Check out these quick updates on a few recent IOTS clients and see how OT can help you!
" What is occupational therapy?" I get asked this question a lot, and although I have been an occupational therapist for 16 years, I still struggle to answer this question clearly. Occupational therapy can be hard to explain because of how individualized it is. Let me start with the root of occupational therapy, the term "occupation."
"Occupations are the activities that people do every day to give their life meaning and purpose" - The American Occupational Therapy Association.
Occupations are meaningful activities that are different for each person. Occupational therapy uses activities that are meaningful to each person as a treatment method and as a goal.
 For example:
1. (If you are an artist and have a stroke) occupational therapy might have you use art as a form of therapy to regain your strength.
2. (If you have arthritis and LOVE to cook) occupational therapy might help you adapt your kitchen setup and provide adaptive equipment so you can do the thing you love (cooking).
See below for examples of occupational therapy in my day-to-day practice.
Spicy Spiral Table Runner
One of my clients loves art and creative hobbies like sewing, crocheting, jewelry making, and basket weaving. After a major injury, she stopped working on these leisure pursuits for over a year. During our OT sessions, we started by getting out some of her fabrics, and we found some of her spicy spiral table runners. We decided to try to make one for therapy. We began by setting up her workspace, reviewing and practicing using her machine after so long, picking fabric, cutting strips, sewing the strips together, cutting triangles, and finally piecing them together. This was not an easy task! It was a lot of physical and mental work but also a lot of fun. Not to mention - I was learning along the way! She was able to use this "occupation" of sewing as a way to regain strength and activity tolerance while doing something meaningful and enjoyable.
Bathroom Safety Improvement
This client called me because she lives at home and wants to remain home as long as possible. She has been having trouble getting on and off the commode since it was so low, and she was thinking about grab bars. During my initial evaluation, I had her show me her bathroom and how she transferred on and off the toilet and in and out of the shower. My first recommendation was a raised toilet seat, which you can see in the first picture. She ordered it right away, and I was able to help her install it during the next visit. I also recommended collaborating with Joel - "The Grab Bar Guy". Joel is a certified aging-in-place specialist who helps people install grab bars and other home safety equipment.
Joel met us on the second visit, and we placed painter's tape on the wall to make the placement of grab bars possible. This helped the client visualize possibilities and practice different hand placements to see what would work best for her.
Teamwork makes the dream work! As an occupational therapist, I understand my clients' physical needs with home modifications like grab bars. However, it is important to collaborate with other professionals, like contractors, who understand the physical space and what is possible to ensure the client is getting grab bars or other modifications that work for them and their space.
The Grab Bar Guys STL - https://www.grabbarguysstl.net/
Air Hockey!
Air Hockey??!!?? How is air hockey occupational therapy? Meet Mrs. A., who has Parkinsons' and dementia. She can walk some with a cane but uses a wheelchair most of the day. She has poor balance and has had several falls. Her dementia is pretty advanced, and she has trouble engaging with her family. One day, we were in the basement, and she seemed interested in this air hockey table. I turned it on, and she lit up. When we started, I stood close by her, and she hit the puck into the goal at the other end. As she got stronger, I moved to the other side of the table. Now, she can stand for over 15 minutes while hitting the puck back and forth. This fun activity works on hand/eye coordination, balance, processing speed, posture, and activity tolerance - to name a few. Not only it is a great exercise, but she lights up and loves playing. Now, she can play with her grandchildren and family.
CarFit and Car Transfer Training
Driving and being able to get in and out of the car is super important to people. Several of my clients ask me about issues related to driving.
CarFit is a free community event that was created by AARP, AAA, and AOTA. CarFit is an educational community program that helps older adults ensure that their cars are "fitting" them properly. When your vehicle is properly fitted to you, you have a reduced risk of accidents. I am a CarFit event coordinator, and over the past year, I was able to train several CarFit technicians and partnered with SSM and Aging Ahead to host 2 CarFit events and two modified carwise events with the Senior Learning Institute, Senior Care Authority, and Quality Auto Repair.
The picture in the middle shows a client working on car transfers. She has been a wheelchair user for several years and has trouble standing and pivoting. She has been having problems getting in and out of the car with the help of her family. This is a big issue because she needs to get to her medical appointments, and wheelchair-accessible transportation can be difficult. During OT visits, we practiced getting in and out of the car using a sliding board and other modifications like a car safety handle. Finding a transfer technique that worked for her took several visits and repetitive practice. During one of the visits, we met up with the PT to collaborate on strategies.
Keys U See
Mrs. B has MS and has trouble using her old Apple keyboard. The keys were slippery and hard to see. She uses her computer for work, volunteer work, and exercise classes. She must have a keyboard that she can use so she can participate in work and leisure activities. We explored several online keyboards during our visits to see what options were available. We were not sure what would work best for her. I contacted the Missouri Assistive Technology Program, which offers a program where you can try equipment before buying it. She tried this keyboard and LOVED it! She ordered one of her own, knowing it would work well for her.
Missouri Assistive Technology Program Information!
In Closing
As you can see, occupational therapy can vary widely. Occupational therapy helps people with the things they NEED to do, HAVE to do, and WANT to do.
If you are having trouble doing things that you love and enjoy, contact an occupational therapist to see if they have any strategies to help you keep doing what you love!
I hope you all are having a great summer! Thanks for reading!
Dr. Jenny Williams, OT
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