Lacombe Nursing Centre on the Role of Occupational Therapy
By Susan L. Howden, LOTR, Lacombe Nursing Centre, Northshore LIVING WELL Magazine
The role of an occupational therapist in a skilled nursing facility, such as Lacombe Nursing Centre, is to promote a client’s optimal functional ability and provide opportunities for an increased sense of competency and self fulfillment. A licensed occupational therapist will evaluate and implement individualized treatment plans that potentially could include:
* Training in self-care skills (i.e.: bathing, dressing, grooming and hygiene) while promoting independence and dignity
* Training in functional mobility skills as it relates to self care
* Education and compensatory strategies for loss of motor function, cognitive impairments, sensory loss, and visual impairment
* Upper extremity interventions for neuromuscular, strength, sensory, and fine motor impairments interfering with self care
* Addressing behavioral health needs in collaboration with other facility staff as it may impact performance of daily activities
* Environmental modifications and adaptation of tasks to maximize safety (i.e.: falls prevention and fatigue management)
* Recommendations on positioning techniques to enhance function, promote comfort, and maintain skin integrity
* Contracture management and splinting
* Caregiver education related to utilizing a client’s abilities to enhance function and preserve dignity
If you have any questions or are in need of therapy services, we would be happy to talk with you.
Susan Howden, LOTR, can be reached at Lacombe Nursing Centre at 985-882-5417.
