Occupational therapy enables people to achieve their goals, function at the highest possible level, concentrate on what matters most to them, maintain or rebuild their independence, and participate in everyday activities that bring meaning to their lives.
Kimberly Hopwood, OTR/L, senior occupational therapist at UI Hospitals and Clinic, talks about occupational therapy:
When do people seek the services of an occupational therapist?
It can occur any time throughout a person's life span and it can be due to several reasons: learning or developmental disabilities, it can be due to
- Illness
- Injury
- Psychological impairment
It's really a very, very wide range.
What does an occupational therapist do?
It's going to vary for each client. We try to tailor things to meet their individual needs. If we're seeing someone who has suffered a stroke, what we do with them is going to vary greatly compared to someone who has third-degree burns, an eating disorder, or difficulty with anxiety or depression. With each patient or client, our intervention is tailor-made to meet the specific needs. There's no cookie cutter therapy.
Can a person be too young or too old to benefit from occupational therapy?
Absolutely not, the need can occur throughout the life span, beginning at birth.
When someone comes to occupational therapy, is it one session, many sessions, or does it depend on the client?
It's on a case by case basis. Ideally, I would like to say that it is solely dependent on the client, but there are considerations that need to be considered such as the payor source and what is affordable. We try to maximize our time each time that we see a client.
We mentioned earlier the goals of occupational therapy. Are the goals the client brings to occupational therapy over-realistic, or can those goals often be surpassed with therapy?
There's truly nothing I like better than when a goal is surpassed. If a goal seems to be unrealistic, it's important to let the client know that what we're going to do is take each day and each session and work with what we have.
How many occupational therapists work at UI Hospitals and Clinics?
In Rehabilitation Therapies, we have nine occupational therapists and three certified occupational therapy assistants. In Behavioral Health, there are five occupational therapists.
Does The University of Iowa also teach classes in becoming an occupational therapist?
Not at this time. Currently the only occupational therapist program in Iowa is at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids has a certified occupational therapy assistant program.
Is the role of an occupational therapist rewarding?
Absolutely! This is my third career and I'd say it's the one I'm going to carry into retirement. |
