This will be the topic that Fizah and I will be doing for our manuscript for the OCT4NRE module. We are now in the phase of summarising the literature and tomorrow, we will attempt to critique the current literature.

Mirror therapy has been used for patients with phantom pain, complex regional pain syndrome etc. However, use of mirror therapy on stroke rehabilitation is pretty new as evident by the small number of literature. So far, use of small sample sizes and neurologically healthy subjects are found. Some of them are of single case studies. However, all of them showed positive results in using mirror therapy in improving hand functions. It is also worthwhile to note that mirror therapy does not increase spasticity.

For a more detailed critique of the current literature, please keep a lookout for the next update (after the meeting, yeah!).

Time really flies! It’s now the end of Week 7 of my semester. So what have I been up to these few weeks?

As you can see from my Photo category of this blog, I went for 2 days trips last month: Mt Buller Snow Trip and Great Ocean Road trip. Both the trips were an eye opener for me. I recommend those who intend to join La Trobe University to sign up for events organised by the International Students’ Association as they provide huge discounts on such trips.

Well, that aside. Academic-wise, I had presented for the first time in this university. Culture difference as they feedbacked that we, Singaporeans, talked too fast! Probably, they may have difficulty understanding our accent or we really talked way faster than them back in Singapore. However, this is an important point to note for me as there will be many more presentations occuring in the next few weeks.

I have also handed up my first written assignment. They are very strict with referencing. Any missing full stops or italics, there your marks go.

I must say that although we are learning the same things (ok, revising), expectation-wise is much higher than in NYP. But we shall make it till the end

As for the upcoming OT conference, I am not going due to financial issues. But not to worry, there will be always more opportunities when I’m back to work next year.

I attended a lecture by Prof Carolyn Baum just now on Participation & Performance in Person’s with Stroke. In her research with the Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Group, they focus more on linking neuroscience to everyday life. That’s their motto.

I found out several new, amazing stuffs they had discovered in their research with stroke patients in the US.

• There’s clinical pattern of stroke of usually not of single lesions. Only 350 out of n=5000 have single lesions.
• Usually rehab is more targeted to those of moderate stroke. But half of the sample researched has mild stroke. They have good social skills and do not portray their impairments vividly until they are tested with the executive functioning tests.
• NIHSS - a stroke scale used
• They measure participation using ACS to know their previous occupation profiles
• Need to focus beyond tasks in FIM. More on activity participation in the community.
• EFPT is a performance test using cueing system to see what it takes for them to succeed in the task
• Sequencing is affected across all types of stroke.
• People with performance problem are more likely to have clinical depression and decrease in community integration.

What I learn is that the OT in the community setting plays a very important role in stroke rehabilitation. So should I go to a community setting instead?

Hi there!

School has been great so far. The main highlight of the day was the FIM training course. FIM, Functional Independence Measure, is used widely in Singapore and I guess, globally in the healthcare industry as it uses common terminology for the understanding of various healthcare professions.

I had the training just now from 1 to 5pm. This half day training course covered the following areas:

• Components of the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation
• Administration of the coding sheets
• Detailed study of the function categories
• Use of the FIM scoring scale
• Use of the FIM with practice case studies

I’ve got the certification for the training!

To be able to use it in the hospital settings, I have to be certified, that is, to take the exam. I’ll be taking it back in Singapore next year.

Cheers!

Hi all!

It’s been 3 weeks of school. One thing I have to say is… there’s LOTS and LOTS of readings! Expected actually. I’m trying to keep up with weekly readings of all modules but it seems to be quite hard to do that. This is especially so for the Illness and Spirituality module. It takes a lot of focus for me to understand the articles. On the other hand, the rest are fine for me.

An interesting event/class that happened this week was the long-awaited 2nd and the final practical class in the independent living centre. We learnt more about hoists and seatings. I was more than willing to be the subject for the hoist session. I want to be hoisted, to know the feelings that my future patients may have. It’s quite scary as you don’t really know what to expect or what could happen, especially when my friend (BIRD) was the so-called therapist. Hehehe! Sorry, Bird. Well, this was better than the one in NYP. It was electrical and not hydraulic. Hydraulic hoists have jerky movements, which is not recommended for patients, especially those with high anxiety levels.

In seatings, we learnt more about ergonomics of dining, lounge and workplace chairs. Cool! I was fasinated by the ‘kneeling’ chair. I have yet to see one in Singapore. It’s good for people with low back pain as it relieves some of the tension in the spine. BUT it translates the pressure to the knees. Thus, this kind of chair is not suitable for long-term use.

Yup, that’s all for now. I’ll update if there’s more exciting stories in my life here in Melbourne. As usual, pictures are in the ‘Photos’ section or in my Facebook.

