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Archive for category: Solutions For Living

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Seeing Yellow: Occupational Therapy and Cancer Recovery

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was required to have a mastectomy.  Feeling helpless but wanting to support her, I sent her a list of the things we could do together pre-surgery.  This included anything from loading up an iPod with her favorite tunes and stand-up comedic acts, sorting my ridiculous stack of family photos, scrapbooking, and of course some retail and spa therapy.  I figured the less time she spent just waiting for surgery, thinking and processing what was to come, the less this diagnosis would impact her now and into the future.  She responded to my ideas with something along the lines of “you should help people through tough times for a living” and I reminded her that my job as an OT allowed me to do just that.

The yellow daffodils in April signify that this is the month of Cancer Awareness.  Defined, the word “Cancer” is a blanket term used to describe the abnormal growth of cells in any part of the body.  There are more than 100 types of cancer, which may affect specific tissues, organs, blood, or lymphatic systems. Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, responsible for about 30% of all deaths in our country.  Many of us have been affected by cancer, either personally, through friends or a loved one. My mom is only one example of how cancer has affected my family, and sadly I have countless other stories of friends and colleagues who have also been impacted.

Cancer and cancer treatment can lead to changes in how we do our daily activities due to physical, cognitive or emotional changes resulting from the diagnosis, resulting surgery, medications, chemo and radiation. For a cancer patient sometimes just doing daily activities leaves little energy for leisure, social, or work-related tasks.  Common side effects of cancer or its treatment include fatigue, pain, weakness, cognitive difficulties, anxiety or depression, and changes in self-esteem or self-image. Each person diagnosed with cancer will experience different challenges in his or her participation in various daily activities and life roles over the course of the disease.

Occupational therapists have knowledge and expertise to allow individuals with cancer to do the things they want and need to do to maintain their level of independence and quality of life. Occupational therapy services are helpful for individuals throughout the continuum of cancer care, including those who are newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, receiving hospice or palliative care, or who are survivors reintegrating into previous roles. Caregivers also benefit from the training and education provided by OT’s as this arms them with the essential tools to offer support and assistance to their loved ones when performing daily, important, and meaningful activities. Some of the things occupational therapists can help with include:

  • Education on management of activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing and dressing through adaptations to the activity and environment, and/or the use of assistive devices.
  • Sleep and fatigue management such as education in and demonstration of energy conservation and relaxation management techniques to support health and the ability to participate in purposeful roles.
  • Cognitive strategies to address memory, organizational executive function deficits, and low-energy tasks that focus on restoring engagement in daily occupations such as sitting in the park, reading a newspaper, or conversing with a friend.
  • Therapeutic exercise and positioning to maintain functional range of motion, mobility, and strength such as home exercise programs, splinting, wheelchair fitting, bed positioning, etc. to provide support and comfort.
  • Mental health treatment to encourage the return to life roles that will help increase mood, reduce depression, restore hope, and lessen anxiety.

Other roles for occupational therapy also include return to work involvement post-treatment, education on general health issues, and training on use of a prosthetic if an amputation was required.  Some therapists are also specifically trained to provide lymphatic drainage to reduce the swelling and pain that can result from the disease, its’ surgery or treatment.

So, for the month of April let’s honor those fighting and remember those that fought.  Buy some daffodils, donate, wear a ribbon, or call or visit with someone you know that has been impacted by this prevalent disease.

References

American Association of Occupational Therapists (2011). https://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/AboutOT/Professionals/WhatIsOT/MH/Facts/Oncology%20fact%20sheet.pdf

Canadian Cancer Society (2013). http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-101/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance/?region=on

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Best Of The Blog: Pin The Tail On The OT

After a year of blogging I’ve been approached by many colleagues who have thanked me for spotlighting the wonderful profession of occupational therapy on the web and social media.  I am hoping that my efforts will bring increased awareness to the benefits Occupational Therapy.  The following post from September 2013 is a favourite that gives an overview of OT and how it works to provide solutions for living.

Pin The Tail On The OT

I dream of the day when Occupational Therapy (OT) becomes an understood profession and is a conversation at the dinner table (“maybe an OT could help?”).  I feel that the internet, Facebook and You Tube will help this to become so.  I love the inspirational videos and stories that are being posted online.  Stories of people overcoming adversity, showing how attitude and ambition mixed with creativity can conquer challenges and overcome barriers.  I thought instead of talking about OT, I would show its power.

Watch this video and know that OT is:

  • Helping people to maintain a positive attitude, and to have hope, despite personal circumstances.
  • Overcoming the “can’t” to become the “did” – no matter what that “did” looks like.
  • Showing people how to open the door of a fridge, car, microwave and building when they can’t use their arms.
  • Providing equipment to facilitate driving when the traditional steering wheel, gas and break, cannot be used normally.
  • Teaching people how to use a computer, and designing a conducive workstation, when their use will be unconventional.
  • Designing, sourcing, and providing equipment to facilitate independence in: eating (or dressing, grooming, showering, anything), lifting and carrying personal items, washing a car, or managing in the community.
  • Helping people with unique challenges to find a suitable profession, secure a job, and sustain work.
  • Creatively solving problems to participation (i.e. riding a bike).
  •  Fostering mental health through participation, engagement and function.
  • Reducing dependency on others through facilitating independence in daily activities.

