April is Occupational Therapy Month

April is recognized as Occupational Therapy Month, so we’re celebrating the exceptional care that our Occupational Therapist, Taylor Kohlwey, delivers close to home at Decatur County Hospital.

At Decatur County Hospital, our Occupational Therapy Department focuses on helping people regain or learn new skills to improve their ability to function as independently as possible. Taylor works with each patient to develop a personalized treatment approach for patients with conditions such as: arthritis, developmental delay, diabetes, neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease, sports injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injury, upper extremity disorders, and work related injuries.

Occupational therapy may focus on areas such as: bathing, dressing, feeding skills, handwriting, social skills, home safety evaluations, LSVT BIG® treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions, managing a checkbook, meal preparation, pain management, splinting, wheelchair assessments, women’s pelvic floor rehab, and workplace ergonomics.

In addition to providing occupational therapy for adults, pediatric rehabilitation services are now offered at Decatur County Hospital. We offer comprehensive, personalized plans developed specifically for pediatric patients. These plans can help identify and meet the needs of children with development delays, injuries, disabilities, and other special needs. Some of the conditions we can treat include: developmental delay including skills such as social, play, fine motor, handwriting, throwing/catching, jumping, running, walking, self-cares, etc.; Down syndrome, ADHD, and autism; and sensory processing disorders.

One of our newest occupational therapy services is now available to help women with specific health needs. Our Women’s Pelvic Floor Rehab program may help with the following pelvic floor dysfunctions:

Urogynecological pain syndromes such as difficulty with intimacy or insertion of devices used during menstrual cycle, chronic pelvic pain, vulvar pain, and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.

Urinary and voiding conditions such as: stress incontinence – loss of urine on physical exertion (cough, sneeze, laugh, sports), urge incontinence – loss of urine associated with urgency, nocturnal enuresis – loss of urine during sleep, and coital incontinence – loss of urine during coitus.

If you feel you or your family member may benefit from occupational therapy but do not see a specific condition or focus area, please call the DCH Rehabilitation Services Department at 641-446-2219 to inquire. We will work with you to develop a plan to meet your needs, and address your concerns. Each patient receives a customized plan based on their specific needs to ensure you get the best treatment possible.

To best serve our community, we now offer extended hours in the DCH Rehabilitation Services Department. If your schedule would be better served by an appointment outside of our regular business hours, call us at 641-446-2219 to ask about our extended hours.

To learn more about Decatur County Hospital and all our available services, browse our website, or follow us on FacebookInstagram and Twitter.

Taylor Kohlwey, Occupational Therapist at Decatur County Hospital, is pictured along with her title, and a logo for Occupational Therapy Month.