Hey Joe, Thanks for the neologism for good handwriting! I'll have to use that sometime to see the surprised look on people's faces. :)
-----Original Message----- From: Joe Wells [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 9:39 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [OTlist] what is OT? Hi Ron/ Jimmie: Just my views: Ron stated "The PT has evaluated her and began treating with the > following modalities: hot/cold, cervical traction, TENS, isometric > stretches and massage. All of these are functional activities in the > sense that each modality has a function. " These are defined as strictly modalities/ procedures both by payor sources (modalities/ procedures to facilitate function). However, as an Occupational therapist, I also view it as a "function/ occupation" that the physical therapist is involved in to "meaningfully" carry out his vocational role. So its application becomes a functional activity for the PT and its result, outcome, fruit perpetuates 'function' of some kind (in this case physically) for the person receiving it. Functional activities as normally described, are activities that the person is engaged in doing- walking, feeding, dressing, etc.. I agree all these modalities have a function but a telephone, camera, desk all though having some kind of function,( e.g, to enable communication, to help visual memories, or to help writing/ reading) are not 'functional activities', these may be seen as 'means' ( if they were adapted/ medically prescribed they would then become 'modalities' ;-)) to facilitate functional activities such as to communicate adequately with a son living in Japan, photoshoot for a living, or perform homework with 'eugraphia' (just made a word from 'euphoria'- to make it mean 'good handwriting':-)) However, to me these modalities may facilitate functional improvement- increase in spinal movements, decrease in pain/ stiffness, etc.. If the restriction in movement,pain and stiffness had caused difficulty either physically, mentally or emotionally to allow routine or not routine activities that a person should or wishes to indulge in, then it had caused an 'occupational dysfunction/ limitation'. Hence, I believe a loss of human functioning in its truest sense from perspectives of physical, mental and emotional functioning does cause a 'meaningful' loss to the person, and gain of function with the same perspectives facilitates his/her occupation in activities that he must or wants to engage in. The degrees of functional gains is directly related to 'occupational' gains. E.g: a) No voluntary control R upper extremity (R-UE)/ L UE-AE amputee (so that we do not talk about one handed tech.)= Zero UE "function"="dependent self feeding" b) Late stage 4 Brunstorm: 90 degrees elbow flexion/ mid-prone forearm/ fair vol. control (function)= "moderate assist feeding" c) Stage 6 Brunstorm: 130 degrees elbow flexion/ normal vol control (function)= "independent feeding" To me "function" already means it's good, normal, physiological; hence meaningful and relevant; if not I would term it as "dysfunction"- abnormal, subnormal, pathological, and obviously detrimental to the 'meaningful' and 'relevant' engagement in human life. I agree, that only the client judges the true 'meaning' of a function, what does lifting her hand really mean- waving, combing her hair, or able to say "cheers"- and that function thus, transcribes into her 'occupation' to comminicate, care for self, or socialize respectively. Ron- excerpts from your site: "Function: The action for which a person or thing is particularly fitted or employed. Source: Dictionary.com The definition on function for a 'person' indicates 'action' for one is fitted (suited? Per age, sex, or culturally); and employed (vocationally/ occupied in). So function and occupation are really too, close. They are mainly differentiated in the academia/ linguistics. To me whether we are PT, OT, SLP, MD, DC or what not, based upon what our practice acts state, we are all, in parts or wholly, involved to facilitate human 'functioning' (physical, mental, social/ emotional) via modalities/ procedures such as exercises, augmentative devices, surgeries, medication, counseling, etc....and all these ofcourse, improves or at least are intended to improve the client's ability to engage in 'occupations' that he/ she should normally or wishes to engage in! Just my thoughts. Joe P.S: Ron, your wife is right- Male OTs do have a lot to say. Hope she is feeling better. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Carson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Jimmie Arcenaux" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 8:38 PM Subject: Re: [OTlist] what is OT? > Hello Jimmie: > > I tend to disagree with your statement that: "A functional activity by > its definition has meaning and relevance to the individual's life" Well, > maybe I don't disagree 100% with the statement but from a therapeutic > perspective, I will disagree. Here's an example. > > My wife recently began seeing PT for what was diagnosed as degenerative > disk disease. However, these activities may > have little meaning and relevance to my wife's life. Yes, they may be > improving her spinal function but are the activities full of meaning and > relevance. Probably not, but in truth only she can answer that question. > > And I think that points to one of the biggest differences between > function and meaning. Something's function is what you see on the > outside, however, something's meaning is what one experiences on the > inside. There is almost no way that you can look someone engaging in an > activity, regardless of its function, and understand the activities > meaning and relevance to the client. Only the client experiences the > meaning so only the client can fully express the meaning. > > Almost everything in which a person engages or experiences has a > function. But of that in which we engage, how much has true meaning and > relevance? > > I guess the debate begs the question, what is the difference between > function and occupation. For my opinion on this question , I point you > to the following link: www.otnow.com/newsletter/current_newsletter.htm > > Thanks for the interesting debate, > > Ron > > P.S. My wife says that male OT's always have a lot to say!!! :-) > > ============================================= > > On 7/30/2003,[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > JA> Biraj, > > JA> Are you implying that "activities which an individual needs to do or is > JA> expected to do" are not functional? I agree that occupation is a broader > JA> concept, but I believe what is occupational is also functional. Occupation > JA> to me is the work of living as a human being. A functional activity by its > JA> definition has meaning and relevance to the individual's life. > > JA> Thanks Brian for the reference to the roots of OT. I could not agree with > JA> you more. > > JA> Jimmie > > JA> -----Original Message----- > JA> From: Incandescent [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > JA> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 9:04 AM > JA> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > JA> Subject: Re: [OTlist] what is OT? > > JA> Hi Jimmie: > > JA> Not to put too fine a point on this but my sense is that when viewed from > JA> the > JA> perspective of activities "Occupational" is a distinct and larger concept > JA> than > JA> "functional". The former also includes within it what is meaningful to the > JA> individual, whereas "functional" as the word implies refers to those aspects > JA> of > JA> activities which an individual needs to do or is expected to do - thus > JA> functional. > > JA> What do others think? > > JA> Biraj > > JA> Jimmie Arcenaux wrote: > > >> I believe also that the use of occupational or "functional" (I hate using > >> that term because it is coined well too often by OTs) activities as the > >> primary treatment modality is a hallmark of occupational therapy. It is > >> what the professions history is based upon. > >> Jimmie > > > > JA> *****************************��********************************** > > JA> To remove yourself from the OTnow mail list, send a message to: > > JA> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > JA> In the message's *body*, put the following text: > > JA> unsubscribe OTlist > > JA> - > > JA> List messages are archived at: > > JA> http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > JA> *****************************��*********************************** > > > JA> *****************************��********************************** > > JA> To remove yourself from the OTnow mail list, send a message to: > > JA> [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > JA> In the message's *body*, put the following text: > > JA> unsubscribe OTlist > > JA> - > > JA> List messages are archived at: > > JA> http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > JA> *****************************��*********************************** > > > *****************************��********************************** > > To remove yourself from the OTnow mail list, 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] > > *****************************��*********************************** > *****************************��********************************** To remove yourself from the OTnow mail list, 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] *****************************��*********************************** *****************************��********************************** To remove yourself from the OTnow mail list, 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] *****************************��***********************************
