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Letts, Lori
 
Contact Information

Phone: (905) 525-9140 ext: 27816
Fax: (905) 524-0069
Office: Rm.403F, IAHS
Email: lettsl@mcmaster.ca
Curriculum Vitae: Download
 
 

Profile

Lori Letts is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science and Assistant Dean of the Occupational Therapy Program. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Western Ontario.

After working as an occupational therapist in general rehabilitation, long term care, and with clients in the community, she returned to graduate school. In 1991, she received a Master of Arts with a joint degree in Gerontology and Regional Planning and Resource Development. Her thesis examined environmental influences on the functional abilities of older adults. Following that, she worked as Researcher with Community Occupational Therapists and Associates in Toronto, and was also the Assistant National Coordinator of the CAOT Seniors' Health Promotion Project. She completed doctoral studies in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University in 2002. The focus of her doctoral dissertation was on the use of participatory research and community organizing as means to promote health with older adults in the city of Toronto.

Research Specialty

Lori’s research interests include environments, health promotion, primary health care, aging, community rehabilitation, participatory research, social change and community organizing.

Fun Fact

I love to cook when I have time. I commute from Waterloo, and CBC Radio One is always on in my car.

Taking Graduate Students

Willing to take on supervision and/or committee membership for 1-2 graduate students (masters or doctoral level).

Lab/Research Institute

Functional Assessment Lab, run by the Mobility, Aging and Participation Research Group, School of Rehabilitation Science.

Courses Taught

MSc OT, McMaster University
2010-2011
Term 1: Health Wellness and Occupation: Professional Roles and Experiential Practicum (PREP), Course Co-coordinator
Term 2: Person Environment & Occupation: Professional Roles and Experiential Practicum (PREP), Course Co-coordinator

2009-2010
Term 4: Applying Evidence to Practice: Integration, Course Co-ordinator
Term 3: Disability, Development & Occupation, Term Chair
Term 3: Disability, Development & Occupation, Professional Roles and Experiential Practicum (PREP),  Course Co-ordinator

2008-2009
Term 4: Applying Evidence to Practice: Integration, Course Co-ordinator
Term 3: Disability, Development & Occupation, Term Chair
Term 3: Disability, Development & Occupation, Professional Roles and Experiential Practicum (PREP), Course Co-ordinator

Recent Research

Project Title: Experiences of the environment and its influences on participation among adults with chronic diseases: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research
Investigators: Hand, C., Wilkins, S., Law, M., & Letts, L.
Funding Agency: Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation
Amount: $5,000
Funding Period: July 2010 – December 2011

Project Title: Enabling the health literacy of clients during specialty mental health services: Clinicians’ experiences and perspectives
Investigators: Strong, S., Wilkins, S., & Letts, L.
Funding Agency: Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation
Amount: $5,000
Funding Period: July 2010 – December 2011

Project Title: Supporting Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Pilot Study
Investigators: Letts, L., Douglas, A., & O’Toole, C.
Funding Agency: Alzheimer Society of Canada
Amount: $107,820
Funding Period: August 2009 – July 2011

Project Title: Routine administration of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: Effect on knowledge, clinical-decision making and care
Investigators: Colquhoun, H., Letts, L., Law, M., & McDermid, J.
Funding Agency: Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation
Amount: $5,000
Funding Period: July 2009 – December 2010

Project Title: Home after Hospital Occupational Therapy
Investigators: Douglas, A., Zagrodski, D., Letts, L., Richardson, J., Eva, K., & Patterson, C.
Funding Agency: Hamilton Health Sciences New Investigator Fund
Amount: $8,700
Funding Period: January 2009 – January 2010

Project Title: Rehabilitation in the home environment: A knowledge transfer project to implement best practice and ensure continuity of care with stroke
Investigators: Richardson, J., Bosch, J., de Paul, V., Jack, S., Letts, L., Moreland, J., Wilkins, S., & Wishart, L.
Funding Agency: Ontario Stroke System Research Grant, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
Amount: $142,028
Funding Period: 2009-2010

Project Title: Creating an Agenda for Occupational Therapy’s Contribution to Collaborative Chronic Disease Research
Investigators: Letts, L., Hand, C., & von Zweck, C.
Funding Agency: Meetings, Planning & Dissemination Grant, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Amount: $25,000
Funding Period: 2008-2009
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Recent Publications
 

Book Chapters
Wilkins, S., Letts, L., & Richardson, J. (2009). Evaluation of functional performance. In B. Bonder & Bello-Haas, V. D. (Eds.), Functional performance in older adults (3rd ed., pp. 429-448). Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis.

