World Health Day 2021
OT Works! supports World Health Day and efforts to build a fairer, healthier world. On April 7, 2021, we recognize and remain committed to overcoming inequities that exist in health care.
In our practice and beyond, we strive to work together and act beyond borders. We also support the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapy (CAOT) which advocates for improved access to occupational therapy services for Canadians.
For more information, visit World Health Day 2021.
Managing Mental Health and Chronic Pain: Resources to Help
Take care of your health.
COVID-19 has been hard on us all. Connect with resources and people to better manage your mental health and chronic pain during these tough times.
- Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division: Tips for good mental health | Here to Help
- Pain BC: COVID-19 news and resources for people living with pain | Pain BC
We’re here to help.
Our occupational therapists are skilled in treating clients with mental health concerns and chronic pain during occupational disruption. To learn more, contact us.
Image reposted from heretohelp.bc.ca.
OT Tips for Working from Home
Occupational therapists recommend a balanced approach when managing your health while working from home. They consider the physical, cognitive, emotional and environmental demands that affect wellbeing at work. Here are some OT tips to take care of yourself while working from home:
- Start by improving your ergonomic set up to address posture.
- Remember to take microbreaks.
- After work, engage in activities that bring you a sense of calm.
Building good habits is essential to feeling successful at work. You can read more on how to improve how you work from home in this article by The Signal.
Get Started with an OT
Could you or someone you know benefit from an OT assessment? All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and have additional training in areas such as mental health, brain injury rehabilitation, home safety and chronic pain.
We are here to help after an injury or a motor vehicle accident. Contact us today!
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000
Sports and Leisure for a Durable Return-To-Work
Practicing dance moves can be a step in the right direction when returning to work after an injury. Sports and leisure activities build skills and endurance that are often transferrable in the workplace. Our occupational therapists sometimes incorporate sports and leisure activities into treatment plans so workers return to their jobs in a timely and safe manner. This increases workplace productivity, decreases the number of absences and can reduce worksite accidents.
How OTs Use Sports and Leisure for Return to Work
When Melissa Ferguson, OT, first meets with a client, she wants to know, “What are some of the important activities for you in your life?” She asks her clients why they enjoy those activities. She chooses to focus on what lights her clients up and gets them excited, even when an injury feels like a barrier to participating. She uses task analysis to create a step by step breakdown on how to achieve a chosen final goal.
Through a gradual progression in frequency and intensity, Melissa helps her clients discover what they can do, rather than focusing on what they can’t.
The Benefits of Sports and Leisure
Melissa’s clients build up sports and leisure routines before returning to work. As a result, her clients arrive at their jobs better prepared with skills in stress and pain management as well as community activation and ergonomics.
Exercise and hobbies can improve both physical and psychological functioning when they become regular, personalized practices for a variety of reasons. They allow us to connect with members of our community. They foster a feeling of accomplishment and confidence. Sports and leisure also:
- develop habits to build structured routines
- hone motor skills
- prevent and improve back problems, especially through low-stress aerobics like walking and swimming
- reduce chronic pain through yoga, Pilates, and strength training
- support independent living for seniors and prevent falls
- release tension caused by repetitive tasks and desk set-ups
- foster mental wellbeing
Additional Resources
Educating yourself is a great first step to returning to recreational activities. Below are resources you can turn to for more information.
- “The Benefits of Recreation.” (City of Richmond)
- “Fearless Fitness: An Exercise Guide for People with Chronic Pain.” (CurableHealth.com)
- “Effects of Recreational Physical Activity and Back Exercises on Low Back Pain and Psychological Distress: Findings from the UCLA Low Back Pain Study.” (Authors: E. Hurwitz, H. Morgenstern, and C. Chiao)
Get Started with an OT
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and have additional training in areas such as mental health, brain injury rehabilitation, home safety and chronic pain.
If you or someone you know could benefit from occupational therapy after a motor vehicle accident or other injuries, contact us today! We are happy to answer any questions you may have.
E-mail: info@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext 1000
Walk Daily To Improve Your Health
Slip on your sneakers and walk outside for 30 minutes every day. Research demonstrates that a half hour of walking a day can improve your physical and mental health. Walking also has benefits for creativity and problem-solving.
In rehabilitation, our occupational therapists often include walking as part of activation as a way to achieve meaningful goals. Activation is the process of returning to regular routines and activities after an accident or injury.
You can read more about the benefits of walking in this article by CBC News Vancouver.
Get Started with an OT
Could you or someone you know benefit from an Occupational Therapist’s guidance? All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and have additional training in areas such as mental health, brain injury rehabilitation, home safety and chronic pain.
We are here to help after a motor vehicle accident or injury. Contact us today!
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
Meet Steven, Aman and Maren: Occupational Therapists
Welcome Steven Lin, Aman Ranji and Maren Kristensen to the OT Works! team. They provide community OT services for individuals by implementing daily activities at home, work and in the community in order to foster increased independence. All three of our new therapists are eligible to work on our contracts with WorkSafe BC, ICBC and Veterans Affairs Canada. They also serve private-paying clients and those with extended health/disability insurance.
Steven has been working as an Occupational Therapist for over 13 years. He has successfully treated clients with traumatic brain injuries and traumatic stress disorders. He recognizes that every client has unique strengths and barriers and looks forward to problem-solving with his clients. Steven serves clients in the Metro Vancouver region, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and Surrey.
