SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 1980
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GETTING WELL THROUGH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
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A HALF-PARALYSED MAN ABLE TO COOK FOR HIMSELF, A DRIVER WITH HAND AND LEG INJURIES ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN .. THESE ARE ONLY TWO EXAMPLES OF WHAT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY CAN DO TO REHABILITATE PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM DISABILITIES.
LAST YEAR, OVER 13 000 OF THEM, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE
OF 11 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WERE THUS TREATED.
+OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS INCREASINGLY AVAILABLE IN HOSPITALS, OUT-PATIENT CLINICS, REHABILITATION CENTRES AND OTHER MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY.
IT CAN BE APPLIED TO PHYSICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESSES AND TREATMENT VARIES WIDELY DEPENDING ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. IN GENERAL, PATIENTS MAY BE ASKED TO ENGAGE IN ANY ONE OF A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HANDICRAFT, COOKERY, CLERICAL WORK OR RECREATIONAL PURSUITS.
THE AIM IS TO HELP THEM ATTAIN MAXIMUM PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RECOVERY SO THAT THEY CAN AGAIN CONTRIBUTE CONSTRUCTIVELY TO THE COMMUNITY AND LIVE HAPPY, PURPOSEFUL LIVES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS CONCERNED WITH THE PATIENT AS A WHOLE, NOT MERELY HIS INJURY. IN PRESCRIBING TREATMENT, HIS AGE, SEX, SOCIAL BACKGROUND, JOB REQUIREMENT AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL ARE ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT,+ HE SAID.
+THE BASIC OBJECTIVE IS TO ENABLE HIM TO RETURN TO HIS PREVIOUS JOB BUT WHEN THE INJURY IS SUCH THAT THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, HIS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FITNESS IS ASSESSED FOR A TOTALLY DIFFERENT, YET ACCEPTABLE AND REWARDING ACTIVITY, OR FOR TRAINING IN A NEW OCCUPATION, HE EXPLAINED.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC HAS STARTED A TRAINING SCHEME IN OCTOBER, 1978 TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR A CAREER IN THIS PARAMEDICAL FIELD.
THE THREE YEAR COURSE COVERS MEDICAL SUBJECTS AND CLINICAL TRAINING IN WHICH THE STUDENT CAN GAIN AN INSIGHT INTO THE EFFECTS OF ILLNESS ON INDIVIDUALS OF DIFFERENT PERSONALITY AND BACKGROUND, AND OBTAIN EXPERIENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TECHNIQUES.
THE SCOPE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS LIMITLESS, RESTRICTED ONLY BY THE INDIVIDUAL ABILITY AND INITIATIVE OF THE THERAPIST - AND THE COOPERATION OF THE PATIENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AS A MEMBER OF THE TREATMENT TEAM, THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST HAS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE TOWARDS THE SUCCESSFUL REHABILITATION OF THE PATIENT, HE STRESSED.
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