TUESDAY TIPS
Answering questions about working with an occupational therapist
BY:ROBERT EDELSTEIN
Q: My husband recently had a stroke. After being at a rehab center, he’s coming home. He’ll work with an occupational therapist here. How can I best work with the OT?
A: Communication is key. So advises Carol Siebert, a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and a home care OT.
“The occupational therapist,” she explains, “needs to know from the client and caregiver what has to happen in terms of daily routine and personal care. A three-way conversation could be helpful” for all to understand what the caregiver expects to do or is expected to do, the caregiver’s health conditions and needs regarding the caregiver’s work schedule.
It’s important for you to express your own goals, says Siebert. “It may require a conversation between you and the therapist alone, without your husband in the room. That helps for formulating goals and prioritizing. Home healthcare has to be goal-identified, from what your husband and you identify as priorities.
“I strongly urge caregivers to advocate for their own needs,” she concludes. “The process is about improving the situation for everyone involved.”
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