MCH Recognizes National Occupational Therapy Month
Posted on Jun 08 2009
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Morrison Community Hospital is recognizing April as National Occupational Therapy Month.  MCH offers occupational, physical, and speech rehabilitation services at the hospital on an inpatient and outpatient basis.  Occupational therapy is defined as the therapeutic use of work, self-care, and play activities to increase independent function, enhance development, and preventing disability; it may include adaptation of task or environment to achieve maximum independence and to enhance quality of life. 

“I suffered from a CVA (stroke) and it affected the right side of my body.  Now I’m receiving outpatient OT, PT, and Speech Therapies at MCH.  I’m so grateful that we have these services available in Morrison and I don’t have to drive to Clinton or Sterling.  Everyone is very helpful and understanding.  The staff is cognoscente of what you can do and they want us to grow,” said Don Miller.  “MCH is doing a great job of updating their services here, like the Family Care Clinic & the anticipated renovations of the wonderful OR!”

Here are some examples of when an individual may need OT and the desired outcomes.

CVA (stroke): A patient has arm and hand weakness resulting in decreased independence with daily activities. They are unable to complete buttons, open containers, carry items, or write. With occupational therapy these issues will be addressed through exercise, motor training, and where applicable, adaptation. The main goal is to return the patient to the highest level of functional independence possible.

Fractures of wrist or hand: If the patient endured weeks of immobilization, joint stiffness, limited motion and pain may result. With occupational therapy these issues will be addressed through use of modalities (ultrasound, electrical stimulation, heat), exercises, splinting as needed. The main goal is to return the patient to the highest level of functional independence possible with reduced pain.

Joy Johnson is a licensed occupational therapist at MCH.  She focuses on upper extremity rehabilitation, wheelchair prescription, and restoring the patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living.  She has specialized training in shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand treatments.  Joy has been an OTR for 10 years and has been employed with MCH for 4 years.  “Occupational therapy (OT) has a strong education base specific for the treatment of shoulder, wrist, forearm and hand injuries. This includes addressing functional abilities limited by the injury. This combination gives the OT patient the best possibility for recovery and return to functional independence,” Joy Johnson.  To learn more about the rehabilitation services offered at MCH, call 815-772-5548.