Winners of the 42nd Maddak Awards Competition for Occupational Therapy Practitioners Announced at American Occupational Therapy Association Conference
Wayne, NJ (PRWEB) May 13, 2016 -- The winners of the 2016 Maddak Awards were announced by Susan Tulanowski, Brand Manager, SP Ableware/Maddak, during the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Conference in Chicago, IL at a complimentary breakfast sponsored by SP Ableware/Maddak. According to Tulanowski, “Interest in the Maddak Awards continues to grow with each year and we appreciate the time and interest our volunteer panel of judges put into reviewing the submissions, and selecting our winners.”
Initiated in 1974, the Maddak Awards Competition for Product Design provides a forum for occupational therapy practitioners and students to share their ideas and innovations while being recognized for their contributions to advancing patient care and independent living.
Jon Turnquist, MOL, OTR/L, ATP, Director of Assistive Technology, St. Ambrose University, was awarded first place and $1000 in the Professional category for his Low Vision Tray (LVT). According to Turnquist, “I have found that many ‘blind’ individuals can still perceive very bright lights, so I used this fact to allow individuals to ‘see’ the darker area where food is placed on a clear plate or where the glass, cup, or utensils are placed providing them with increased self-feeding independence.”
The LVT is a clear, portable, lighted tray. It uses ultra-bright LED lights placed under a ¼” piece of Plexiglas that has had the inside severely sanded so the light hitting the plastic does not just pass right through, but causes the plastic top to glow. When the food, utensils and cup are placed on the plate the lights in those areas are blocked leaving shadows in their places. The client is able to ‘see’ these dark, shadowy areas and perceive the food, utensils and cup.
In the Student category, first place and $500 was awarded to Susie Haroutounian from West Coast University for her Motorized Bedside Table. The Motorized Bedside Table was designed to substitute a typical bedside table in order to increase safety and independence of the users. The table is operated by a remote control that allows the individual to move the table away (red button) or towards them (black button) by continuously pressing down on a button. Adjusting the table to a preferred height is also possible by simply removing the pin, raising or lowering the tabletop to the desired height then placing the pin back into place. Haroutounian told us, “Individuals who are unable to physically move a bedside table themselves due to a variety of limiting conditions benefit from this motorized table”.
The winner of the Maddak Intercollegiate Challenge was Cabarrus College of Health Sciences in Concord, NC with 13 entries. This is the 2nd time since the Intercollegiate Challenge was added to the Maddak Awards in 2014 that Cabarrus College has won this title. According to Tulanowski, “Schools with Occupational Therapy programs are encouraged to include the Maddak Awards as part of their course curriculum and it gives them a chance to rally together and support each other. Participating schools have really gotten into the spirit of the competition and the chance to bring back to school the Maddak Intercollegiate trophy and the bragging rights that go along with it.”
The 42nd Maddak Awards Competition took place in April during the AOTA Conference in Chicago. Entries were judged by a volunteer panel of judges, all occupational therapy practitioners, and rated on originality, therapeutic value and function. Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place were awarded in both professional and student categories. The winner of the Intercollegiate Challenge was determined by a point system that took into account the number of student entries received from each school with bonus points being given to the school whose student entry won 1st place.
A complete list of winners and their product innovations can be can be viewed on the Maddak website.
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About SP Ableware/Maddak
SP Ableware/Maddak manufactures products that simplify the tasks of daily living – eating, drinking, dressing, grooming, bathing, toileting, etc. – for seniors, people with disabilities and people undergoing rehabilitation. The company mission is to provide quality products that enable people to maximize their independence and remain active despite any limitations they may face. Marketed under the Ableware® brand name, the Maddak product line includes over 500 products sold through medical and hospital supply centers, pharmacies, homecare centers and internet outlets. Established in 1971, Maddak Inc., headquartered in Wayne, NJ is the largest U.S. manufacturer of assistive devices, clinical modalities, home healthcare and rehabilitation products. For more information visit http://www.maddak.com.
Susan Tulanowski, SP Ableware/ Maddak, http://www.maddak.com, +1 (800) 443-4926 Ext: 4292, [email protected]
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