The only liberal occupational therapist in Montluçon, Anne-Cécile Benoît-Gola adapted the shared office with a psychologist and two nurses – and closed since March 15 – for the return of her patients.
The practitioner is impatient to see her patients again because she believes that these two months of forced arrest was “very harmful” for them.
My adult patients have serious neurological pathologies such as hemiplegia, quadriplegia or severe head trauma. I kept in contact with them by phone but they are without any care. They try to do what they can as exercise at home but it is far from enough. The urgency to resume treatment is imperative.
Anne-Cécile Benoît-Gola (Occupational therapist)
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Worsening academic differences among young patients
Anne-Cécile Benoît-Gola also takes care of children with learning disabilities such as attention disorders, dyspraxia, dysgraphia. In their case, she underlines the extreme need to resume care because in addition to having no therapeutic follow-up, these children did not go to school, the whole risk of accentuating the educational gap from which they frequently suffer.
The children did not have school education. There was no group competition. They did not benefit either from the function of the master or the mistress, who is a person external to whom the child wants to please. Relationships are completely different with parents. The disorders that are still present are likely to be amplified after confinement and the academic gap will be even greater.
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An extension of certain follow-ups
Parents faced with the complications of confinement have already asked the occupational therapist to extend the follow-up of their children.
“I had to stop monitoring a little girl in June, but her mother asked me if we could not continue in September. With home schooling, there is pressure on parents who are not teaching professionals and on children. The difficulties encountered played into the functioning of the devaluation from which these children suffer. There was a loss of confidence or ease that she had acquired. “
In the Allier, speech-language pathologists prepare for deconfinement on their own
The role of occupational therapists with former Covid-19 patients
To these people already followed by Anne-Cécile Benoît-Gola may be added patients linked to the pandemic.
Occupational therapists will be involved in post Covid stimulation. Intubations and being in bed for a long time leave more or serious consequences. Muscle loss is very rapid, more or less significant cognitive concerns can appear.
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The rules of hygiene and health security in the cabinet
The practitioner’s office is ready for resumption of activity. The door will remain open to avoid manipulation.
Marking on the ground and installing a second waiting room will help preserve social distancing. Half the number of patients will be received in one day.
The office of the occupational therapist will be protected by a plexiglass and will be disinfected between each patient.
“I will wear a white blouse, pants and gown as in hospitals, a mask and a visor,” says Anne-Cécile Benoît-Gola.
The occupational therapist may also resume their home visits in order to provide care to patients who cannot move like quadriplegics, or to establish environmental diagnoses concerning the accessibility and adaptation of housing.
Florence Farina
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