Hi Ron Your experience with the in-patient rehab makes me frustrated too. The whole time I was working in such a facility I argued against this sort of thing. I do not do arm strengthening unless they need it!. If some one has a hip fx, or THA, or even TKA, then I will work on dressing/bathing techniques, walker management, energy conservation, work simplification: or whatever they need to do. e.g. how to put groceries away without bending over or falling I educated my COTA's on this too, there was a tendency to do blanket treatment: arm exercises and/or peg boards, rice etc. WHY???? The patients appreciated it too, few of them could understand why they had to pull things out of rice, or use the pulley system. Now that I am in home -health I see patients who have come out of in-patient rehab and have no idea how to get into their tub, but ask me why they had to spend time pulling marbles out of theraputty, or being put on the new-step for 45 minutes when they were in a facility?
I never say OT is above the waist, PT below, I emphasis the holistic outlook of OT, I work a lot on seating and positioning; on transferring sit-stand safely, especially from a chair without arm-rests; that is not 'above the waist' therapy. Moving around the house safely with a walker, making a meal and getting it to the table when you have a walker, these are not 'above the waist issues'. I also emphasis cognitive and visual-perception issues are in the realm of OT. As for d/cing patients without OT, that is SO ridiculous! Now that they are in their own home, with a typical tiny bathroom, the commode is too low, they cannot get into the tub, they have a walker in a cramped space, that is when OT is needed! OK, that is my vent for the day Sue -- Sue Hossack MOT, OTR/L, ATP Occupational Therapist http://www.ot-care.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] ************************************************************************************** Enroll in Boston University's post-professional Master of Science for OTs Online. Gain the skills and credentials to propel your career. www.otdegree.com/otn **************************************************************************************
