Linda Hunt, Ph.D., FAOTA, OTR/L
Professor, School of Occupational Therapy
Program Director, Graduate Certificate Program in Gerontology
Linda discovered being an occupational therapist is a perfect fit for what energizes her, providing opportunities that help people reach goals. She believes that creative problem solving is the basis for occupational therapy practice and teaches her students to be resourceful problem solvers. Linda has been an occupational therapy educator for over 17 years. Her primary practice is with older adults, specifically in wellness programs, low vision, and driving rehabilitation and community mobility.
Linda has received grant funding that enabled her to examine the effects of aging and dementia on driving ability. Her current research focuses on life style redesign for certified nursing assistants (CNA). Linda believes that clients will receive optimal care if CNAs work in an environment that supports the valuable work they do including caring for individuals during end of life. She is currently starting a wellness program that promotes stress reduction, education, and career path development for CNAs.
In addition, Linda has published her research results in numerous journals and books, and has presented to audiences worldwide. She has taught exercise classes to clients with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Linda keeps occupied by hiking, walking, biking, cross country skiing, and yoga. She enjoys the outdoors and great food with her husband and daughter. Her favorite pastimes are bird watching, reading the newspaper and literature, and going to inspiring films. She never misses the Academy Awards.
Education
Graduate
- 2001 Ph.D., in Physiological Optics, School of Optometry, University of Missouri St. Louis
- 1991 Master in Health Care Services, Health Care Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis
- 1983 B.S., Occupational Therapy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
- 1974 B.S., English and Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO.
Undergraduate
Recent Accomplishments/Awards
- 2011 Promoted to Full Professor
- 2011 Director, Graduate Certificate in Gerontology for Healthcare Professionals
- 2010-2011 Chair Faculty Senate
- 2009-2010 Chair Elect Faculty Senate
- 2009 Named a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) at its annual conference in Houston, Texas, for research and promotion of the profession in the domain of driving and rehabilitation.
- 2008 Awarded Tenure at Pacific University
- 2008-2011 Faculty Senate
- 2006-present Editorial Board of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy
- 2002-present Reviewer for American Medical Association Physician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers
- 2005-2006 AOTA Service Awards
Selected Publications
a. Peer Reviewed Manuscripts
1.
Hunt, L.A. (2011). Understanding and helping drivers with Alzheimer’s disease. Police Chief, 78, 11, 60-64.
2. Hunt, L.A., Brown, A.E., & Gilman, I.P. (2010). Drivers with dementia and outcomes of getting lost while driving. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64, 225-232.
3. Hunt, L.A. & Bassi, C.J. (2010). Near visual acuity levels and performance on neuropsychological assessments used in occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64, 105–113.
4. Hunt, L.A. & Arbesman, M. (2008). An evidence-based and occupational perspective of effective interventions for older clients that remediate or support improved driving performance. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 136-148.
5. Hunt, L., Salls, J., Dolhi, C., Kratz, D., & Martin, K. (2007). Putting the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework into practice: Enlightening one therapist at a time. OT Practice, 12(15), 17-20.
6. Eberhard, J.W., Stutts, J., Burkhardt, J., Finn, J., Hunt, L., Staplin, L., Molnar, L.J., Peters-Beumer, L., Dinh-Zarr, B.T., Carr, D. B., Trilling, D.R., & McCarthy, D. P. (2006). Strategies and tools to enable safe driving for older adults. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 22, 3-17.
7. Duchek, J.M., Carr, D.B., Hunt, L., Roe, C. M., Xiong, C., Shah, K., & Morris, J.C. (2003). Longitudinal driving performance in early stage dementia of the Alzheimer type. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 51, 1342-1347.
8. Duchek, J.M., Hunt, L.A., Ball, K., Buckles, V., & Morris, J.C. (1998). Attention and driving performance in Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Gerontology, 53B, 130-141.
