OT's can make anything possible

One of my FAVORITE things about being an OT is creating.  I get to look at things that work for a general population and make it work for a specific person with a specific need.  Not many people get to do that on a daily basis.  Over the years I have been able to modify things to make it work for people. Now, not all of my creations work for everyone, nor does everyone need them.  But, that is what is so fantastic.  Take this picture for example... The T-Rex's main inability was that his poor little arms were too short for his massive body and head. Give him a reacher and look what he would have been able to accomplish!  

 

Now, some of my creations are not all that exciting or fancy, but they have worked to allow my resident/client achieve something.  Whether it was making an adaptation to allow a client with no mobility below C4 able to activate his call bell (a wireless doorbell) with a simple turn of his head, a client bilateral shoulder fracture a way to immobilize her humerus and still feed herself (she was so excited she cried).  Or drilling into wheelchair to allow for better positioning of a head rest rather than buying another, ridiculously expensive chair.  While these are small things, I am excited that this is a part of my daily work routine.  Since I am a gypsy and move around a lot, I tend to get strange looks from new co-workers when I get on one of my kicks, but, that is just me :)  

Below is a picture of the B shoulder immobilizer I threw together. What you cannot see is how I  had to label it so that anyone could put it on.  It worked like a charm.  :)  

Creating a Safe Home for the Elderly

Another The Nurse Mommy Cross post.

Disclosure: I was contacted by Mountainside Medical Equipment to share some information about safety in the home (originally posted on The Nurse Mommy blog), medical supplies for the elderly, and provide suggestions of equipment that may help make home safer for those at risk of falls and review their site, in no way does that change my opinion on the topic presented below. Being that my mother is 70 years old and I have experience working with the elderly, I to share my thoughts on the topic, and hopefully help some of you that may have elderly parents or grandparents that are at risk of falls.


As an Occupational Therapist, I've worked in a few different areas of practice. Currently, I work mainly with the pediatric population, but occasionally I will work with adult patients. I’ve had referrals for people who are under the state of Arizona’s Division for Developmental Disabilities who aren’t children; they’ve been a part of the program for a majority of their lives. As people with disabilities age, their needs change, their bodies change, even their caregivers’ needs change. They need to be able to safely care for the person, so they can live in their home, as long as possible.

Before my current position, I worked for a Physical Rehabilitation facility and an Acute Care Hospital. The Physical Rehabilitation facility emphasized helping people return to their highest possible level of function, and most importantly, returning to their home or a family member’s home. The Acute Care Hospital was a regional hospital that took in a lot of people from smaller rural hospitals that couldn't provide their needed level of care. It also had a large Orthopedic unit, with lots of joint replacements and shoulder surgeries, as well as a well-known Cardiac program, doing all kinds of cool open heart surgeries.

Did you know that 1 in3 people ages 65+ have falls? Falls are one of the leading causes for hospitalization/emergency room visits in people over 65 years of age- and this is something that can and should be prevented at all costs! Also, having a frank discussion about safety prior to getting hurt is another way to address possible equipment needs and prevent injuries and hospitalization.

Continue reading... HERE

Tactile defensiveness and sensory play

On my other blog, The Nurse Mommy, I received an Arts and Crafts Activity box for review called the Ooey Gooey Car Wash from Tmuffin.













I considered posting my therapy portion of the review here, but I figured I'd rather link the original post instead. Go check it out: Ooey Gooey Activity Box Therapy Fun.

~Michelle