I’m Your Best Friend
I’ll be very honest: I’m used to my patients preferring physical therapy to occupational therapy. It started when I was doing my Level II fieldwork in the spinal cord injury unit at Shirley Ryan (back then it was known as RIC — yes, I’m old). I heard so many patients say, “Oh yeah, I can’t dress my legs, BUT I NEED PT BECAUSE I NEED TO WALK AGAIN.” And again, I’ll be very honest: it gets super frustrating hearing that. I believe in the power of occupational therapy. I know that OT has so much to offer every person, no matter their diagnosis. Heck, I would not have become an occupational therapist if I didn’t believe in the Magic of OT (I think I’ll copyright that!).
So, why do I say that I’m your best friend? Because your occupational therapy sessions with me will feel like time spent with your nearest and dearest! As your OT, I will:
Wake you up in the morning to get you going for the day and provide you with the education and physical assistance to complete safe and reliable transfers out of bed.
Work with you to figure out the safest and easiest way to get yourself dressed and washed up for the day.
Develop safe and efficient strategies to allow you to toilet yourself independently.
Create comprehensive exercise programs that focus on overall functional strength, dynamic balance, and functional endurance.
Identify weaknesses and other areas of concern that may cause you to lose your balance or fall. Transfers, mobility, and ambulation — all movements you do on a daily basis. If needed, I’ll even assist in hooking you up with a sweet set of wheels.
Identify IADLs and executive functioning tasks that are necessities for you to return to your previous level of living.
Conduct home evaluations — just consider me your own personal interior decorator specializing in fall prevention and general safety. I will do everything in my power to make your home a safe space!
Do literally anything you used to do that means something to you!
Don’t those sound like the kinds of things a best friend would do? In my line of work, everything I do is literally for you. Getting you home safely and to your prior level of function is, quite literally, my job description. Like a good friend, I’m your shoulder to lean on, an ear to talk to, and a brain to pick. I am your personal problem solver! We’re partners in your recovery. I’m your occupational therapist.