Diane, I do know how demanding your work is in rehab. I have seen the OT's and PT's running around trying to get to everyone. The trouble with it from the patients side is when one of them comes to your room (with no set time given) and the patient is not ready, off they go never to return that day. If the patient is mobile, they can come to the therapy room and "wait" until someone can get to them, jumping back and forth between other patients. There is no continuity of treatment. This is not your fault, I am not blaming any therapist. I blame the system that is so greedy to get the dollars that they sacrifice the patient and do not allow the professionals to do their job correctly. It really makes me angry. I really do not know or have any idea how you could change that. If you tried to do what you know is right, you would probably get fired. Chris, When Ron first came to my daughters home, he sat done and talked with us about what Susan wanted to accomplish and how he would go about it. He also stated, very kindly I might add, that if in 3 or 4 weeks he didn't see that she was progressing or was not trying, he would feel that he needed to discharge her. I don't know if it got my daughters attention, but it sure got mine! I believe that you need to have people, family, whoever, interested in the progress of the patient. That being said, Ron developed a relationship with her. She saw that he wanted her to get better and he worked very hard for a full hour with her 5 days a week for over 3 months. He didn't let her slack, reprimanded her when she balked some. Had her trying to do things that she would be doing when he is gone. Gives her cognition tests to see where she is mentally. In other words, he is working to get her better all around. The family gives credit to Susan coming so far to the treatment that has come from Ron. He does whatever he thinks will help. The balancing ball, the standing disc, walking, getting up from the bed and chair, playing catch, talking and listening when she is down, you name it, I think Ron has tried it... I commend all of you for trying to find ways to do your job better for the help of others......My thanks go to all of you..
Shirley --- On Thu, 7/23/09, Diane Randall <spark...@rcn.com> wrote: From: Diane Randall <spark...@rcn.com> Subject: Re: [OTlist] Vision ~vs~ Reality To: OTlist@OTnow.com Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009, 6:24 PM I am with you about the UE problem in rehab but I really need to know how we can fix this...I have 14 patients to see within 6 hours, some are ADL's but I cannot have one on one treatments most of the time. I cannot do a shower transfer and have 6 patients waiting in the gym. I am kind of at a loss and wondering what a typical gym SNF would look like in ideal circumstances. I think a lot of blame is one therapists when we are the ones in the trenches just trying to get the minutes in and figuring out how to do it and it is the corporate structure that has forced UE rehab into the SNFs as a majority treatment by packing the gym full of patients each day. Home health is totally different. There is so much you can do one on one especially within the home. I am doing my best and frankly...I am Peds is my first love and I will be dong outpatient one on one in a a clinic full-time by sept. I will continue PRN in the SNF but it is overwhelming at times. -----Original Message----- From: otlist-boun...@otnow.com [mailto:otlist-boun...@otnow.com]on Behalf Of cmnahrw...@aol.com Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 18:02 To: OTlist@OTnow.com Subject: Re: [OTlist] Vision ~vs~ Reality Well put Shirley! I wish all OTs would have an understanding of their own profession. You seem to understand the concept, and you are not even in the profession. What has Ron done in his treatment sessions with your daughter that has made the most impact for her well being and her independence? Thank you so much for sharing your insight. Chris Nahrwold -----Original Message----- From: shirley roberson <lrih...@yahoo.com> To: OTlist@OTnow.com Sent: Thu, Jul 23, 2009 7:40 am Subject: Re: [OTlist] Vision ~vs~ Reality Unfortunatly I probably would not have been inpressed. I say that because we had OT's in the hospital and in rehab, they did just what you explained....focused on the upper extremities and it did not help my daughter very much. By that I mean it did not help her to get back to the normal way of doing things, it did not put her whole body together. I know that sounds a little unprofessional, but that's the way I see it. Seems when a patient, especially like my daughter, has been in bed for so long, they have forgotten how everything works together. Shirley --- On Thu, 7/23/09, Ron Carson <rdcar...@otnow.com> wrote: From: Ron Carson <rdcar...@otnow.com> Subject: Re: [OTlist] Vision ~vs~ Reality To: "shirley roberson" <OTlist@OTnow.com> Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009, 7:41 AM Shirley, what if I did OT the way past20OT's had done? If I focused treatment on the upper extremity would you still say "we are beginning to see how well OT works for our loved ones"? Just to remind everyone, Shirley is the mother of a patient that I'm seeing. She has been exposed to a LOT a therapy. ----- Original Message ----- From: shirley roberson <lrih...@yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2009 To: otl...@otnow.com <OTlist@OTnow.com> Subj: [OTlist] Vision ~vs~ Reality sr> Ron, sr> sr> Maybe somehow you could inform the public..? I sure have learned sr> about OT this past year. I know this week when I told my sr> son-in-law to contact the agency and ask for you, he was given first sr> a CNA and then a PT, but I had to have him call again to get you, sr> the OT. It seems that as patients and family we are beginning to sr> see how well OT works for our loved ones, but for whatever reason, sr> the agencies want to send out personnel as ie: 1,2,3 and the OT seems to be 3. sr> Shirley -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/otlist@otnow.com
