Aim: This study examined relationships among OT gerontology education, attitudes about older adults, occupational therapist and student "willingness to work" with older adults, and therapist and student identification of OT gerontology practice settings, and explored students' attitudes about older adults and gerontology practice. Methods: This study used a survey design and focus groups. The Refined-Aging Semantic Differential and Facts on Aging Quiz were utilized to assess attitudes and knowledge of aging. Participants included NYS occupational therapists (n = 85) and OT students (n = 144). Results: Significant relationships were found between OT gerontology education and "willingness to work" for therapists (rho = .351, p = .000) and students (rho = .342, p < .001); a weak significant correlation was noted between positive attitudes and therapists' "willingness to work" (rho = −.18, p = .049). Focus group data found strong interest in working with older adults. Conclusions: Findings have implications for relationships between OT education and gerontology practice.

Background: There is poor understanding regarding functional limitation of thumb strength and dexterity following thumb metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and interphalangeal (IP) arthrodesis. The purpose of this investigation was to quantitatively evaluate the functional limitations of MCP and IP joint fusion using an orthosis to simulate fusion. Methods: Thirty-two healthy volunteers underwent simulated MCP and IP thumb arthrodesis using custom-molded orthoses. Each volunteer was independently assessed for hand and thumb function using the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function test, lateral pinch strength, tip pinch strength, and Grooved Pegboard test. Comparisons between the 3 groups in all functional tests were carried out. Results: The mean lateral pinch strength was significantly greater in the unsplinted group (8.3 kg) compared with the MCP- (6.3 kg) and IP-splinted (5.7 kg) groups. Mean tip pinch strength was also significantly higher in the unsplinted group than in MCP- and IP-splinted thumbs (4.6 kg vs 4.1 and 3.9 kg). There was no difference in the Jebsen-Taylor or Grooved Pegboard test between the 3 groups. Conclusion: Our study suggests that with a fused MCP joint the lateral and tip pinch strength will decrease by 24% and 10%, respectively, compared with a healthy nonsplinted thumb. A fused IP joint will decrease lateral and tip pinch by 31% and 16%, respectively. This information does not take into account an arthritic thumb. We found that the Jebsen-Taylor test and Grooved Pegboard test were not affected by simulated thumb MCP and IP fusion.