“The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.” - English Proverb

FAQs

What are Research Studies?
Research studies (sometimes referred to as clinical trials) are conducted to answer many different questions in order to contribute to general medical knowledge and benefit society. The research question may be to evaluate if there is benefit from a new medication or a new way to treat a disease or condition, or to describe the experience of people as they age.

Who conducts research?
Researchers are highly trained social scientists, medical doctors or other kinds of health care professionals. Researchers may conduct their studies in homes, hospitals or other clinical settings, universities, or private research facilities.

Who pays for research studies?
Funding for research can come from many different sources including federal government agencies such as the National Institutes on Health, private foundations, and private industries such as pharmaceutical companies, health care organizations or gifts from individuals.

Who participates in research studies?
Anyone may inquire about participating in a research study. Participants usually have to meet certain eligibility criteria before they can be enrolled in the study. Eligibility criteria are not used to disqualify people, but rather to help researchers accurately answer the questions they plan to study.

Why do people participate in research studies?
There are a variety of reasons why people may choose to participate:

• To play an active role in their own health
• To gain access to new treatments before they are widely available
• To receive potentially beneficial treatments for a condition they have
• To contribute to new scientific knowledge
• To have the opportunity to share one's life experiences in order to benefit others

What could you be asked to DO if you decide to participate in one of our studies ?
The tasks for research participants vary from study to study. Here are some of the things that may be involved, depending on the type of study:

• A single short visit or several longer ones by a member of our research team in your home
• Answering questions during an interview
• Participating in a memory test
• Participating in an educational or health promotion program in a garoup or in individually in your home

What is a control or control group?
In many research studies some participants are randomly assigned, that is by chance like the flip of a coin, to the new treatment (experimental group), while others (control group) receive usual care or perhaps no treatment depending on the nature of the study. Participants cannot choose the group they want to be part of.

What are the risks of participating in research studies?
It is important to know that a research study may test an unproven treatment or test an already approved treatment for a different purpose. The amount of risk for a participant can vary from minimal risk, such as discomfort of a blood pressure cuff, to higher risk, such as use of an experimental drug. In all cases, participants must be informed of all possible risks associated with their participation before making the decision to participate in a research study.

How do you find answers to questions about the study?
Informed consent is the process of learning the key facts about the research study before deciding whether or not to participate. The researchers explain the details of the study in order to help you decide if you want to participate. Once the study has been explained you are requested to read and sign an Informed Consent document . If the potential participant is a minor or not able to fully understand the nature of the study, a parent or guardian must be informed of the study details and will be requested to sign the Informed Consent as an authorization for the participant. The Informed Consent answers important questions about the study, such as:

• The purpose, length, required procedures and key contacts for the study
• Who is funding and sponsoring the study
• Who has reviewed and approved the study
• What the researchers hope to learn from conducting the study
• What risks are involved for participants
• The potential benefits of receiving the experimental treatment
• What you will receive for your participation (test results, payment)

The Informed Consent is not a contract. Your participation is voluntary and you may decide to leave the study at any time.

How are you protected as a participant in a study?
All aspects of a research study receive prior approval and are continuously monitored by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) from the sponsoring institution. The IRB's job is to ensure that you are protected from any risk that is too great, that your privacy is protected and that you are completely informed about the study and have chosen freely to participate. The IRB adheres to strict guidelines from federal agencies including the Food & Drug Administration (FDA),The National Institutes of Health (NIH), and The Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP).

Why have I heard stories about research studies in the news?
There have been rare instances in which people have been harmed through participation in high risk experimental research. These cases have received a lot of publicity and deserve the attention so that any problems are corrected and institutions are more careful. However, these situations are rare, and usually associated with high risk studies.

What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. It gives people the "skills for the job of living" necessary for independent and satisfying lives. Services typically include:

• Customized treatment programs to improve one's ability to perform daily activities
• Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations
• Performance skills assessments and treatment
• Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training
• Guidance to family members and caregivers

The basic principle behind all occupational therapy services is helping people to function as independently as possible in daily life. For families with a loved one who has Alzheimer's disease, this principles applies to both the individual with the disease and their caregiver. The term occupation, as used in occupational therapy, refers to any activity engaged in for evaluating, specifying and treating problems interfering with functional performance.

About Occupational Therapy Practitioners
Occupational therapy practitioners are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the social, emotional, and physiological effects of illness and injury.

The occupational therapist enters the field with a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree. The occupational therapy assistant generally earns an associate degree.

Practitioners must complete supervised clinical internships in a variety of health care settings, and pass a national examination. Most states also regulate occupational therapy practice.

Who Benefits From Occupational Therapy?
A wide variety of people can benefit from occupational therapy, including those with

• work-related injuries including lower back problems or repetitive stress injuries
• limitations following a stroke or heart attack
• arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or other serious chronic conditions
• birth injuries, learning problems, or developmental disabilities
• mental health or behavioral problems including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress
• problems with substance use or eating disorders
• burns, spinal cord injuries, or amputations
• broken bones or other injuries from falls, sports injuries, or accidents
• vision or cognitive problems that threaten their ability to drive

For more information go to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) at www. aota.org.

What is Physical Therapy (PT)?
Physical therapists are the experts in the examination and treatment of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular problems that affect peoples' abilities to move the way they want and function as well as they want in their daily lives. Physical Therapy (PT) Is needed if a patient has suffered an injury or illness which has affected motor skills or function. The physical therapy program may consist of evaluation, therapeutic exercises, gait training, adaptive equipment recommendations, massage, heat, cold or electrical treatments, all geared toward helping the patient attain his/her maximum functional motor potential. This treatment of injury or disease is by physical therapeutic means instead of by medical, surgical, or radiologic measures.

Because physical therapists are required to understand a vast array of problems that can affect movement, function, and health, all physical therapists are college graduates. The majority of physical therapist education programs graduate students with a master's degree, and a few schools offer a clinical doctorate in physical therapy. All physical therapists also are required to take a national examination and be licensed by the state in which they practice. Some physical therapists seek advanced certification in a clinical specialty, such as orthopaedic, neurologic, cardiopulmonary, pediatric, geriatric, or sports physical therapy. Others are certified in electrophysiological testing and measurement.

patients to take care of themselves and to perform certain exercises on their own. Depending on the particular needs of a patient, physical therapists may also “mobilize” or “manipulate” a joint (that is, perform certain types of movements at the end of your range of motion) or massage a muscle to promote proper movement and function. Physical therapists also use methods such as ultrasound (which uses high frequency waves to produce heat), hot packs, and ice. Although other kinds of practitioners will offer some of these treatments as “physical therapy,” it's important for you to know that physical therapy can only be provided by qualified physical therapists or by physical therapist assistants , who must complete a 2-year education program and who work only under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.

For more information, go to the American Physical Therapy Assocation (AOTA) at www.apta.org.