 Pembroke – Stephanie Levasseur didn’t know what occupational therapy was until her high school counsellor told her she might be good at it. “She suggested I talk to an occupational therapist who lived in our community and I’m so glad I did,” Stephanie remembers.
Stephanie has worked for the Champlain Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) for almost four years and says it’s wonderful to care for people in their own homes right in her local community. “I love the variety and how my work impacts their daily lives, changing things for the better,” she explains. “We work as a team and find ways to get clients the services they need to keep them in their homes.”
At the CCAC, occupational therapists assess clients’ activities of daily living (i.e. bathing, dressing, and toileting), instrumental activities of daily living (i.e. cooking, laundry, banking), cognition and perception, functional mobility and home accessibility. occupational therapists make recommendations for home safety, assistive devices, mobility aids, home modifications and many other services that might be required to help clients live as independently as possible.
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Stephanie’s career path has prepared her well for this multi-faceted role at the CCAC. After completing her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto, she worked in acute care, neurology, geriatric rehabilitation and chronic care in Toronto before coming back to Pembroke where she worked in long-term care, rehabilitation and acute care for almost a decade. “I had never done community care before and I was excited to put all of my experience together.”
Stephanie 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 Stephanie, it’s about the opportunity to make a difference. “Every day is different. I love the challenge of figuring out what is needed and then working with the right people to ensure the care is provided. We work closely with a team of health care professionals including physicians, nurses, personal support workers, physiotherapists, speech language pathologists, social workers, dietitians and other community services. It’s very rewarding.”October is Occupational Therapy Month and Stephanie and other occupational therapists at the Champlain CCAC are working together to provide outstanding care that contributes to healthy outcomes. |