9. Hunt, L.A., Murphy, C.F, Carr, D., Duchek, J.M., Buckles, V., & Morris, J.C. (1997). Reliability of the Washington University Road Test: A performance-based assessment for drivers with dementia of the Alzheimer type. Archives of Neurology, 54, 707-712.
10. Hunt, L.A., Murphy, C.F, Carr, D., Duchek, J.M., Buckles, V., & Morris, J.C. (1997) Environmental cueing may affect performance on a road test for drivers with dementia of the Alzheimer type. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, 11, Suppl.1: 13-16.
11. Hunt, L..A. (1996). A profile of occupational therapists as driving instructors and evaluators for elderly drivers. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 19, 2-3.
12. Hunt, L..A., Sadun, A., & Bassi, C. (1995). Review of the visual system in Parkinson’s disease. Optometry and Vision Science, 72, 92-99.
13. Hunt, L..A., Morris, J.C., Edwards, D.F., & Wilson, B. (1993). Driving performance in persons with mild senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 41, 747-753.
14. Hunt, L..A. (1993). Evaluation and retraining programs for older drivers. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 9(22), 439-448.
15. Hunt, L. (1988). Continuity of care maximizes autonomy of the elderly. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 42, 43-45.
b. Invited Publications
1. Hunt, L.A. (2011). Understanding and helping drivers with Alzheimer’s disease. Police Chief, 78, 11, 60-64.
2. Hunt, L.A. & Slater, D.Y. (2012). Occupational Therapy’s Ethical Obligation To Address Driving and Community Mobility in AOTA (Eds.), AOTA Press.
3. Odenheimer, G. L. & Hunt, L. (2011). Functional Assessment in Geriatric Neurology. In Albert, M. & Knoefel, J. (Eds.), Clinical Neurology of Aging, 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press
4. Odenheimer, G. L. & Hunt, L. (2011). Functional Assessment in Geriatric Neurology. In Albert, M. & Knoefel, J. (Eds.), Clinical Neurology of Aging, 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
5. Stav, W., Hunt, L., & Arbesman, M. (2006). Occupational therapy practice guidelines for driving and community mobility for older adults. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association.
6. Davidson, D.A., Hunt, L., & Carluccio, L.W. (2004). Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Counseling. In Rizzo, M. & Eslinger, P. J. (Eds.), Principles and Practice of Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychology. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.
7. Hunt, L.A. (2003, Summer). Driving and dementia automatic cessation of driving? Generations, 27(2), 34-38.
8. Hunt, L.A. (2001). G9: Remediation through Adaptive Equipment and Training. National Highway Safety Administration, Retrieved October 3, 2008 from http://dms.cot.gov/search/document.cfm?documentid=138293&docketid=3588.
9. Hunt, L.A., & Weston, K (1999). Assessment of Driving Capacity. In Lichtenberg, P.A. (Ed.). Handbook of Geriatric Assessment. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
10. Duchek, J.M., Hunt, L. A., Ball, K., Buckles, V., & Morris, J.C.(1997). The role of selective attention in driving and dementia of the Alzheimer type. Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, 11, Suppl.1: 48-56.
11. Hunt, L.A. (1996, Fall). The older driver and driving cessation. Aging & Vision News, 8, 5-6.
12. Hunt, L.A. (1994). Home Health Care: Environmental Influences of Functional Performance. In Bonder, B.R. (Ed.). Functional Performance in the Elderly. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
13. Hunt, L.A. (1994). Driving and the demented person. In Morris, J.C. (Ed.). Handbook of Dementing Illnesses. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc..
14. Hunt, L. Able Driving is Safe Driving, pamphlet for the American Occupational Therapy Association, Rockville, MD: American Occupational Therapy Association, 1993.
15. Hunt, L.A. (1990) Occupational therapists roles in maximizing older adults driving ability; evaluation and intervention. Order number 263SDN36164. Washington D.C.: National Institute on Aging.