Aman has a diverse background in physical and mental health and has worked in both private and public settings. He is a Certified Work Capacity Evaluator (CWCE) and enjoys assisting clients as they return to work. He aims to have positive meaningful interactions with each of his clients. Aman also serves clients in the Metro Vancouver region.
Maren has practised occupational therapy for 10 years in both British Columbia and Alberta. She has a passion for working with clients recovering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Adjustment Disorder. She is very experienced with Return-to-Work planning for clients with various injuries. Maren serves the North Shore region, including North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Vancouver.
Like all of our therapists, Steven, Aman and Maren are full registrants and in good standing with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC).
Get started with an OT
If you or someone you know could benefit from working with an occupational therapist, contact us today!
Email: referrals@ot-works.com
Phone: 604.696.1066 ext. 1000.
Giving Back to the Community
2020 was a different year for everyone.
More than ever, it is important to give back to our communities and to support initiatives that provide change and promote social justice.
As part of our annual efforts to give back to the community, OT Works! is pleased to support Vancouver-based Project Change Foundation for another year. Change is central to the philosophy of occupational therapy and our therapists facilitate change to promote health and recovery.
Project Change Foundation provides financial and other support to early-stage charities in Canada with significant potential for creating social or environmental change.
In previous years, the Foundation has already provided grants and support to charities such as Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Advocacy Association, The Lipstick Project, Backpack Buddies, and Binners’ Project.
This year, Project Change was able to support two organizations: Inspire Community Outreach and Refugee Women’s Network.
Inspire Community Outreach is an incorporated non-profit social services agency providing evidence and culturally informed, family-centered education and programming, designed to meet the needs of those living with mental health issues and neurological/cognitive differences.
Read more about the Inspire Community Outreach on their website: inspirecommunityoutreach.ca
Refugee Women’s Network empowers refugee and new immigrant women with tools and resources to enhance and develop their skills through education to successfully integrate into Canadian society while still maintaining respective cultural values.
Read more about Refugee Women’s Network on their website: refugeewomensnetwork.org
Learn more about Project Change: projectchangefoundation.com
OT Works! also continues to support other organizations as they empower people in Canada and around the world, such as WWF, Plan Canada and Because I am a Girl.
OT Works! awarded New Contract from WorkSafeBC
We are happy to announce that OT Works! was awarded a new contract from WorkSafeBC!
OT Works! is dedicated to helping Injured Workers gain, maintain, and improve skills in self-care and productivity. Our goal is to increase Injured Workers independence and help them return to work in a safe and timely manner.
Through a longstanding relationship with WorkSafeBC, OT Works! has established a reputation as a reliable and consistent partner in the WorkSafeBC provider network. OT Works has continuously served both Community Occupational Therapy Services (COT) and Community Brain Injury Services (CBIS) since the beginning of these programs. We are excited to continue helping injured workers through this new contract.
Our approach to addressing the psychosocial barriers to rehabilitation with Injured Workers has translated into proven return-to-work results.
The strength of OT Works! is in our people. We have strong clinical leadership, and we invest in qualified and experienced therapists. All therapists are supported through on-going mentorship and rigorous Quality Assurance processes.
OT Works! has helped hundreds of Injured Workers and their employers. We are proud to be part of the WorkSafeBC provider network and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership with the new contract.
With this new contract, we will be able to serve workers in all of our current locations:
- Metro Vancouver (Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Surrey, North & West Vancouver, Richmond, Delta, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam)
- Fraser Valley (Langley, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Mission, Abbotsford)
- Sea-to-Sky (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton)
- Vancouver Island: Victoria (Victoria, Esquimalt, Sooke, East Sooke, Saanich, Sydney, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin); Central Island (Campbell River, Courtney, Comox, Cumberland, Fanny Bay, Nanoose Bay, Union Bay)
Contact Us
All of our therapists at OT Works! are certified with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC) and have additional training in areas such as mental health, brain injury rehabilitation, home safety and chronic pain.
Contact us and get started with an OT today.
October 27th is World OT Day
October 27th is World Occupational Therapy Day!
OTs make a difference in the lives of many today, here in Canada and around the world.
Occupational Therapists help people improve their function in their daily lives. Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
- Self-care – getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
- Being productive – going to work or school, participating in the community, and
- Leisure activities – sports, gardening, social activities.
Occupational therapy is a regulated profession in Canada. All of our occupational therapists at OT Works! are registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC)
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At OT Works, this month we celebrate our team and the difference OTs make to their clients!
World Occupational Therapy Day – October 27th – Reimagine Doing
The theme ‘Reimagine Doing’ celebrates the expertise of occupational therapy for reimagining participation in occupations that provide value and meaning to everyday life
OTs help their clients in a number of different ways including Driving Desensitization, Ergonomic Assessments, Life Skills for Anxiety, Falls Prevention and even Return to Work Planning.
OTs can help you getting back to work, to school, to the sport that you love, and more.
To our OT Works! team and to all OTs we say thank you!
Contact us and get started with an OT today. #worldotday
Find out more:
Pamela Russell featured on The Jeneralist Podcast
We’re proud to announce that our Clinical Lead Pamela Russell was featured on ‘The Jeneralist’ Podcast by Jen Taubensee.
The Jeneralist explores and shares Canadian Occupational Therapists perspectives. On this episode, Pamela and Jen talk about being a leader, connecting as a team and coping and healing through stories.
We’d also like to thank Jen Taubensee for this amazing opportunity!
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or use the link: https://thejeneralist.podbean.com/e/s2-e3-pamela/