Till then!

Go for this if you can. A wonderful opportunity to learn about new researches that will gear your practice into an evidence-based one. For more information, here’s the official link to the website.

Note: I’m attending if there are no classes.

Hi all,

First week of school has been great. I must say that it’s pretty slacked. Not many readings to do as yet. In addition, assignments have not been touched yet. The bookshop was then the shop that I went the most number of times to check out the necessary manuals and textbooks. Gosh! They are so expensive. A thin manual that would cost $16 in Singapore costs me $26 here! I nearly spent $200 on 3 manuals and a textbook. I have yet to buy another 2 as they have not print them yet!

All the modules that I have taken are interesting. The lecturers are engaging and the topics are relevant to my future practice area. I went to Yooralla Independent Living Centre for a practical lesson on last Wednesday. I was exposed to the different gadgets to ease communication for individuals with speech difficulties. The fun part was that we also get to try different types of powered wheelchair. For example, the chin control, sip and puff etc. I must say that the sip and puff was the most difficult to handle. I wonder how Superman did it efficiently.

Different types of powered scooters were also taught. We managed to get hands-on on the many available scooters. These scooters are for individuals who cannot manage long distances of ambulation. I’m glad that I see many elderly here used them in the community. So different from the elderly in Singapore. Ok… that’s for the lesson in the independent living centre. The next lesson will be in Week 3 on seats and the use of hoists.

Ok… So far all the modules are good. Well, except for one pretty daunting module, Illness and Spirituality. This module is pretty deep. I mean, requires deep thinking and varied life experiences. However, it’s interesting to see how the mature students analyse the situations. Probably I can start by talking more to them to develop my analytical skills further.

yup, that’s for the first week. More updates coming up while I ride on the journey.

One of the new highlights of this blog, I have managed to incorporate YouTube Video. You can check out on this url. I am really feel lucky to have a girlfriend who is a healthcare specialist, working to contribute the community with her knowledge towards the rehabilitation of a human. Not many gals or guys is able to have this patience to stand by someone who have fall and back on the recovery track.

This is an honour and humble job in the society and community.

Just like librarians. We make sure that every knowledge of mankind is kept and ready accessible for the development the society and community. Thus, this integrated of plugin hope able to give this blog more educational interactivity with the audience to learnt what occupational therapy is all about. And, double up as an e-learning and healthcare awareness.

Cool, and enjoy each show.

I had my enrolment on the 16th of July. Met some of the lecturers and made friends to 2 new OT coursemates from Germany. They are also doing their degree conversion. I’m taking 5 modules this semester. 2 of them are core modules and the rest are electives.

Core modules:
• Critical Review in Occupational Therapy
• Occupational Therapy Intervention

Electives:
• Occupation, Personal and Community Development
• Neurorehabilitation in Occupational Therapy
• Illness & Spirituality

Cool right?

I’m looking forward to start school now as the modules I’m taking are pretty interesting. I have a handling skill module(neurorehab) this time round again! Reminds me of those grueling practical tests back in NYP. Hahaha! We even set up a griefing club right after the test. It’s challenging but very relevant to my work area later on. I love working with individuals with neurological issues. Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease etc. I’m taking illness and spirituality as I cannot run away from patients who are on their verge of death such as cancer patients etc. It may help me understand them better when I interact with them in future.

School is starting tomorrow. And going back home will be real soon!

To readers,

I’m currently in La Trobe University, Australia, doing a degree conversion in Occupational Therapy. It’s been 2 weeks since I first arrived here. While doing my weekly shopping in the markets and supermarkets, I had noticed several things about the elderly and society here in Australia.

Firstly, they are very much independent. I saw many of them going to the malls on their own, taking public transportation and doing their grocery shopping. Some of them walked aided with a walking stick while some with the rollater or even the motorised wheelchair! Crikey! This is a big difference in the elderly back in my own country. Most of them are accompanied by maids. Yup, this includes both my grandmothers. They are semi-dependent on their maid to help them do their activities of daily living.

Secondly, the society seems acceptable with aged people walking with aids. Back in Singapore, one would most probably stare at a n elderly person with rollator along the aisle of a supermarket (if there’s one). In contrast, people here are cool. Even the kids do not stare in great shock.

Thirdly, this is the first time i saw the public transport here lowered down the entrance corner of the bus to ensure safely of a needed individual when alighting the bus. Cool right? I don’t know if the SBS in Singapore has one since I have never seen it in action before.

It’s really amazing on how living in other country for even such a short time can widen one’s perspective of life. Now, I’m still having my orientation. So looking forward to start of semester on 21st July.

Till then!