In focus: KPCC Occupational Therapy

By Petterson Njogu

Occupational therapy (OT) is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation. It entails the use of self-care activities that promote and maintain health and prevent disability while enhancing development. All this is geared toward increasing independent function that allows people to be self-reliant and have a sense of identity.

Occupational therapy is an autonomous profession which means it can operate as a member of a health service provider or rehabilitation team that accept a referral from a range of sources or from other people involved with the individual.

OT has a broad range of medical, social, behavioural, psychological and psychosocial including occupational science which equips them with the right attitude, skills and knowledge to work collaboratively with their clients and family members in addressing the occupational needs of their clients. These unique skills are required in order to assess how different conditions affect our daily occupation.

At Kenyatta Prime Care Centre, OT the above skills are applied in our critical care areas, wards and outpatient.

Our team works with other healthcare professionals in critical areas to determine the best treatment possible. In the process, the occupational therapist evaluates joint integrity, the need for splinting, positioning and assistive technology, and the safety of eating and swallowing. The OT also evaluates skin integrity and prescribes prevention strategies, which aid in promoting and maintaining skin integrity. This is also done collaboratively with other teams using established pressure management and prevention guidelines.

Similarly, in the surgical, neurology or orthopaedic wards the OT;

1. Provides preventive splinting, 2. Trains on maintaining and restoring occupational performance, 3. Trains caregivers on how to use assistive devices and contribute to discharge planning.

Our KPCC therapists in the pediatric ward are well-versed in sensory integration therapy, advanced training and neurodevelopmental skills; all come in handy at the general paediatrics wards and our Neonatal Care Unit.

Additionally, these skills have been uniquely utilized in designing programs to help a wide variety of children who experience challenges participating in daily activities such as dressing skills, bedtime routines, and play skills.

The focus of this program is to provide parents with supportive strategies and useful activities that help the child function in his or her home environment.

At neonatal units the OT is tasked with the following:

Directing intervention in treating premature or newborn infants, 1. Providing advice and guidance to the parents and NICU staff 2. Adapt and modify the stimuli that the premature or newborn baby is exposed to, and 3. Provide the appropriate stimuli and guidance needed to encourage the development of sensory modulation. 4. Provide treatment in the areas of eating and feeding, and in this context, encourage sucking, swallowing and eating skills.

KPCC has a fully functioning rehabilitative services unit that will ensure all occupational needs are attended to.

In the same vein, the KPCC OT department has established an outpatient clinic for follow-up of the clients once discharged to ensure they get maximum benefits which will allow our clients an easy return back to the community and get continue with their daily activities independently. The clinic runs Monday to Friday from 8am -4pm.

Mr. Evans Obaigwa, Senior Occupational Therapists - KPCC

PHOTO |COURTESY