routine procedure that could have ...