Program Description
This webinar was presented by the Maine AgrAbility Program, a project dedicated to providing education, assistance, and support to Maine farmers with disabilities engaged in production agriculture, helping them and their families maintain optimal production and experience an enhanced quality of life.
Recorded: June 2, 2020 – Farmers lose quality-of-life because of chronic pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in and around the joints. Making small changes in their working routines and using Assistive Technology (AT) can significantly reduce injury to the joints. Please join this discussion of Arthritis, the prevalence of the disease in farmers, and possible modifications to reduce its effects.
Participants will learn about:
- What is arthritis.
- The relationship between farming and arthritis.
- What modifications can be made to reduce the effects of arthritis and to prevent further injury.
Presenters
Ketra S. Crosson, OTR/L
Ketra is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and is a licensed Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of experience in developing and providing independent living options for people with disabilities. She provides such services as access design consultation, independent living skills assessment and training, assistive technology consultation, job accommodation assessments, and on-farm assessments with farmers with disabilities.
Ellen Gibson, MS
Ellen has worked with the Maine AgrAbility program since 2010. She is a writer, educator, and farmer. She writes the blog for Maine AgrAbility: Gotta Lotta Livin’ To Do, on aging, farming and quality of life.
Resources
Handout for this presentation-MS Word
- Maine AgrAbility website
- Maine AgrAbility Blog
- National AgrAbility website
- Nebraska AgrAbility pamphlet on stretching – PDF – NOTE: this document is not accessible to screen reader assistive technology. Please contact Nebraska AgrAbility for assistance in getting an accessible version of this document.
Rev: 06/05/2020