Occupational therapists have a primary focus on functional activities that individuals complete during their daily lives. Activities of daily living (ADLs) include bathing, dressing, grooming, feeding, bladder and bowel management, and functional transfers. Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) include care of others, care of pets, community mobility, child rearing, shopping, use of communication devices, financial management, health management and maintenance, meal preparation and cleanup, safety procedures and emergency responses. Occupational therapists assist individuals with the use of adaptive equipment, compensatory techniques and alternative methods to complete these activities more independently.
All occupational therapists at WinnMed have extensive education and training. In addition, therapists receive additional training in specialty areas such as
WinnMed offers direct access to their rehabilitation services without a doctor’s referral. Call 563-387-3031 to make an appointment.
A dementia diagnosis may cause patients and families alike to question the future. Dementia is a term used to describe the loss of mental processing skills (memory, orientation, judgment) that affects the person’s ability to perform everyday activities. There is no cure for dementia; however, WinnMed’s Dementia Care Service is designed to improve the quality of life for persons and their care partners by teaching coping strategies for early onset dementia and techniques to manage challenges in late-stage dementia. WinnMed works closely with local community agencies to provide families the resources they need to support them on their journey with dementia.
Occupational therapists work closely with the patient and their care partners to help “see the person” to customize their care. Therapists strive to learn about the patient’s life; including family, former occupations and interests. Below are a few examples of what occupational therapists can suggest to improve quality of life.
WinnMed ‘s Dementia Care Program is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances. It is important to check with your insurance carrier before beginning services. For more information on WinnMed’s Dementia Care Service, talk to your primary care provider, or call the Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine department at 563-387-3031.
WinnMed in Decorah is the only facility in the area to offer hand therapy led by Certified Hand Therapists. Hand therapists specialize in the treatment of upper extremity conditions involving the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand.
In addition to treating the condition, certified hand therapists also assess and educate patients on how to modify/improve how they do their daily tasks (playing sports, computer work, gardening) to ensure best results of their condition. Call WinnMed Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at 563-387-3031 to learn more about hand therapy available in Decorah.
Lymphedema is a chronic swelling of an extremity due to permanent obstruction of lymphatic pathways due to surgery, lymph node removal, radiation and impaired mobility. This leads to inadequate fluid drainage causing the fluid to become stagnant and protein build up can cause:
Call WinnMed Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at 563-387-3031 to learn more.
Our pediatric patients benefit from early intervention for all types of diagnosis in a playful environment that includes sensory integration treatment, neurodevelopmental treatment, and kinesiotaping. Our staff has specialized certification in MNRI Reflex Integration, behavioral/emotional regulation using Zones of Regulation, and Social Thinking, listening therapy, sequential oral sensory feeding approaches, and Handwriting Without Tears.
Some children feel physically uncomfortable in their world. These feeling can be due to Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). SPD is a condition that exists when sensory signals don’t get organized into appropriate responses. A person with SPD finds it difficult to process and act upon information received through the senses, which creates challenges in performing countless everyday tasks. Motor clumsiness, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, school challenges, and other impacts may result if the disorder is not treated effectively.
Effective occupational therapy enables children with Sensory Processing Disorder to take part in the normal activities of childhood, such as playing with friends, enjoying school, eating, dressing, and sleeping.
Our OTs are trained in use of the Zones of Regulation and How Does Your Engine Run curriculums which is designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control with individuals of all ages. These curriculums utilize:
Feeding
Our OTs are trained in use of Sequential Oral Sensory approach to feeding to increase food variety intake. During feeding therapy our therapists identify physical, behavioral, oral-motor and sensory factors that may be challenges for the individual.
Our OTs are trained to evaluate children’s fine motor skills and can provide interventions to target delays and deficits in this area. The following common fine motor target areas:
Our occupational therapist can teach children how to become more independent in daily living activities including dressing, toileting, bathing, self-feeding, grooming, etc.
Our therapists are trained utilizing the Social Thinking curriculum to assist in improving social skills. Social skills are necessary to communicate and interact well with others in everyday life.
Call WinnMed Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at 563-387-3031 to learn more.
WinnMed offers pelvic health occupational therapy to patients in the region. Occupational therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction is performed by occupational therapists with advanced training in the evaluation and treatment of the lumbo-pelvic and pelvic floor regions.
Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect both females and males of different ages, and the severity of symptoms can vary as well. Pelvic floor dysfunction often presents differently from person to person; some individuals may experience a few symptoms or even mild symptoms, while others may suffer from multiple or more severe or bothersome symptoms.
Pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms often include one or more of the following symptoms or conditions:
Pelvic floor dysfunction is very common. Occupational therapy for pelvic floor dysfunction can often help manage, reduce, or eliminate these symptoms.
A musculoskeletal assessment will help to determine a tailored treatment plan for each individual. Treatment may include:
Treatment frequency and duration is individualized for each patient dependent on their symptoms, but often range from weekly appointments to appointments every 2-4 weeks.
For more information on WinnMed’s Pelvic Health program, talk to your primary care provider, or call the Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine department at 563-387-3031.