 Renfrew – In high school, Jodi Cotnam did a co-op placement at a physiotherapy centre. But it was the work of the occupational therapists that really interested her. “Their work really resonated with me,” Jodi explains. “I wanted to look after people who wanted to stay in their own homes, or drive again, or just live a more independent life.”
Since completing her degree in occupational therapy at Queen’s University, Jodi has worked in community care in North Bay, Peterborough and Renfrew. For the most part, her work has been with children. “I love helping them with their special needs, whether it is physical disabilities, developmental delays or sensory challenges,” she notes.
As part of her job as an occupational therapist at Champlain Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), Jodi completes assessments to determine a client’s functional independence, evaluating everything from what skills a child has, how they can compensate for deficits, what adaptive and assistive equipment is available and even how the physical environment can be modified. She works closely with the school and special education staff, education assistants, parents and other partners to help children be as independent as possible at school.
Jodi says that making a difference in the life of a child is particularly rewarding. She gives an example of a Grade One student who is struggling using a pencil. “We assess the student’s fine motor skills, cognitive abilities and other factors to pinpoint the underlying difficulty and then provide suggestions. It could be everything from developing new skills to offering alternative ways to learn such as keyboards and software.”
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For children with physical disabilities, everything from self-care such as getting dressed to wheelchairs and transportation are reviewed. “We are looking at levels of independence and what we can do to make things easier for each student.”
Jodi is just one of about 25 occupational therapists who work at the Champlain CCAC – both on staff and from the CCAC’s contracted service providers. Their contribution is invaluable to the CCAC and its clients according to Kevin Babulic, Director of Client Services.
“One of the Champlain CCAC’s key areas of focus is offering strategies for clients and their families to facilitate independence and function,” he says. “Occupational therapists add tremendous value to our clients and our organization in this regard. Their professional knowledge and skills strengthen the CCAC where they work in direct client care, as case managers and in administrative roles.”
For Jodi, it’s about the opportunity to make a difference. “It’s so satisfying to contribute in a small way to help a child achieve independence. It’s all about client-centred care and what the client believes is most important to them. We want to make that happen.” In fact, Jodi is currently pursuing a Masters of Education on a part-time basis with a concentration in Special Education, further supporting her interest in children with exceptional needs.
October is Occupational Therapy Month and Jodi and other occupational therapists at the Champlain CCAC are working together to provide outstanding care that contributes to healthy outcomes. |