Occupational therapy services at Transylvania Regional Hospital touch many patients
Transylvania Regional Hospital (TRH) is proud to offer exceptional physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy services — supported by dedicated therapists who provide compassionate care to so many patients.
In recognition of National Occupational Therapy Month this April, I want to take a closer look at these services.
First, let’s explore what occupational therapy (OT) encompasses, as it is often less familiar than speech and physical therapy.
The OT team performs highly detailed evaluations to assess a patient’s ability to perform a wide variety of tasks, from dressing and bathing to cooking and cleaning. Ultimately, an OT makes patients’ re-entry into their normal lives as smooth as possible. OTs are essential to many patients’ successful recoveries.
When an OT works with a patient, they initially gather detailed information to ascertain whether a patient can perform both physical and cognitive tasks. This information informs the customized treatment plan they create so the patient can meet critical goals that enable more independent living. OTs usually provide patient evaluation within the first 24-48 hours of a patient’s hospital admission.
When a patient works with their occupational therapist, they’re not only learning about what they can do themselves to function at their best, their OT might also recommend they use assistive devices, like grabbers, a walker, or a shower chair, to make completing tasks easier. An OT can also provide education to family members and other caregivers on how they can best assist the patient.
Part of these services involves troubleshooting for patients by helping them make their homes safer and free from fall risks, as well as more accessible. In other words, an OT assesses a patient’s environment in the hospital or in recovery at home and identifies challenges or barriers to functional, full living. They then address them through a variety of means, such as offering vital guidance on smart and efficient use of their energy, ergonomics, and lifestyle choice changes that enhance their health.
Similar to guiding patients and families, OTs also provide education to hospital staff about handling patients and preventing falls and injuries while a patient is in the hospital in the safest ways possible. This goes hand in hand with preparing patients and families for smooth hospital discharge and at-home recovery experiences.
In addition to helping a patient regain physical abilities, an OT can also assist patients with developing their cognitive skills, such as helping them improve their ability to focus, building their memory skills, and planning their time effectively.
Occupational therapy services impact patients in nearly every area of the hospital, including those who are rehabilitating from a stroke, orthopedics patients, patients in our Transitional Care Unit, patients of all ages who suffer injuries, individuals living with certain chronic illnesses/pain or neurological issues, like Parkinson’s disease, and more.
Our OT team provides outpatient care as well, which is essential for patients returning to the activities that are hallmarks of normal life — work, school, driving, and beloved pastimes.
Our excellent occupational therapists are valued team members who help physicians, hospital social workers, and case managers make impactful care and discharge decisions. Their work has a direct impact on so many and has been shown to reduce hospital re-admissions, as well as allow patients to enjoy an enduring improved quality of life. We’re grateful they help patients adapt to temporary or permanent disabilities and reclaim their lives, so they can live as happily and fully as possible.
TRH is proud to have Amy Josefchuk, MOT/L, and Hope Starring, OTR/L comprise our exemplary OT team. Their expertise and compassion for every patient — whatever their unique circumstances and needs may be — are yet more examples of the unmatched care that you can access close to home.
If you have questions on any of our Rehab Services, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy, please call (828) 883-4967.
Michele Pilon, MS, BSN, RN, NE-BC, is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Nursing Officer of Transylvania Regional Hospital. Her diverse professional experience includes service as a bedside nurse and over a decade as a leader at healthcare institutions in Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina. Ms. Pilon earned a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Ohio’s University of Akron and a Masters in Health Services Administration from the University of St. Francis in Illinois; she is also a Board-Certified Nursing Executive.