Just started an evaluation on a new client who had a stroke a while back. She has had OT/PT/SLP in both rehab and home health.
We talked about her previous therapy and she says that PT was helpful but that her OT and SLP didn't do much to help her. Care to guess what it was that the OT's worked on??? One hint, it wasn't her occupations!! It was her arm!!!!!! Even though the neurologist had told the client that her arm would never return to it's previous status, two OT's spend countless hours and untold dollars trying to bring it back.... You know what this woman's primary concern is today?? Mobility!!! She can't get from her wheelchair to her bed and it costs her extra money for nursing care. In all fairness, I haven't talked with the therapist nor seen their notes, but I am planning to do so. Either way, this is such a marketing nightmare and it's what I see almost EVERY TIME I run into a client who has had OT. And, let's not forget that the AOTA's proposed practice act states: > The practice of occupational therapy means the therapeutic use of > everyday life activities (occupations) with individuals or groups for > the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, > workplace, community, and other settings. I spent ten minutes trying to convince the client and her family that I am a "different type of OT".... one that focuses on client's occupations. How sad, that an OT has to call himself a different type of OT because he focuses on occupation. While some people experiences are different than mine, the above example is, with very few exceptions, my experience at being an OT. And to make things worse, it seems that just focusing on occupation isn't enough either. Because this client's daughter says, you mean you are going to have her cooking and stuff!! So I say, only if that's important, which I know that it's not. The other day, a different client told of a story where an OT was sending their Mom to the mall, even though she couldn't walk and didn't want to go. Almost everywhere I go, all I hear is complaints about OT!!! Or maybe, that's all that I remember hearing. Who knows!!! I wrote a letter to the Fund to Promote Awareness of OT about promoting occupation rather than OT. Unfortunately, the executive director of The Fund has left and been replaced. Before she left, she replied to my message with a message that said "interesting comments"..... Aaaaarrrggghhh With the type of OT that seems to be so prevalent, I am not convinced that promoting OT is in our best interests. I am often unhappy when I hear that I client that I'm seeing has already had OT. Because, I know that it's an uphill battle to convince them of the power of occupation!!! Guess it comes with the territory!!! _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, visit: http://otnow.com/mailman/listinfo/otlist_otnow.com The OTnow Mail Archive: www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ===============================================
