Linda Hunt, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

As an occupational therapists for over 30 years, Dr. Hunt as practiced in a variety of setting including home care, wellness, community practice, and long term rehabilitation.  She started one of the first evidence-based driver evaluation and training programs in the country.  She has received grants from the National Institute on Aging examining how people with dementia drive as compared to healthy older adults.  Furthermore, she received a grant from General Motors examining how to best provide driving rehabilitation to older adults who have stopped driving due to physical impairments.  She continues to explore the relationship between aging and driver safety especially in the area of dementia affecting navigational skills.  Other research interests include roots travel and the effects heritage has on a person’s objects loved, preferred foods, and places call home.  In addition, Dr. Hunt explores employment/volunteering and ties to purposeful living.  She published a book, Work and the Older Person: Increasing Longevity and Well-being, which explores the values of working into old age.

In the School of Occupational Therapy, she strives to deliver education that helps graduates improve current practice particularly in the areas of evidence-based assessments and interventions.  She helps students use research to discover best practice and how change may be brought about in current practice.  Dr. Hunt redefines client-centered practice by using assessments and interview techniques that help practitioners better understand who their clients are and what clients define as their needs. 

Dr. Hunt started the first online certificate program at Pacific University, the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology for Healthcare Professionals. In this program, she helps people explore aging related dimensions of change over the lifespan.

She also started the dual degree, Masters in Healthcare Administration and Gerontology.

Dr. Hunt keeps occupied by hiking and biking in Montana. She is a bird watcher and has traveled to numerous places to see specific bird populations.  She lives in Montana, and currently teaches online courses for Pacific’s Occupational Therapy School and the Graduate Gerontology program. 

Education

Graduate

2001 | PhD, 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

Undergraduate

1983 | BS, Occupational Therapy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.

1974 | BS, English and Education, University of Missouri, St. Louis, Mo.

Accomplishments/Awards

2011 | Promoted to Full Professor

2011 to 2016 | Director, Graduate Certificate in Gerontology for Healthcare Professionals

2010-2011 | Chair, 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

2006-2015 | 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

Selected Publications

Peer Reviewed Manuscripts

Maze, J. H., & Hunt, L. A. (2018). Teaching a person with memory impairment smartphone use for emergencies during outdoors walking: Case report. Geriatrics, 2, (8). doi:10.3390/geriatrics3010008

Hunt, L. A. (2014). Keeping employment in mind during the clinical evaluation. OT Practice, November 24, 2014. 

Hunt, L.A. (2011). Understanding and helping drivers with Alzheimer’s disease. Police Chief, 78, 11, 60-64

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hunt, L.A. (1996). A profile of occupational therapists as driving instructors and evaluators for elderly drivers. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 19, 2-3

Hunt, L.A., Sadun, A., & Bassi, C. (1995). Review of the visual system in Parkinson’s disease. Optometry and Vision Science, 72, 92-99

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

Invited Publications

Hunt, L. A., Nijiar, B. & Stead, A. (2018). Sensory function and function related to the vision and hearing. In B.R. Bonder & Dal Bello-Hass, V. (Eds.). Functional performance in older adults. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.  ​

Hunt, L. A., Nijiar, B. & Stead, A. (2018). Sensory function and function related to the skin. In B.R. Bonder & Dal Bello-Hass, V. (Eds.). Functional performance in older adults. Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis. 

Carr, D. & Hunt, L. (2016). Driving and transportation: Dementia as a model for evaluation, decision making, and planning. In K.F. Barney & M.A. Perkinson (Eds.). Occupational therapy with aging adults: Promoting quality of life through collaborative practice. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Pub. 

Hunt, L. A. (2015). Assessment considerations for persons with Alzheimer’s disease for the Occupational Therapy Practice Guidelines for Driving and Community Mobility for Older Adults. Bethesda: American Occupational Therapy Association AOTA Press.

Hunt, L. (2014). From Where I Came: How Digital Narratives About Place Can Illuminate Everything. In J. Barlow & M. Yasuoka (eds.). Interface: The Journal of Education, Community, and Values, 13, 163-174). Forest Grove, OR: The Berglund Center for Internet Studies.

Hunt, L. A. (2013). Commentary:  Who’s next?  Referral prioritization criteria for home care occupational therapy. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 20, 589.

Hunt, L.A. & Slater, D.Y. (2012). Occupational Therapy’s Ethical Obligation To Address Driving and Community Mobility in AOTA (Eds.), AOTA Press.

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

Book Publication

Hunt, L.A., & Wolverson, C.  E. (2014).  Work and the Older Person:  Increasing Longevity and Wellbeing.  Thorofare, NJ :SLACK.

Selected Presentations

Hunt, L. A. (2017). Tackling Frailty:  Occupational Therapy’s Essential Role. European Network of Occupational Therapy Educators (ENOTHE).  Zagreb, Croatia. October 28, 2017​

Hunt, L.A. (2016). Mindfulness Provided Attention Regulation Skills When Faced with Stress.  Canadian Association of Gerontology. Montreal, Canada.  October 20-23, 2016.

Hunt, L. A., Daverman, K. M., & Pager, B. J. (2014). From Where I Came: Visiting the Place of One's Heritage. Hawaii Pacific Gerontology Society, Honolulu, HA. September 29-30, 2014.

Hunt, L. A., Frankamp, H., & Grosh, A. (2014).  Volunteers with Cognitive Impairment Engage in Card Making for Improved Well-Being. European Network of Occupational Therapy Educators (ENOTHE). Nijmegen, The Netherlands. October 23-25, 2014. 

Hunt, L.A., Wagner-Speck, P., & Winkler, K. Purposeful Aging Theory: Exemplified by Employment or Living in Retirement Community. European Network of Occupational Therapy Educators (ENOTHE). York, UK. October 19, 2013. 

Hunt, L.A., & Wolverson, C. Productive Aging:  Sustaining Employment for Older Persons. European Network of Occupational Therapy Educators (ENOTHE). York, UK. October 19, 2013. 

Hunt, L.A. From Where I Came. Reminiscence and Life Review Conference. New Orleans, LA. November 19, 2013.

Hunt, L. A., Teixeira, N., Hietala, K., Girondel, S., & Hilleson, K. Occupational Therapy Students’ Opportunity to Advocate European Senior Games for Wellness. European Network for Occupational Therapists in Higher Education. Vilnius, Lithuania. October 18, 2012.

Hunt, L. A. Productive Aging:  Sustaining Employment for Older Adults. Hawaii Pacific Gerontological Society.  Honolulu, HA.  September 10, 2012.

Hunt, L. A. Using mindfulness:  Enhancing quality of life for clients, coworkers, and ourselves. British Association of Occupational Therapy College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference.  Glasgow, Scotland. June 2012

Hunt, L. A., Teixeira, N., Hietala, K., Girondel, S., & Hilleson, K. Occupational Therapy Students’ Opportunity to Advocate European Senior Games for Wellness. European Network for Occupational Therapists in Higher Education. Vilnius, Lithuania. Oct. 18, 2012.