The Home Approach to OT

Dad did not even have to be re-evaluated today after all. . . his occupational therapist had already decided that the best course of action was to prepare for some "at home" therapy for his upper body and ADL's (activities of daily living). I sat thru on some training - which I pretty much already knew. . . but the plan is to go another week or 2 with both OT & PT (physical therapy) and after that, mom & I will work on his OT at home. He will probably be re-evaluated for Physical Therapy at the end of the month -- another week or two. He seems to be improving in that area, so hopefully we will continue with that there. AND they did say that as he gets stronger with his sitting balance and as he makes some significant improvements at home with the OT goals they gave us. . . that he could be re-evaluated for OT to see if they could help him again in the future. I think dad handled everything well... we had talked about it a great deal this week and he agrees that we can make the same kind of progress at home as there since I have been trained in what he does now. One of the things they said would really help him is the "Constraint" therapy. We need to tie down or make him not use his good right arm... as if it was not there and force his weak left arm to do all the work - like feeding and drinking, etc. This will give his arm much more work and exercise. . . why didn't they tell us that sooner? Oh well, Dad is certainly not done getting better I can tell you that - he works very hard every day at his tasks and mom just told me on the phone that he ate a hotdog for lunch and held it with is left hand! Maybe now that the pressure of meeting the "therapists" and medicare's goals are off of him, he will be more motivated to do "at home" stuff. I know I say this all the time, but God is not finished with Shug Kisner's testimony yet so you just sit back, keep praying and watch as God's healing hand continues to guide dad back!