The LOFT

 

Newsletter  Summer 2009

 

Functional Therapy’s Great Start

      So far a small contingent of OTs have become Registered Functional Therapists^TM or RFTs^TM. They are working to make OT more accessible under the name Functional Therapy. LOFT has trademarked the terms Registered Functional Therapist (RFT)^TM and Registered Functional Therapy Associate (RFTA)^TM. It is protecting these terms for Licensed Occupational Therapists.

     “During our research we found that the OT definition of ‘Occupation’ has not made it to the dictionary.” says Ed Kaine, President of the League of Functional Therapists. “This is despite almost a century of active use in health care. I think it’s really been a barrier to being recognized for the great things we can do. OTs are some of  the most creative and talented people you may ever meet. Problem is you may never meet them.”

      Their website, www.FunctionalTherapist.ca, is informational for therapists and links to their Blog www.RegisteredFunctionalTherapist.blogspot.com The Blog is updated regularly with articles pertaining to the effort.

      “We’re looking for OTs who want to reach out to their customers and try to help them understand what we might be able to do. ‘Occupational’ doesn’t mean what OT says it means, it’s a good word, it helps us expand our thought, but it is a barrier to the public.” LOFT believes that we should make every effort to expand our name recognition, we can explain the finer points of function or occupation once we get them in the door. C

 

 

      The project to offer Occupational Therapists and Assistants an alternative title is off to a good start. Just 2 months into the project and two articles have been published, Advance for OT and www.TherapyJobs.com both published within weeks of the project forming.

        Also, related to the publicity, Ed Kaine, President of LOFT has been approached to endorse a book on marketing. “It’s a bit overwhelming, but when you believe in something with a passion it’s like the world is with you. Things you never dreamed just start happening.”

      “It seems quick”, says Ed Kaine, “but we’ve been laying the groundwork for years. We think we have a winner here.” C

 

Functional Therapy… a term to help OT become more Accessible

 

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Summer Special

 

Meet the President of the LOFT.

 

Born and raised in Canada, Ed Kaine graduated from the University of Alberta in 1996 with degrees in Science and Occupational Therapy. He has practiced in Neurology, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and Burns as well as managing an Acute Hospital Rehabilitation program. He founded the effort to re-brand OT and is working to help the world understand the wonderful services OT can provide. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Antoinette, and twin sons, Thomas and Stephen.

 

Survey of Health Care Underway

 

Request an Online Meeting with ALOFT

Over the last few weeks a survey for the general public on Health Care knowledge and opinions has been hitting a random sample of Americans and Canadians. So far a wide variety of people have responded and we are getting a betting picture of how we can best move forward.C

 

 

Email RFT@FunctionalTherapist.org to set one up.