April 7, 2020
Dear Clients,
This is a quick update to inform all of you about our current status in the midst of the Coronavirus-19 pandemic. We continue to navigate the unprecedented challenges that have come with the COVID-19, both personally and professionally, just as you are. Occupational therapists around the world are rising to this occasion to help on the front lines and others are adjusting schedules and modifying methods to continue to provide services to existing clients in the variety of settings in which we serve.
April is OT month. This year’s OT month theme is: Occupational Therapy: Embracing Challenges, Enhancing Lives, which is truly appropriate for these times. In order to keep the kids on track to meet their goals, New Directions for Kids was trained on Telehealth and we are now offering sessions through Zoom. This had quickly put us on a learning curve for sure. We had our first sessions last week, and I must say, I enjoyed the connections with parents, clients, and even some interactions with siblings. Being that OT is such a hands-on profession, I was not sure how effective online OT could be. However, I was very impressed with how engaging and attentive the kiddos were. I surprised myself by actually having fun with virtual OT, something I never thought was possible. One of the other benefits I noted was how this can provide more interaction with parents, myself, and the child.
We continue to monitor developments with COVID-19 and closely follow the recommendations and guidance made by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and county health departments. We remain committed to provide quality services to our clients and value your partnership in this goal. Since Social Distancing is one of the suggested methods to decrease the spread of the virus, the majority of insurance companies have authorized evaluations and treatment via Telehealth. From my experience last week with Telehealth, I can see how this might not be as effective a modality for some of the children. I think it is worth a try, but if I feel this may not work for a child, I will let parents know and we can explore other possibilities. I am in a continuous communication loop with parents and appreciate all your feedback.
At this time, if we have not reached out to you yet, please contact us and let us know if you want to give this form of treatment a try. If you have further questions, just give us a call. In the meantime, I hope this finds you and your families and loved ones safe and healthy.
Thank you for your continuous support. I have always shared that it takes a village and these times are no different. Knowing that we have our familiar connection which can support us to maneuver through these unusual times together, we can get through this. We look forward to hearing from you
Be well,
Sande and Maria