Does the work of occupational therapists really count ?
Philip L Fairclough shares his rehabilitation story , following a severe brain injury , and reflects on how occupational therapists were instrumental in getting him where he is today .
© Valerii Apetroaiei via Getty Images
A s an occupational therapist , do you ever wonder if your work has a positive , long-term result ?
Maybe you never see your patients or clients after their stay with you in hospital or care home , so are unaware of whether they have benefitted from your tireless efforts to assist them back into a useful life .
Perhaps you wonder if they ever even give you a passing thought . If such thinking has crossed your mind from time to time , I hope my contribution will give you some comfort and hope .
On 7 November 1994 , I fell 20 feet from my ladder to land headfirst on a concrete patio . Airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth , twice going into respiratory arrest on the way , I was placed in the care of the surgical team , who , among other things , removed half my skull to relieve the pressure on my brain , before placing me in an induced coma .
I woke two and a half weeks later to be told that , besides being paralysed down one side , having epilepsy , hearing loss in one ear , partial vision in one eye and being incontinent , I may also have brain damage , but it might be two years before we knew for definite and the severity .
Having got me as far as they could , I was transferred to Torbay Hospital in Torquay , being closer to home for the family and my muchneeded physiotherapy .
From there , I was moved to the care of Rosehill , a specialist rehabilitation home in
Torquay , where I spent the next 18 months , both as a day client , then resident . Then began my introduction to your work .
I knew the job title of course , but had no idea of an occupational therapist ’ s role within healthcare . I have since learned something you ’ ve probably known a very long time – that your role is to support people whose physical or mental health , environment , or social circumstances , make it difficult to take part in the activities that matter to them and to work with them to identify the strengths and difficulties they may have in everyday life .
On the very first visit my wife , Polly , and I made to Rosehill , the team , headed by senior occupational therapists Penny Weekes and Mandy McVitie , spent quite some time discussing with us what my problems and needs were , as well as my goals and aspirations .
I quickly learned there is no ‘ one size fits all ’ – everyone ’ s needs are different , as are the ways of dealing with them , and in my time there I got to see this in practice .
Over the coming months , under the auspices of Penny and Mandy , the team helped me to walk again , unaided , as well as working on my balance , damaged due to the problem with my ear .
When they felt I was sufficiently improved , they began taking me for longer walks than around the extensive gardens , down into Torquay centre , videotaping me along the way . This eventually progressed to using public transport and crossing roads .
34 OTnews February 2024