Actually Ann, I do believe that it is because of the medical model that some OT tend to practice upper extremity PT. In the medical model, the emphasis is on finding the problem and correcting the problem. You know, very mechanical, like a clock with a broken spring. If you fix the spring, then the clock will work. Of course, humans aren't machines, because of will, motivation, emotions, etc and as such they don't function and often can't be fixed like machines.
I guess about 50 years ago, as a professional organization, OT was pressured to become more medically rather than socially oriented. Well, our professional orientation does fit a medical model, if fits a humano-social (I made up that word) model. So once we were in the model, as a profession we tried to find a niche. Some how, that niche became oriented to the upper extremity. As soon as we began to focus on the upper extremity, we began losing focus on the occupational being of our clients. In reality, I really do think OT has a GREAT role to play in the medical model, I just don't think it is in the way we are currently practicing. It just that some of occupational therapy's basic tenets don't fit well. It's the old proverbial round peg in a square hole. If the two are to fit, something must give. Ron ====================================================== On 10/7/02, [EMAIL PROTECTED] said: Dac> Ron, Dac> The 6 areas that you gave as examples of deficits for your hypothetical Dac> patient with the CVA could all easily be addressed in the amount of time that Dac> is typical within the inpatient rehab. setting. I feel that addressing as Dac> many of them as possible allows me to not only address the primary Dac> occupational deficit(s) that the patient has identified, but also gives the Dac> patient a foundation of remediation that they can draw upon to address other Dac> occupations upon return home. I also find it curious that you feel the need Dac> to attach such a negative connotation to the medical model, as it is the one Dac> that ALL disciplines who work within hospitals function within, OT included. Dac> and no, I am not referring to some odd need to address only UE rehab., as Dac> that is a completely separate issue from functioning within a medical model. Dac> I'm curious to hear your response to the question I posed in the previous Dac> post. Dac> Ann Dac> *********��*********** Dac> Unsubscribe? Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dac> In the message's *body*, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist Dac> ** List messages are archived at: Dac> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Dac> *********��*********** *********��*********** Unsubscribe? Send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message's *body*, put the following text: unsubscribe OTlist ** List messages are archived at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] *********��***********
