Special Interest Groups
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Interest Group
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Interest Group is open to any and all interested individuals. We have typically met on Tuesdays about 4-5 times per year. The group has been meeting for several years and has generally served the need of supporting one another in our practices. The group focuses around the needs of the members and in the past has included exchange of information, review of cases, theories, interventions and updates, etc. We usually have anywhere from 7-15 individuals at each meeting.
Contact: Pam Wener
Hand Interest Group
The Winnipeg Hand Interest Group meets about 6 times per year. Anyone interested in attending is welcome. Our participants to date have been OT and PT hand therapists from HSC and SBGH, adult and pediatric staff have attended. We have invited all ortho and plastics residents. The purpose of the meeting is continuing education, on the topics of hand rehabilitation or surgical management of upper extremity problems. In the last year we have tried to have some meetings by telehealth link up between HSC and SBGH.
Contact: Catherine Watt
Long Term Care Interest Group
The long-term care interest group is a group of OT's who meet every two months, usually the second Wednesday morning of the month at 8:00 a.m. The OT's who have attended represent a number of long-term care facilities such as: Bethania, Concordia, Misericordia, Riverview, Tache Centre, MDC, and CTS facilities. We discuss issues of practice that pertain to long-term care and share ideas and act as a resource network. We rotate host facilities for every meeting, the host OT is in charge of taking minutes. All OT's working in long-term care are welcome to attend any of our meetings.
Seating Interest Group
The Seating Interest Group’s (SIG) focus is on wheelchair seating and mobility related topics. Each meeting includes information about continuing education opportunities, seating news and a main educational topic. Past topics have included: bariatric seating, environmental accessibility, centre of gravity, mat assessments and seating related to the geriatric population. The group is open to any health care professional whose practice involves seating and mobility assessments, prescriptions and modifications (Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Rehab Engineers). The group also welcomes manufacturers' reps to discuss old and new seating products and their therapeutic application. The group meets for one hour, approximately four times per year. Facilities around the city of Winnipeg take turns hosting the meetings.
Contact: Alice Sebastian & Gord Neufeld
Neuro Interest Group
The Neuro Interest Group for Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists in Manitoba is being revived. The group aims to have speakers and meetings approximately 3-4 times per year, assist in sponsoring an annual course, and have an online journal club to keep all involved abreast of relevant recent evidence. This is the perfect opportunity to connect with other therapists in the field.
Contact: Christabel Nett
Ergonomics Interest Group
The ergonomics special interest group is dedicated to bringing together occupational therapists whose research, practice, or interest concerns ergonomics and/or workplace health and safety. This group is open to all occupational therapists working in ergonomics in Manitoba and aims to meet approximately four times per year, at members’ facilities in Winnipeg. This group focuses on meeting the needs of the participants by providing best-practice information, educational opportunities, networking, and collaboration on cases. Vendors are welcome to contact the chair to schedule time to share information about ergonomic products to the group.
For more information on Special Interest Groups, contact the MSOT Office.