Occupational Therapists are healthcare professionals who work with individuals of all ages, with the goal of enabling participation in meaningful roles and occupations despite the presence of disabilities. The Department of Occupational Therapy at Sengkang General Hospital promotes health and well-being by supporting individuals to return to their daily functions and perform day-to-day meaningful activities revolving around self-care, leisure and productivity.
Our team of Occupational Therapists work with individuals who experience a range of physical disabilities, cognitive or psychiatric challenges either from birth or as the result of accident, illness or ageing. Our primary goal is to enable these individuals to find ways to continue participating in meaningful activities safely in their homes and communities.
In order to maximize each individual’s function and quality of life, our Occupational Therapists work closely with them to identify strengths and barriers to participation, collaborate on specific goals, before designing a customized treatment or rehabilitation programme appropriate to each individual’s unique values, needs and preferences.
Our therapy programme involves carefully selected activities to enhance the individual's physical, cognitive and/ or psychosocial abilities in both the inpatient and outpatient settings, as well as recommendations on environmental modifications and assistive devices to promote safety and participation in meaningful activities Caregiver training may also be done to equip families or caregivers with skills to support them in caring for their loved ones post-discharge, improving their confidence and reducing incidences of caregiver stress.
Neurological rehabilitation is targeted at individuals who are recovering from acute or chronic neurological conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's diseases, spinal cord injuries and many more. Occupational therapy aims to promote the return of motor, cognitive and sensory-perceptual functions, reduce and/or manage symptoms, promote participation in meaningful occupations, hence enhancing the overall quality of life of the individual.
Apart from working with individuals and their caregivers through one-on one intensive rehabilitation based on their unique needs (such as through physical, cognitive, perceptual retraining etc) in the wards, occupational therapists also follow up with individuals in the outpatient setting to continue reintegrating them back into their communities and supporting their return to work.
Older adults may face cognitive, physical and psychosocial challenges due to a myriad of chronic and/or acute medical conditions. Occupational therapists work with these older adults, their families and caregivers by empowering them with strategies to support engagement in meaningful occupations within their homes and communities, while promoting safety and well-being. Some examples of intervention in geriatric rehabilitation include education of falls prevention strategies, prescription of suitable assistive devices and caregiver training on suitable assistance level and activities tailored to the older adults.
For individuals living with dementia, occupational therapists may also aim to maintain or improve the individual's cognitive and physical functions through cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation programmes, as well as working closely with families and caregivers to devise strategies for person-centred care back at home.
In addition, we also offer home-based rehabilitation services such as home visitsfor individuals who will benefit from therapeutic interventions and home modification advice within their own home environment.
Individuals will be taught to incorporate specific precautions that have to be taken post-injury and/or surgery into their daily activities. During the recovery phase, occupational therapists will work with individuals to help them regain their physical and functional abilities. This may also include learning how to incorporate the use of assistive devices to perform their day-to-day activities. Wheelchair assessment and training may also be done to support their mobility within the home and community.
Occupational Therapists work with individuals with psychiatric conditions to help them integrate back into the community and perform their daily occupations in an adaptive manner.
Some examples of interventions that we offer include:
The post-mastectomy rehabilitation team provides pre-operative education and post-operative rehabilitation to individuals diagnosed with breast cancer. The goals of rehabilitation are a) to help individuals to regain as much shoulder movements as before the surgery so that they are able to resume activities that they do at home, at work and in recreation and b) to monitor and manage lymphedema for individuals with axillary lymph nodes clearance.
Early intervention and good management of lymphedema is crucial for improving one's quality of life and ensuring continued participation in activities of daily living. Our therapists who are trained and certified in Dr Vodder's Manual Lymph Drainage and Combined Decongestive Therapy work through with them to integrate lymphedema self-management strategies to overcome these challenges; supporting them to maintain or increase their independence in their daily living.
Return to Work Program
Occupational therapists in our Return to Work (RTW) program work closely with individuals who have difficulties returning to work after an illness or injury. Taking on the role of a RTW coordinator, our occupational therapists liaise with individuals, their health professionals and employers to understand their job duties, evaluate their capabilities and current barriers to returning to work. A RTW plan is jointly developed, which may include rehabilitation, monitoring of the individual’s progress and identification of potential opportunities for return to work.
Tags:
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your email inbox...