These are just a few examples.  Really, OT is everywhere.  Many people actually “OT themselves” by finding new ways to overcome challenges.  We all might do this every day even if we are not disabled.  OT is a great profession – why struggle to solve problems of function, take longer than needed to complete tasks, rig up unsafe solutions, or become unnecessarily dependent on others?  Consider OT.  We are here to help, and love nothing more than sharing our skills and knowledge.

 

 

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Best of The Blog: When Children Can’t Communicate Pain

Recognizing it is Autism Awareness Month, we wanted to re-run a popular blog about children, communication, and pain.  Recognizing that communication is key in all aspects of life, it is essential that children learn how to display this when needed.  However, sometimes, especially for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, communicating feelings, discomforts and pain can be quite difficult.  The following post written in November 2013 discusses non-verbal pain communication and helps parents to know what to watch for.

When Children Can’t Communicate Pain

A few years back my daughter (age five at the time) seemed a bit “off” when she came home from school.  She was withdrawn, tired, and “didn’t want to talk about it”.  She is my kid that struggles to communicate her needs, especially when she is upset, so I tried to give her some time and control over when she would be comfortable talking about it.  Eventually, I went over to her and in stroking her hair realized this had blood in it.  I pulled her bangs aside and noticed a bump, large bruise, and blood on her head, in her hair, and around her temple.  When I asked her what happened, she burst into tears.  Through some coaxing, I got her to tell me that she had fallen on the playground, hit her head, and was so embarrassed about this she didn’t want to tell anyone.  Her teacher picked up on the fact that something was wrong and sent her to talk to the principal.  To the principal she reported nausea, a headache, and was visibly upset, but wouldn’t tell the principal what happened, and the bump and blood on her head and hair was not noticed.  After I got her to calm down, and did some basic mommy first aid, I explained to her the importance of telling adults about these things in case they are serious and need immediate attention.

The ability to communicate pain and discomfort is invaluable – it not only allows a person to express how they are feeling in order to receive medical attention, but also can help them to obtain medication or treatment to make the pain more manageable.  However, many children (and some adults for that matter) are unable to express their pain due to a difficulty with communication, or a developmental or intellectual disability.  This can make it very difficult for health practitioners and family members to decipher their level of pain following an injury, medical procedure, or with illness.

For children that cannot verbally communicate pain, there are other methods that can help.  For example, the Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist (NCCPC-R) was designed for children who are unable to speak due to a cognitive disability.  The NCCPC-R can be completed by a caregiver within the child’s home environment, and measures observations of the child’s vocalizations, social interactions, facial expressions, activity level, appearance of body and limbs, physiological signs, eating, and sleeping.  In addition to the home-based version, a postoperative version of the NCCPC-R also exists.

Interestingly, studies have shown that the expression of pain by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is not significantly different from typically developing children or even from children with intellectual disabilities. However, what does seem to be different is the length of the behavioral reactions of children with Autism, after the source of pain has been removed. This information may be surprising to some, as it is often thought that children with Autism are insensitive or have a high tolerance to pain.  Therefore, caregivers and healthcare professionals need to be aware that although a child with Autism (or any developmental disability for that matter) may be unable to verbally communicate their level of pain, we cannot assume that they are not in pain.  We need to be able to look beyond verbal communication.  One method, using observation, is the FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability).  With this, pain in children and adults who are unable to communicate are observed through are range of symptoms that are scored from 0 to 2.

So while my daughter is capable of communicating verbally, emotional upset and embarrassment prevented her from taking the important step of telling an adult about what happened.  Through her behavior and presentation, her teacher, the principal and I were able to see that something was wrong, and eventually, when she was comfortable talking about it, I figured out what happened.  Thus, behavior, verbal or not, is a key indication of how a child is feeling.  It is important for parents and healthcare providers to be aware of the signs of pain in children, verbal or non-verbal, as their bodies can very well communicate their level of pain when they cannot do so through words.

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Happy Anniversary! Julie’s Top 6 Blog Tips

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc
 
I love milestones.  They are a time to reflect on the good, bad and ugly, and to look ahead with excitement and optimism.  Today marks the one year anniversary of the launch of this blog.  What started as an opportunity to spread the word about all things occupational therapy, has morphed into a new passion, a positive outlet, and hopefully one more way I can help others and matter in this world.   The result?  77 pages and over 41,000 words in original post writings, and an excess of 12,000 blog views.  Not bad!  But the biggest excitement for me are the conversations I have had with others – comments, positive feedback, ideas and emails that help me to stay inspired and think of stories to tell and things to showcase.
 
