This week the blog is highlighting the Occupational Therapy Department at Giant Steps! The OT teams have been working creatively to support students throughout the remote learning process through collaboration with families and team members. Our leads from Secondary/Transition and Elementary contributed quotes and resources for our families, staff, and community members to take a look at how to target Occupational Therapy skills remotely!
Ali Milani, Lead Occupational Therapist for Elementary, shared that “As OT’s, we were initially concerned about how to practically and effectively implement OT services from a distance since our domain is so hands on. While we miss our students, remote learning has pushed us to play on our creativity and come up with fun, engaging activities and resources that we will use now and into the future.”
Jessica Cacioppo, Lead Occupational Therapist for Secondary/Transition shared that “OT has had a very interesting role during Remote Learning. Although we are sending home weekly materials for the IEP goal, as a department, we have had numerous requests for materials regarding home maintenance/cleaning tasks, simple meal preparation, and daily self care independence. Many families have used this time at home to target maximizing independence with these daily skills. We have also spent a great deal of time coming up with individualized sensory supports for students within their home. Students at Giant Steps have access to different physical sensory supports than at home, this has resulted in our OTs collaborating with the GS team and families about how to meet individual sensory needs at home. In addition, we have provided guidance and recommendations for different positions to challenge core strength and improved posture. Many of our students may be spending more time engaging in leisure activities and we have shared some resources (like the Play Positions visual) with families to promote a change in body position that can challenge one’s core, as well as provide sensory input.”
Another helpful resource that was shared by our OT’s encourages individuals to help around the house!
I can be a House Helper
- There are jobs that need to be done around the house to keep it clean.
- Some of the jobs are washing dishes and taking out the trash.
- It is important that I help with jobs around the house.
- Helping with jobs around the house will help me learn how to take care of myself and make my family proud.
- I might not like the jobs that I have to do, that’s okay. But it is still important to do my part in keeping the house clean. If I don’t know what to do, I can ask for help.
- I can do a great job being a House Helper!
We can’t wait to work on occupational therapy skills with our students in person! Until then we hope the resources provided by our occupational therapists are beneficial to families at home!