Pennsylvania

The PA AgrAbility team Suzanna Windon (PSU), Linda Fetzer (PSU), Marci Walborn (UCP), and Danielle Schmidgall (PA OVR) had a productive and insightful experience at the 2024 National AgrAbility Workshop in Atlanta, GA! Attending various training sessions and learning about the work of other AgrAbility projects provided valuable knowledge and networking opportunities for the team. It was very beneficial to learn about "Creating a Program to Educate OTs and PTs," "Building Capacity for Farm Stress Resilience," "Cultivating a Peer and Mentorship Network," "AgrAbility Ambassador Program," "Accessible Beekeeping," "Veteran-owned Business," "Working with the Client Assistance Program."

The session on "AgrAbility & VR: Navigating Policies, Procedures, and People" was highly relevant, given the importance of understanding policies and procedures when working with clients who may benefit from vocational rehabilitation services.

Suzanna Windon presented a research poster on "Farmers' Motivation for Learning and Developing New Skills," indicating that understanding the motivation of farmers can be crucial in developing effective programs and interventions to support them in production agriculture.

Overall, the team gained a wealth of information and experiences that will be valuable in supporting PA farmers with disabilities.

AgrAbility Case Coordinator Abbie Spackman provided six comprehensive worksite assessments in March for new and returning clients across the state of Pennsylvania. The assessments resulted in assistive technology recommendations, referrals to additional service providers, and other tangible takeaways. Assistive technology recommendations included highlights such as:

• A Poultry Hawk system to assist with turkey care for a farmer with joint and mobility impairments
• A cooling vest to assist with heat management for a farmer with burn scaring
• Grain bin level indicators to increase independence for a farmer who is not able to climb his grain bins
• Multiple equipment accessibility modifications including tractor steps with handrails
  

AgrAbility PA staff member Marci Walborn (non-profit partner), OTR/L, ATP, attended the 2024 AOTA annual conference in Orlando, FL, along with staff members from Texas AgrAbility, Florida AgrAbility, and LifeLyfts to talk with OT professionals who visited the booth in the exhibit hall. Professionals who stopped by the booth included students, new graduates, seasoned professionals, and those working in academia who wanted to learn more about the AgrAbility Projects, how OTs can support individuals in this emerging field of practice, and how they might be able to get involved/connected in their state. Visitors had the opportunity to experience how a lift on a tractor would be operated and to connect with AgrAbility project staff to learn more.

Submitted by Joyce Brkopac