Occupational therapists are health-care professionals that are in demand locally, provincially and across the country.<\/p>\n
They help people get back to performing tasks after they’ve experienced disease, disability, or injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a huge field,\u201d said Vicki Dupont, a Sault Area Hospital occupational therapist who assists patients in recovering from strokes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we look at somebody that’s had a stroke for example, they may need to learn to get dressed again,\u201d Dupont told SooToday.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce we master that, we look at those higher level skills like being able to manage their finances, drive a vehicle and do their grocery shopping. OTs look at people as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n
Occupational therapists and physiotherapists work together.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your shoulder doesn’t work, a physiotherapist is going to give you exercises to do. We would too, but we focus on things like \u2018can you lift your groceries onto a shelf?\u2019 It’s a different kind of focus,\u201d Dupont said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also recommend equipment, like a raised toilet seat or a bath chair so that people can age in their homes safer and for a longer period of time without needing to move into a long-term care home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Home care occupational therapists visit patients in their places of residence.<\/p>\n
OTs also visit places such as the Sault\u2019s THRIVE Child Development Centre if a child needs help in performing certain tasks.<\/p>\n
There are also practicing occupational therapists who care for people recovering from injuries sustained in motor vehicle collisions.<\/p>\n
There is a wide range of occupational therapy care at SAH, Dupont said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have OTs in inpatient care and they’re primarily looking at what patients need to do to be able to leave the hospital safely. They see if patients can walk to the bathroom safely. Is their thinking and memory okay? Do they need any equipment to go home safely?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also have an OT here at the hospital that works in foot care and wound care specifically. We have OTs that work in the hand clinic. They fabricate splints and work very closely with plastic surgeons for resuming hand function,\u201d Dupont said.<\/p>\n
Apart from helping patients regain their independence after suffering a stroke, Dupont also works with patients who have had hip, knee or shoulder replacements.<\/p>\n
\u201cI help them get through that time after their surgery,\u201d Dupont said.<\/p>\n
SAH currently has 16 occupational therapists working in a variety of programs including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, geriatric rehabilitation and in mental health and addictions through the Assertive Community Treatment program.<\/p>\n
That program provides support to clients living with severe mental health challenges, with the goal of preventing hospital admissions and promoting safe, independent living.<\/p>\n
Those interested in becoming an occupational therapist must complete a four-year undergraduate bachelor’s degree followed by a master\u2019s degree in occupational therapy.<\/p>\n
Pay ranges from $40 to $56 per hour.<\/p>\n