Occupational therapy

To obtain a license to practice, an occupational therapist must complete a university education including a professional master's degree and be a member of the Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec.

Occupational therapists are health professionals who aim to achieve autonomy and a satisfactory quality of life for their clients.

Based on these objectives, which are at the heart of the profession, an occupational therapist in a private clinic offers various services that allow their clients to resume their daily or work activities in a satisfactory and safe manner.

The process begins with an initial assessment during which the occupational therapist will evaluate the client in all their different spheres, addressing mental and/or physical health issues. This evaluation takes into account the environmental context and the occupational autonomy of each individual. The initial assessment is essential to the establishment of concrete and realistic objectives which will guide the intervention plans made in collaboration with the client.

Occupational therapy in mental health

Do you have difficulty carrying out your activities because of a lack of energy or motivation? Do you have difficulty concentrating at work? Have you been feeling anxious on a regular basis in the past few weeks?

Occupational therapy can help you put in place various strategies that will allow you to resume your activities in a satisfactory manner. Depending on the specific needs of each client, many elements can be addressed in the clinic, such as anxiety management, energy management, occupational reactivation, schedule management, as well as cognitive skills training to allow you to be functional in your activities.

Following an initial assessment which clarifies the specific needs of each client, realistic and meaningful goals will be developed and, in collaboration with the client, an intervention plan will be created, allowing for a gradual reintegration into their significant activities.

Workstation Assessment

A workstation assessment by an occupational therapist can provide recommendations for adaptations needed to the workstation or performance of certain work tasks. This evaluation is important to minimize the various risk factors related to workplace injuries. This assessment can also determine if the work tasks correspond to functional limitations that may be in place.

Workplace Interventions

An occupational therapist can travel to the workplace in order to carry out various interventions, whether it is to accompany a client to optimize a return-to-work process, or to offer recommendations for adapting certain work tasks to minimize the various risk factors for injury. An intervention in the workplace can also allow for the integration of the various strategies taught in the clinic ensuring the implementation to a real work environment.

At Home Needs Assessment

An occupational therapist can visit the home to assess needs and provide recommendations for technical aids needed to promote a safe living environment. .

Assessment of driving abilities

The functional evaluation of physical and mental abilities needed to drive a vehicle is done by an occupational therapist in order to respond to the request of the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).

This evaluation is done in two steps; first, the occupational therapist evaluates, in clinic, the physical and perceptive-cognitive capacities necessary to drive a vehicle. This two-hour session will include questions about the person's functional and physical abilities as they relate to driving, questions about road signs and road situations, and perceptual-cognitive tests. These assessment modalities are used to determine the possible difficulties that the person may encounter on the road. If needed, the occupational therapist can then make some recommendations for adaptations needed to assure safety while driving.

The second meeting will consist of a road test with the occupational therapist and a driving instructor for a minimum of 60 minutes in the Chateauguay and Mercier area. The driving school's vehicle will be used for the test. The purpose of this test is to determine if the person is capable of driving a vehicle independently and safely while respecting the highway safety code. A report is written following the appointments and will be sent to the SAAQ and to the client (Report M-57).

Chronic pain intervention

Our certified chronic pain rehabilitation health professional will educate you on the processes the body goes through during the stages of chronic pain. They will also supply you with the tools needed to cope with this pain as we work towards eradicating it through reactivation and proper coping mechanisms.