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Student Spotlight | Palma Foschi Walko

"Photo of Palma Foschi Walko"Palma Foschi Walko, OTD, OTR/L is a Research Assistant and a graduate from Johnson & Wales University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Before attending Johnson & Wales University, Palma earned an undergraduate degree in Biology and Italian from Bucknell University and has worked in rehabilitation with the geriatric population. Palma’s doctoral capstone project focused on developing training protocols for Mainstream Smart Home Technology.

Your undergrad was in Biology and Italian, what drew you to rehabilitation science?

I always have been drawn to science and healthcare, following in my family's footsteps. I started college as Pre-Med. In my first semester at school, I had an injury where I fractured both of my hips. I went from one of the top swimmers on my Division 1 team to people around campus asking to try out my wheelchair. I noticed an immediate shift in how people treated me.

I attended many Physical Therapy sessions, where I learned how to overcome pain and my daily struggles. I realized I wanted to be able to have this positive and impactful connection with patients. A few summers later as an intern at a PT/OT clinic, I learned about Occupational Therapy. I immediately admired this profession's functional approach and how it used individualized therapeutic activities to reach the patient's goals. I immediately knew this was for me and now I am a licensed Occupational Therapist!

Give us a 60 Second Research Pitch about your Doctoral Capstone Project?

The title of my Doctoral Capstone Project was "Client and caregiver teaching strategies for the adoption, use and maintenance of mainstream smart home technologies". This was orchestrated through Project ASSIST with the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology. We worked with persons with physical disabilities who were power wheelchair users to gain more independence in their daily roles and activities through the implementation of mainstream smart home technology. For example, they may not have been able to unlock their door to let caregivers in or be able to control the lighting, but with the technology we provided and the training on how to use these devices, they were able to! The training's goal was to instill problem solving skills so the participants could troubleshoot on their own as new updates or problems arose, as well as figuring out how to use the device if their needs or physical limitations changed. Without this training aspect, many individuals have abandoned their devices, so this project was crucial and novel in that regard.

How did you get involved with the RERC?

I thoroughly enjoyed my research courses in my Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program. I loved the idea of being evidence-based and understanding how to sort through all the research that's out there. It's such an important life skill that can be used in any aspect of life. I was recommended by my research professor to interview for a Graduate Research Assistant position. The job description and project itself really interested me, plus it would be an incredible learning opportunity led by Dr. Andrea Fairman-Laferrier, Ph.D., MOT, OTR/L, ATP, DRP and Dr. Dan Ding, PhD. I worked on the reliability and validity testing for the ASSIST Functional Performance Index (AFPI) for a year and then used the AFPI as an outcomes measure during my Doctoral Capstone! Since graduating, I have stayed on Project ASSIST as we finish collecting and analyzing the data in order to prepare a manuscript.

Do you have any advice for undergraduates considering a career in assistive technology?

There are so many new devices out there as well as new ones being created as we speak! My best piece of advice is don't assume that a certain device doesn't exist just because you haven't heard of it before - in fact it most likely does! Go to your local Center for Assistive Technology and do your research; you most likely will find what you're looking for!

Do you have a story you can share about the impact of Mainstream Smart Home Technology on a patient's life?

Amongst the many stories of increased independence, joy, and newfound hope, I feel it is also important to touch upon the safety that we have enhanced in our participants' lives.

One participant in particular had previously been unable to call emergency services during an emergency and this put their life in danger. Another participant was worried about being unable to open the door and exit their home in case of fire or other hazard. Instilling safety and peace of mind helped me realize how life changing this technology can be.