Hello Jimmie: My earlier post was intended to push the boundaries. The reason is because the term 'function' is very vague. And what is function to you may not be function to me. Or what is function to a PT may not be function. Function is the latest buzz word but in my opinion it is not a word that OT's should encompass.
Ron ============================================= On 8/1/2003,[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: JA> Ron, Some would say too much to say! I believe your assessment might JA> be pushing the boundaries a bit. While the modalities employed by JA> the PT have purpose and thereby a function, I was referring to JA> functional activity as it relates to the client. Function to me JA> entails an engagement aspect as well as a goal which is purposeful. JA> TENS does not require engagement of the client due to its passive JA> nature. Isometric exercises while requiring the engagement of the JA> individual, have limited purpose and goal direction. I did like your JA> statement about perception as it relates to meaning and relevance. JA> Jimmie JA> -----Original Message----- From: Ron Carson JA> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 7:38 PM JA> To: Jimmie Arcenaux Subject: Re: [OTlist] what is OT? JA> Hello Jimmie: JA> I tend to disagree with your statement that: "A functional activity JA> by its definition has meaning and relevance to the individual's JA> life" Well, maybe I don't disagree 100% with the statement but from JA> a therapeutic perspective, I will disagree. Here's an example. JA> My wife recently began seeing PT for what was diagnosed as JA> degenerative disk disease. The PT has evaluated her and began JA> treating with the following modalities: hot/cold, cervical traction, JA> TENS, isometric stretches and massage. All of these are functional JA> activities in the sense that each modality has a function. However, JA> these activities may have little meaning and relevance to my wife's JA> life. Yes, they may be improving her spinal function but are the JA> activities full of meaning and relevance. Probably not, but in truth JA> only she can answer that question. JA> And I think that points to one of the biggest differences between JA> function and meaning. Something's function is what you see on the JA> outside, however, something's meaning is what one experiences on the JA> inside. There is almost no way that you can look someone engaging in JA> an activity, regardless of its function, and understand the JA> activities meaning and relevance to the client. Only the client JA> experiences the meaning so only the client can fully express the JA> meaning. JA> Almost everything in which a person engages or experiences has a JA> function. But of that in which we engage, how much has true meaning JA> and relevance? JA> I guess the debate begs the question, what is the difference between JA> function and occupation. For my opinion on this question , I point JA> you to the following link: JA> www.otnow.com/newsletter/current_newsletter.htm JA> Thanks for the interesting debate, JA> Ron JA> P.S. My wife says that male OT's always have a lot to say!!! :-) JA> ============================================= JA> On 7/30/2003,[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: JA>> Biraj, JA>> Are you implying that "activities which an individual needs to do JA>> or is expected to do" are not functional? I agree that occupation JA>> is a broader concept, but I believe what is occupational is also JA>> functional. JA> Occupation JA>> to me is the work of living as a human being. A functional activity by JA> 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 JA>> agree JA> with JA>> you more. JA>> Jimmie JA>> -----Original Message----- From: Incandescent JA>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 9:04 JA>> AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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 JA>> viewed JA> from JA>> the JA>> perspective of activities "Occupational" is a distinct and larger JA> concept JA>> than JA>> "functional". The former also includes within it what is meaningful to JA> the JA>> individual, whereas "functional" as the word implies refers to those JA> 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>> *****************************��*********************************** 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] *****************************��***********************************
