News from Association of Bulgarian Ergotherapists (Bulgaria)

Specialized Training on the Fundamentals of Positioning and Mobility: An Individual Approach to Wheelchair Selection and Adaptation

On 12 June 2026, the Association of Bulgarian Ergotherapists (ABET), in partnership with Motivation Romania Foundation, organized a one-day specialized training dedicated to clinical assessment, wheelchair selection, and individual adaptation based on each user’s specific needs.

Participation in everyday life can be significantly limited not only by a person’s diagnosis but also by the use of inappropriate assistive devices. An unsuitable wheelchair may restrict mobility, reduce independence, compromise functional posture, and limit participation in meaningful activities. Despite this, healthcare professionals in Bulgaria have limited opportunities to attend practical, clinically oriented training that addresses real-life challenges encountered in their daily work.

The training was delivered by certified experts from the Motivation Romania Foundation, an organization with more than 25 years of experience in mobility and positioning. Their work follows the international standards and methodologies of the World Health Organization (WHO), ensuring participants received evidence-based knowledge and practical guidance.

The programme covered key topics including wheelchair selection criteria, biomechanics and neutral posture, anthropometric assessment, individualized wheelchair adaptation, and safe transfer techniques. Participants gained valuable insight into internationally recognized assessment and fitting standards, learned practical approaches that can be immediately applied in clinical practice, exchanged experience with international specialists, and strengthened their confidence when advising individuals and their families.

The training was open not only to occupational therapists but also to physiotherapists, rehabilitation specialists, speech and language therapists, special educators, students, and other professionals working with children and adults with motor impairments.

This event provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen professional competencies and promote a more critical, evidence-based approach to mobility, positioning, and functional participation for the people we support.

New Working Groups Established by the General Assembly

During its latest General Assembly, ABET members voted to establish two new working groups addressing key priorities for the development of occupational therapy in Bulgaria.

The first working group will focus on Sensory Integration (SI) and will be led by Madlen Eftimova, the first occupational therapist in Bulgaria to obtain the Certificate in Ayres Sensory Integration® (CASI), awarded by CLASI. The group’s objectives include organizing Sensory Integration training with approved providers, advocating for high professional standards, and supporting the appropriate development and recognition of SI practice in Bulgaria.

The second working group will focus on the development and promotion of occupational therapy within inclusive education. Its goal is to bring together school-based occupational therapists, facilitate the exchange of experience and good practices, and strengthen collaboration with other professionals and relevant authorities. Through this initiative, the group aims to advance the role of occupational therapy in creating inclusive educational environments for all learners.

News from AOTI – Associations of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (Ireland)

In December 2025, the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI) turned 60 which is an incredible milestone – 60 years of representing and supporting Occupational Therapists in Ireland. To celebrate this achievement, 2026 is proving to be a special anniversary year filled with celebratory events and opportunities to reflect on the profession’s journey over the last 60 years.

As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations, AOTI launched the Anna King Annual AOTI Lecture on 16 April 2026 in Dublin, Ireland. This event celebrates the life and career of Anna King who was the first Chairperson of AOTI. The launch of this Lecture provided an opportunity to recognise Anna’s foundational role as the first Chairperson of AOTI and the lasting legacy of her contribution to the development of the Occupational Therapy profession in Ireland. The Anna King Lecture will be awarded each year to an AOTI member who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the profession by developing the body of knowledge and/or innovating in practice, management, education or research. Attending the lecture with her family, Anna King said “it’s a huge honour to have the new annual AOTI lecture named after me as part of the 60th anniversary of AOTI, a body of which I’m so proud for its achievements as the voice for Occupational Therapy”. 

Dr Clodagh Nolan was the recipient of the inaugural Anna King Lectureship where she delivered a lecture on ‘Occupational Therapy in Ireland: Past, Present and Future.’ A pioneering initiative providing Occupational Therapy services for students with disabilities in higher education is just one of the career highlights of Dr Nolan. Dr Nolan outlined that “it’s an incredible honour to be chosen as the first recipient of the Anna King Lectureship. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on the evolution of Occupational Therapy in Ireland from its early foundations to its role today in supporting people’s lives in meaningful and life-changing ways”.

Commenting on the lectureship, AOTI CEO, Odhrán Allen said, “I want to congratulate Anna King and Clodagh Nolan on their outstanding contributions to the Occupational Therapy profession. Anna, whose teachings I remember from my own days as a student, enabled Occupational Therapy to become the respected profession it is today, created an enormous legacy and we’re delighted she was able to attend this inaugural lecture, a key part of our 60th anniversary celebrations. Clodagh, who herself was lectured by Anna, has her own wonderful legacy to celebrate, including the establishment of the ‘Unilink Service’ which originated in Trinity College, Dublin, and is now offered to two other Universities within the Greater Dublin Region. Attendees were delighted to hear her lecture on the Past, Present, and Future of Occupational Therapy in Ireland.”

AOTI Chairperson, Genevieve O’Halloran, said: “The Anna King Lecture is an important new addition to how we recognise leadership and contribution within the profession. It reflects both the strong foundations laid by pioneers like Anna King and the ongoing innovation demonstrated by members such as Dr Clodagh Nolan. We are proud to mark our 60th anniversary by establishing an event that will continue to inspire the profession into the future.”

Further information about AOTI and the programme of events to celebrate the 60th anniversary is available at www.aoti.ie/about-us/AOTI-60th-Anniversary.