Letts, L.  (2009). Health promotion. In E. B. Crepeau, E. Cohn, & B. A. B. Schell (Eds.), Willard & Spackman’s Occupational Therapy (11th ed., pp. 165-180).Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Rigby, P., Stark, S., Letts, L., & Ringaert, L. (2009). Physical environments. In E. B. Crepeau, E. Cohn, & B. A. B. Schell (Eds.), Willard & Spackman’s Occupational Therapy (11th ed., pp. 820-849).Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Rigby, P., Lowe, M., Letts, L., & Stewart, D. (2008). Assessing context: Home, community and workplace access. In M. V. Radomski & C. A. Trombly Latham (Eds.), Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction (6th ed.; pp. 310-337). Baltimore: Wolters Kluwer | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Articles
Letts, L., Edwards, M., Berenyi, J., Moros, K., O’Neill, C., O’Toole, C., & McGrath, C. (in press). Using
occupations to improve quality of life, health and wellness, and client and caregiver satisfaction for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: An evidence based review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy

Letts., L., Minezes, J., Edwards, M., Berenyi, J., Moros, K., O’Neill, C., & O’Toole, C. (in press). Effectiveness of interventions designed to modify and maintain perceptual abilities in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: A review of evidence. American Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Hand, C., Letts, L., & Von Zweck, C. (2011).  An agenda for occupational therapy’s contribution to collaborative chronic disease research. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78, 147-155.

Letts, L., Martin Ginis, K. A., Faulkner, G., Colquhoun, H., Levac, D., & Gorczynski, P. (2011). Preferred methods and messengers for delivering physical activity information to people with spinal cord injury: A focus group study. Rehabilitation Psychology, 56, 128-137.

Vrkljan, B. H., McGrath, C. E., & Letts, L. (2011). Assessment tools for evaluating fitness to drive: A critical appraisal of evidence. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78, 80-96.

Colquhoun, H., Letts, L., Law, M., MacDermid, J., & Missuina, C. (2010). A scoping review of the use of theory in studies of knowledge translation. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77, 270-279.

Richardson, J., Letts, L., Chan, D., Stratford, P., Hand, C., Price, D., et al. (2010). Rehabilitation in a primary care setting for persons with chronic illness: A randomized controlled trial. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 11, 382-395. doi:10.1017/S1463423610000113

Douglas, A., Letts, L. & Richardson, J. (2011). A systematic review of accidental injury from fire, wandering and medication self-administration errors for older adults with and without dementia. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 52, e1-e10. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2010.02.014

Colquhoun, H., Letts, L., Law, M., MacDermid, J., & Edwards, M. (2010). Clinical utility of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for routine use. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 73, 48-54.

Douglas, A., Richardson, J., Letts, L., & Wilkins, S. (2010). Help at home and perceived health status: Gender differences in a community dwelling population. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 28, 86-100.

Hand, C., Richardson, J., Letts, L., & Stratford, P. (2010). Validity of the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument for adults with chronic conditions. Disability and Rehabilitation, 32, 50-56.  First published on: 26 June 2009 (iFirst). DOI: 10.1080/09638280902998789

Letts, L., Moreland, J., Richardson, J., Coman, L., Edwards, M., Martin Ginis, K., Wilkins, S., & Wishart, L. (2010). The physical environment as a falls risk factor in older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and cohort studies. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57, 51-64. (Advance online publication, 2009). doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00787.x

Colquhoun, H., Letts, L., Law, M., MacDermid, J., & Edwards, M. (2010). Routine administration of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: Effect on functional outcome. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57, 111-117. (Advance online publication, 2009). doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1630.2009.00784.x

Richardson, J., Letts, L., Childs, A., Semogas, D., Stavness, C., Smith, B. J., Guenter, D., & Price, D. (2009). Development of a community scholar program: An interprofessional initiative. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 24, 39-45.

Douglas, A., Letts, L., & Liu, L. (2008). Review of cognitive assessments for older adults. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 26(4), 13-44.