Interview with Karen Baker, an Occupational Therapist based in Victoria, British Columbia
DWL: What is the most common physical issue your patients experience?
Karen: I work in Outpatient Neuro Rehab so my clients have acquired brain injuries (ABI) including strokes, traumatic injuries, tumours, MS, etc. The physical issues associated with these diagnoses vary and may include paralysis; incoordination; decreased balance; sensory changes; pain; headaches; dizziness and fatigue, etc. However, there are many other issues associated with ABI that we address in therapy such as cognition, visual-perceptual function, and psychological adjustment. As an occupational therapist, I am interested in a person’s functional status; how are they functioning in their normal daily routines (at home, at work/school, at leisure activities).
DWL: How do you help people?
Karen: Occupational Therapists work with a broad range of clients who are all ages. We look at how they are functioning in their normal roles, in their normal environments, and in their daily lives. We determine what specific components are impacting their function and address them. Our interventions can vary widely and can include:
Remediation activities (working on tasks/exercises to improve a specific skill – this could be a physical or cognitive),
Compensatory strategies (identifying and practising the use of strategies to compensate for a particular deficit, for example, using a calendar system to compensate for memory loss),
Patient and family education and support
Environmental assessment and modifications – OTs often do home/work/school visits – to assess a patient’s safety, as well as accessibility issues.
Equipment prescription – from basic bathroom equipment to wheelchairs to advanced environmental controls.
DWL: What do you recommend they practice to ensure they return to the life that used to be normal for them?
Karen: Given the range of issues we address, the range of recommendations is equally broad. There is no generic recommendations. Following thorough assessment, individualized treatment plans and recommendations are made.
DWL: How does a person find the right occupational therapist for their needs?
Karen: OTs are available through the public health system – in hospitals, health units, outpatient clinics. Ask your family doctor and/or check your local health authority website for information on rehab services. OTs are also available privately – for a fee. Listings of private OTs and their areas of practice may be available through provincial OT societies.
DWL: What should a patient experience/how does a patient benefit from your services?
Karen: That can vary greatly, depending on the specific client and their needs. Goal setting is an important part of the rehab process. Therapists will discuss goals and realistic outcomes with each client during the assessment/treatment planning phase.
DWL: What is the different between an OT and a physical therapist? Do you work together to reach a common goal?
Karen: Physical therapists focus on the physical components impacting a person’s daily function; whereas, OTs look at all components impacting a person’s area of function. We often work very closely together. In outpatient neuro rehab, working with an interdisciplinary team is very important; I work closely with PT, speech therapy, recreation therapy, physiatry (rehab medicine), neuropsychology, and social work. For complex patients, we cannot achieve the same outcomes if we work in isolation.