Hi, I've been reading with interest this discussion. I am an OTA student. I just finished the "book learnin'" and will start my Level IIs in January. We have been taught over and over to use functional activities when working with patients. We were taught that it is ok to use the theraband, theraputty etc. but it should be followed by something functional.
I have been a little (ok a lot) nervous about trying to always come up with a functional activity for every patient. I had a one week Fieldwork experience in a rehab setting a few months ago. When I had to work with a patient I tried to think of ways to make the therapy fun. For example, one patient needed to gain strength, ROM, and endurance in both upper and lower body. I used a wooden checker board that had Velcro square wooden pieces with little loops attached. I had her stand, put a light wrist weight on, placed the board on a table top slant board with the table raised to the level I wanted, and we played checkers. She had a good work out that she enjoyed. For documentation you look at the components of the activity. Another day I was to lead a two person activity. The patients needed to gain endurance and walker safety. I decided instead of just an exercise group I would have them make cupcakes (it was Halloween)one younger patient made a sarcastic remark about how she couldn't wait to tell her family what she did in therapy today. I asked her if she really new what OT was all about. I said we look at what occupies a persons time, how we can change it now that they have this disability or weakness, and how we can help them to get back to that "occupation". I pointed out that the way she was moving in the kitchen with her walker was unsafe, and if we had not "practiced" making cupcakes she might not have realized this. She actually couldn't finish the whole activity because she needed to sit and rest. I have run into several people who not only know what OT is, but they tell how wonderful their therapist was and how much they have been helped. The reason I am in OT at the age of 55 is because an OT in home health observed my mother couldn't raise her arm without severe pain. She insisted my Mother get another checkup. Seems that my Mom had a torn rotator cuff that no one caught the entire time she was in the hospital with their therapy department. Sorry, didn't mean to ramble, but I just wanted to share my little experience with OBP as a student. Maybe therapists need to do as my fellow students and I do. We are aware that we can fall into just using the theraband for an activity, but we share different ideas on how we can make therapy more functional. Our teachers give us different scenarios and we have to come up with treatment plans. I enjoy being on this list. Jean Ann -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Help? [EMAIL PROTECTED]
