This session addresses the unique challenges of conducting Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) in rural and under-resourced communities. It introduces the RAMS (Rural Activities of Daily Living Manual Handling Sort) tool, covering its development, structure, and practical use in medico-legal and functional work assessments. Participants will gain insight into context-sensitive reporting, effective recommendations, and claims assessment for rural cases.
Dr Jennifer McAdam is an occupational therapist with extensive experience in development delivery and management of occupational therapy and rehabilitation services in the public and private sectors. She completed her PhD in occupational therapy in 2019 With a dissertation titled: Development and validation of the Rural Activities of Daily Living Manual Handling Sort. Dr McAdam has been involved in teaching and clinical supervision of occupational therapy students in numerous settings over many years. She is currently employed as a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand. Dr McAdam has unique experience regarding assistive devices and technology at clinical and governments levels. As the previous chairperson of the Education Committee of the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy at the Health Professions Council of South Africa, she has overseen the coordination of the accreditation of all South African occupational therapy programmes and has conducted evaluations for the accreditation of four occupational therapy programmes. Dr McAdam has authored several publications, is a reviewer for SAJOT, presented numerous workshops and is involved in international collaborations in the area of assistive technology and devices.
