But as a PROFESSION, don't we NEED a common ground? And not just a common ground, but a grounding that is UNIQUE, SEPARATE and DESIRED/NEEDED by other professions and patients?
As much as a I preach occupation, I sometimes wonder if it's different enough from PT to be a recognized as a truly unique contribution to healthcare. I find that with very few exceptions, almost 100% of my patients want to increase mobility. Of course, they want to do this so they can go to the toilet, get their clothes, etc. BUT, they also want to be able to walk simply because walking represents independence and normality. I've had many home health patients, in fact most, who I worked on mobility as the PRIMARY treatment. For example, I have 4 patients today and ALL of them have mobility related issues. I am either working on improving ambulation skills or transfer skills. I do this because patients want to be able to walk to the toilet, get their clothes, walk to the dining room, etc. These are their occupational goals and the PRIMARY impedance to these goals is mobility (strength, balance, cognition, environment). I am 100% confident that I'm working on occupation. I say this because the goals are occupational improvement, not mobility goals. But, it APPEARS to patients and other therapists that I am working as a PT. Sometimes, I get so confused and overwhelmed at being an OT and knowing what is and what isn't, that I just want to run and become a car salesman (LOL). Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Holmes <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 To: [email protected]. <[email protected].> Subj: [OTlist] A New One MH> Just wanted to say how much I liked the "elephant" analogy. I think is MH> really is clever and indicative of the profession as whole. We do function MH> in so many different realms that it is difficult to be united on our MH> explanation to "lay persons" what it really is that we do. Great way to put MH> it Mary. MH> MH> Michael A. Holmes MSOTR/L MH> <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] MH> MH> -- MH> Options? MH> www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com MH> Archive? MH> www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
