OCCUPATIONAL therapists at Mount Isa Hospital are marking Occupational Therapy Week from 21-27 October with an information stall at the hospital.
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Senior Occupational Therapist Melinda Duncan said the information stall would give people a feel for the wide range of activities in which occupational therapists were involved.
She said occupational therapists worked in a range of settings including hospitals, aged care, community health, workplaces and schools.
"Occupational therapists, or OT's, help people to get the most out of life and minimise the effects of injury or illness,'' Ms Duncan said.
"They work closely with people to identify what is important to them and ways to overcome a loss of mobility or cognitive skill.''
Ms Duncan said Mount Isa Hospital's Allied Health Department provided occupational therapy services for clients at all stages of their lives.
"Our services include equipment prescription, burns and scar management, a baby development clinic, paediatric clinic, hand therapy, lymph oedema and vascular clinics, home environment and work site assessments, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, mental health, falls prevention and upper limb therapy,'' she said.
She said occupational therapy, for many clients, focused on helping those clients regain their independence in daily activities, such as getting dressed or preparing a meal.
Patients like Mary Morgan who suffered a spinal cord injury following a single vehicle motor accident in 2003 and who has been working with numerous occupational therapists ever since.
Ms Duncan said she provided Ms Morgan with hand therapy, provision of splints, lymph oedema management and special stocking prescriptions.
"Mary has participated in hand and upper limb therapy, activity of daily living re-training, and activity modification,'' she said.
Mrs Morgan said she had spent time in the Spinal Unit at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane after her accident.
"My daughter came to visit me there from New Zealand and was so impressed with what OT's did that she went on to study occupational therapy herself and now practises in New Zealand,'' Mrs Morgan said.
"Following my accident, occupational therapy helped me to re-learn the skills required for independent living that we all take for granted and helped me return to work.
"Occupational therapists are a fundamental part of my life now.''
