STAFF PROFILE: KELLY GEHRKE, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST Can you please tell us a little about your professional background as an OT? I studied occupational therapy (OT) in Adelaide where the focus was on a client-centred, collaborative approach to working in health. Since graduating 23 years ago, I have worked in a variety of settings from acute hospital work, to hospital rehabilitation, to community health, to community development projects in India and Thailand. Now I have taken on the position of Allied Health Team Leader and have the privilege of working with our team of allied health professionals. The overarching passion that I have in my vocation is to see people empowered to achieve their goals, whether in function, health, or now professionally within our team. Can you tell our readers a little about the work you do at MND Queensland? My role is a combination of two parts; working clinically as an OT and as the Allied Health Team Leader. I find it so satisfying to work with our clients to be able to listen to their story and help identify, and understand their health needs. Through this process of determining their needs, this helps to identify the goals that I can assist them with, and what other health services or disciplines are needed to have integrated and holistic care for each client. Understanding that a multidisciplinary approach to holistic care improves both quality of life and longevity for our clients is the underpinning framework for all that we do as an allied health team.
our MND clients dealing with? And what are the benefits that people with MND can get from working with an OT? Common issues that I see a majority of MND clients dealing with are how to accept that MND is a part of their life, how to treat and approach the current needs and goals of care, but also what needs to be planned for in the future and how to bring in the right supports at the right time. It can be overwhelming to consider potential needs, and this is where the benefit of having allied health professionals who work in MND can provide so much advantage. As an OT, we specialise in looking at function and how that is impacted by MND. So when there is an area of dysfunction or change that is important to the person living with MND, an OT will help identify what the underlying cause is, what medical/allied health service might be best to address the cause, help prioritise their needs and what do they want to achieve to either improve function or manage this change in the optimal way for them.
You’re a part of a multidisciplinary team here at MND Queensland. What do you see as the main benefits for our clients of having a multidisciplinary team supporting them? The allied health team are experienced and trained to work with individuals to introduce considerations and help with My other role as allied health team leader oversees our team planning the care that is appropriate to each person living with of OTs, physiotherapist, speech therapist and allied health MND. There is no one way to set up care and supports, assistant. equipment and resources for a person living with MND, and in fact these things need to be tailored to each individual and What do you enjoy about working at MND Queensland? their context. With a multidisciplinary approach to care, this I am able to be a part of an organisation that is passionate and makes possible coordinated and collaborative care that dedicated to providing services and improving the journey of enables optimal ways to meet the needs of people living with people with MND. We have a commitment to providing an MND and their carers. integrated multidisciplinary approach to best meet our clients’ needs. As this commitment and ethos aligns with research and What do you get up to in your spare time? Do you have scientific data, as well as my personal values about how I carry any pastimes, hobbies or things you like to get up to out my profession, it feels like a true privilege to be able to outside the office? work in an organisation that is as committed to collaborative I don’t think many people have spare time in life, I certainly care as I would design an organisation to be, myself. don’t! I have four children, extended family and so I am strategic in planning my time! But I am a great believer in Have you learnt anything more about MND since working looking at my health and wellbeing and including things into at MND Queensland and working exclusively with MND my life that will help me manage my health. I love to run clients? regularly, hike and read. I love music and play several I learn something new about MND most days working instruments rather poorly, but have a great appreciation for all exclusively with MND clients. I have worked with people living things music. My children all play basketball, and other sport, with MND in acute care, rehabilitation and community health. and so I help manage a few basketball teams and am uberMND Queensland ensures all of its employees are educated driver to my kids to games all around SEQ! I’m involved in my widely on MND during its onboarding process, and ongoing local church too and am a part of projects that reach out into professional development opportunities. But when you then the community in a variety of ways. collaborate with people living with MND daily and are surrounded by teams of colleagues working in the same area, Is there anything else you’d like to share? Any final there is always something new to learn about MND, how it’s thoughts? affecting people in different ways, but also the resilience and My final thoughts are that I would love every person living with outcomes that people achieve through their determination, MND, and their families to know that they are not alone in their care for loved ones, and commitment to fight MND every step journey with MND. That there are a group of people at MND of the way. Queensland that are dedicated to be there for them and who’s aim is to help journey this horrible disease of MND with each What are the common issues that you see the majority of person and provide the care and support they need.
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