The Orchards at Saxonburg FRC Jennifer D. gifted her team for National Rehab Awareness Week! To understand more about Rehab, please see the below information!
Rehab Awareness Week began 1976 and is a celebration of the Physical, Occupation, and Speech Therapy professional and their dedication to assisting their patients in achieving success physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our mission is to help each person be the best they can be- your success is our success! The roots of the rehab profession run very deep with Speech Therapy having ties as far back as the 18th century in Europe while Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy have roots related to the poliomyelitis epidemic in the early 1900’s and the need for rehabilitation for soldiers returning from World War I. Each of the three disciplines of therapy has a different focus, although some areas of focus may overlap across multiple disciplines.
Getting to Know the Disciplines:
PT- focuses on gross motor strength, balance, gait (walking) training, use of assistive devices, transfer training, bed mobility, pain management, splinting, bracing, and fall prevention
OT- focuses on ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) such as feeding, bathing, hygiene, dressing, meal preparation, splinting, bracing, community integration, problem solving, fall prevention, home safety, and home adaptations
ST- focuses on speech intelligibility, communication, swallowing capabilities, and memory tasks, home safety, medication management, and cognitive adaptations
Helpful Tips:
Try to exercise on daily basis (with physician approval) if you can
Daily exercise is great for your heart, lungs, brain, and digestive tract
Daily exercise is critical for maintaining strength, balance, and joint health
Keep your home clutter free and well lit to help reduce the risk of falls
Did You Know?:
Physical therapy began as a female-only profession
Some therapy techniques are thousands of years old
Occupational Therapy was founded in 1917 by three men and three women- which was 3 years before women could even vote
Speech therapists must complete a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) under the supervision of another speech therapist
PT, OT, and ST can be found in numerous clinical settings including skilled nursing, hospitals, home health, outpatient settings, and schools.
On a weekly basis, Mark Stapleton, Dir. of Clinical Operations, sends out an email to our FRCs noting the challenges and accomplishments of the past week. He speaks on behalf of all who support our therapy teams. We are so proud to work with each of our resourceful therapists! Below is one example.
Our seniors and immune compromised individuals have been dealt a 1-2 sucker punch by COVID 19. Arbor's therapists help to offset the second punch.