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Showing posts from June, 2019

mobility hierarchy

As an occupational therapist restoring confidence in your patient is critical. The actual order for restoring confidence in mobility for your patient is as follows: bed mobility, mat transfers,  wheelchair transfer, bed transfer, functional ambulation for ADLs, toilet and tub transfer, car transfer, functional ambulation for community mobility, and community mobility and driving. This order was not exactly what I expected at first, but then as it was explained it makes perfect sense. The hierarchy was explained as the bottom being the most simple or the easiest task and then as the patient becomes more confident they can move farther to the top of the hierarchy to the more complicated tasks. When working with bed mobility the client will have a larger base of support and as they move their way up the pyramid their base of support becomes smaller and there are a few obstacles or barriers for the client to overcome. For example, the client could work their way from just working on sittin

The best fit

Assistive devices are carefully fitted to each individual differently. Every individual has their own unique body shape and type and will need their assistive device to fit them properly. A few of the main factors to consider when finding the proper fit for your client is their stability and balance, and their strength. As an occupational therapist fitting a client to a device knowing their level of stability and balance is a big factor because based on their stability level determines the correct device to provide. If a client has  poor stability they may need a rollator or a walker instead of a cane. Strength is important to consider because if your client fatigues easily they may need a device that rolls so they are not over exerting themselves by picking up the walker each time they take a step.  To fit a client appropriately for a cane the therapist should adjust the height of the cane so the handle is in line with the wrist crease, ulnar styloid, or greater trochanter. The ther