PHYSICAL THERAPY/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Physical Therapy

Have a physical therapy professional address these topics:

• Overview of physical therapy including history (you may choose to show the video “Physical Therapists–Career Spotlight” from Kids.gov if a speaker is not available)
• Educational requirements and recommendations for high school and college preparation courses
• Benefits and limitations of physical therapy
• Physical therapy equipment and treatment modalities

Occupational Therapy

Have an occupational therapy professional address these topics:

• Overview of occupational therapy including history (you may choose to show the video “Occupational Therapy as a Career” from the College of Occupational Therapists if a speaker is not available)
• Educational requirements and recommendations for high school and college preparation courses (you may choose to show the video “History of Occupational Therapy Timeline Video” from psalmseeker if a speaker is not available)
• Benefits and limitations of occupational therapy
• Types of adaptive equipment

• Explain the differences between physical and occupational therapy.
• Discuss traditional and nontraditional settings for both physical and occupational therapists (e.g. nursing homes, home health care, educational systems).

Have participants attempt different activities using only one hand. This would simulate an amputee, stroke victim, or someone with muscular impairment, a fracture, or an extremity trauma. You may wish to have participants use their dominant hand first and then try the activity again with their nondominant hand.

Ideas include the following (feel free to add your own):

• Opening a jar with a screw-top lid
• Tying their shoes
• Holding a stack of papers and handing out one sheet at a time
• Buttoning their shirt
• Holding a book and turning the pages
• Playing catch

This activity would simulate a muscular disability such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis. These activities can be done individually or simultaneously with several participants at a time.

• Have participants place two heavy socks over each of their hands.
• Ask them to remove just one raisin from the box.
• Then ask them to unwrap one piece of candy.
• Have participants compare techniques and length of time required to complete the task. Ask them what other activities in their daily lives would be challenging.

• Break into small groups and take turns using various types of adaptive equipment.
• Break into small groups and take turns using various types of physical therapy equipment.

• Read the following scenario to participants. Then initiate a discussion using the questions that follow.

You have been assigned to work on the rehabilitation unit today. Your first patient is an 82-year-old gentleman named Roger. Roger had a stroke two weeks ago that left him very weak on the right side. He is right-handed, so he gets frustrated very easily. He also has very poor vision and has been declared “legally blind.” He lost his vision due to his diabetes. Roger wears dentures on the top, but has been able to keep his own teeth on the bottom. It is policy that all patients on the rehabilitation unit must be dressed in loose clothing and out of bed, sitting in their wheelchairs for breakfast. You do not need to worry about Roger’s bath, as this has been done by the 3–11 shift.

Your assignment is to assist Roger with the above tasks, as well as with his breakfast, so he will not be late for his morning therapy session. Roger is very independent and wants to feed himself; he just needs some assistance. Roger also asks you for a special favor. He knows you are busy, but he has not had a shave in two days, and his whiskers are getting pretty scratchy.

QUESTIONS

• What skills do you need to perform and in what order should they be done?
• Because Roger is visually impaired but wants to feed himself, how can you help him remember where the food is located on his tray?
• Which side of the body will you undress first and why? Which side of the body will you dress first?

TEACHING TIPS/STRATEGIES

• What skills do you need to perform and in what order should they be done?
• Because Roger is visually impaired but wants to feed himself, how can you help him remember where the food is located on his tray?
• Which side of the body will you undress first and why? Which side of the body will you dress first?

Teaching Tips/Strategies:

• Have several different types of clothing for participants to choose from when dressing the patient.
• A participant posing as the patient should have on a gown or pajamas and needs to wear an ID bracelet.
• The patient has right-side weakness, so participants need to take soiled clothes off the unaffected (left) side first.
• Balloons can be blown up and a face drawn on them. Explorers can practice shaving the balloon if you do not want them to shave another person. If the balloon pops, it means they cut the patient.
• Prepare several food trays that represent different diets for different patients. One could have sugar-free gelatin and a diet drink for the diabetic. A regular diet could have some pudding, cereal, etc. It is a good idea to find something for each tray that the patient has to cut up. Be sure to include drinks, silverware, napkins, and straws. You can also include seasonings such as salt and pepper packets from fast-food restaurants.
• Participants need to check the patient’s name band with the name on the food tray.
• The patient has very poor vision, so the clock method should be used when describing the location of food on the tray.

(Occupational therapy scenario, questions, and teaching tips from Pearson. Used with permission.)

• Tour a physical or occupational therapy facility