So, in celebration, this week will be “The Best of the Blog” where we will highlight the most popular posts from the year – the ones that were shared and read above all others.  But I wanted to launch the week by answering the question I am most commonly asked:  “what are your secrets to blogging and how do you do it?”  Well, here are my Top 6 Blog Tips:
 
1.       Like writing.  If you are not a writer, don’t enjoy it, or find it immensely time consuming, chore-like or difficult, blogging may not be for you.  Personally, I love writing and find the process of putting my thoughts on paper therapeutic, fast and easy.  This makes blogging for me a natural fit. 

2.       Be okay with criticism.  Blogging, like public speaking, is essentially “putting yourself out there”.  This exposes you to comments, sometimes ridicule and nastiness.  Everyone is entitled to an opinion and you can’t take it personally when that opinion differs from yours.  I actually love a good debate and enjoy hearing multiple perspectives on an issue. 

3.       Be inspired.  Like anything in life, success comes from being impassioned.  If you truly love something, and want to share that with others, then blogging about it is easier.  I am so inspired by the profession of occupational therapy, and by stories of amazing people who say and do amazing things, that it makes it effortless to tell these tales and to find sharable greatness everywhere. 

4.       Have help.  While I write my posts and proof and edit all my blog content, I am personally not responsible for posting and monitoring the end result.  Erin, my blog manager, keeps this organized, sends me stats, helps me to find awesome stuff, and reminds me of the things I should be mentioning or celebrating in different weeks or months.  While I love to write, I don’t love technology so if needed, find someone else to handle that part. 

5.       Keep it personal.  I know people (and companies) that have blogs that they don’t write (or even read) the content that is posted in their name.  While that is an effective way to be on social media and to build online presence – is it genuine?  Does it reveal anything about who they are or what they know?  The most fascinating thing about this world is the people in it – their experiences and knowledge.  Share that! 

6.       Blog often.  Personally, I think you are better to NOT start a blog at all if you can’t maintain it.   Nothing to me looks worse than a blog that was started and then ignored.  Don’t put a marginal effort into it as that just negatively reflects your own brand personality.  Or, if you do start a blog, and realize it is not for you, shut it down, lick your wounds, and move on.  But before you even launch it, write 8-10 posts so you have a head start.  If you can’t do that, or don’t enjoy it – red flag! 

Rightly or wrongly, these are my personal blog pointers.  And revealing that begs the question:  “What is next for me and this site”?  Well, as I said, this one year milestone has me looking ahead with excitement and optimism.  More guest bloggers, original posts, controversial content, and video.  Stay tuned! I have a few fun projects in the works that I hope to launch here in the next few months.  And as always, I would love your feedback.  Ideas?  Comments?  Bring them on!
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The Importance of Sleep

It is well known that getting a good nights’ sleep is vital to physical and mental health, but this is also true for brain function. Sleep supports growth and development in children and teenagers, and helps with the body’s healing process.  Unfortunately, however, many of us struggle to get a quality sleep due to sleep disorders, and life or career stressors.  The following from “Sleep Review Magazine” shows an ongoing study into how chronic sleep deprivation may cause brain damage and reiterates how important sleep is for your health!

Sleep Review Magazine:  Sleep Debt Can Result in Lasting Brain Injury

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Hydrate For Health

Saturday March 22nd is World Water Day.  A day when we celebrate one of the most important and scare resources on the planet.  Water is extremely important to our bodies and we cannot live without it.  The following article from CDC.com discusses the importance of hydration, how much water your body requires and tips to ensure you are getting enough.  On this World Water Day remember to take care of your health by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and try to do something for others who do not have access to this great resource.

CDC:  Water:  Meeting Your Daily Fluid Needs

There are many Canadian Organizations who focus on bringing clean water to those without access.  Some of these great organizations are listed here to help you find information on ways to donate to and how help those in need.

www.watercan.com 

www.waterambassadors.org 

www.ryanswell.ca 

www.cleanwaterforhaiti.org 

www.runforwater.ca 

www.waterforpeople.org  

 

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Kindness Matters!

It is recognized that an act of good deed benefits physically and emotionally benefits both the giver and the recipient.  Knowing this, now some schools and educators have turned to the “bucket filling” method as a way to teach this to children. The following article from Good Housekeeping discusses a study that shows how being kind releases healthy chemicals in the brain and boosts your overall health.  It also shares 50 random acts of kindness you can try if you’re looking to fill someone else’s bucket while at the same time filling your own. 

Good Housekeeping:  50 Simple Acts of Kindness

 

 

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Use It Or Lose It

It’s Brain Awareness Week across the world and in celebration we are focussing on brain health.  The brain is the most important part of your body, however, is often overlooked as most people focus on the parts of the body that are visible to others.  The following from Forbes Magazine discusses the best ways to ensure you are keeping your brain healthy and your mind sharp.

Use It Or Lose It: 7 Ways To Keep Your Brain Sharp