P.T is ever increasingly working on our domain. I reviewed an outpatient chart today and read a long term goal written by a PT that floored me. It read, "Pt will complete ADL tasks such as washing hair without pain". This was a LTG established by a DPT for a pt w/ an elbow injury. I have also heard rumors about PT pushing for a "universal" therapist where PT, OT, and ST are basically considered "one" and with various "specialties."
I am NOT in favor of such a thing. I truly believe that O.T is a beneficial therapy and does address things that people do hold most dear to them.ADL's. People are more public about PT because walking is the "in" thing, people can "see" them walking, they equate it to "independence" People do not want to seek help for peri-care, much less perform it with someone they barely know. The bottom line is that people taking care of themselves, doing whatever it is that they need to do to accomplish, "a day in the life" is what I feel OT is all about, it is "occupation". Be it due to limitation from cog deficit, ROM deficit, neurological impairment etc, people deserve every little bit of dignity they can get from completing "private, personal" things privately because it is their "occupation" and only O.T. 's have the training, creativity, and organizational skills to assist people to complete these things properly, effectively, and independently. I feel with P.T. trying to include "function" and "ADL's" that it is THEY who truly want to be like US. BAM! How about, "OT, we are so much more than arm pumpers" for our campaign to battle the P.T. takeover. LOL Michael A. Holmes MSOTR/L <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] (509) 486-2151 x500 -- Options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
