WORKING FOR HEALTH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 216, 10 August 1940, Page 2

WORKING FOR HEALTH

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY. interestincTthe PATIENT. The general avenues pursued in occupational therapy, or training through recreation aiid occupation, were outlined in an address at the Citizens’ Lunch Club, yesterday by Miss M. Poole, occupational therapist and assistant to the welfare officer of the Manawatu branch of the Crippled Children Society. Sue told oi uie training undertaKen and said that in some phases much ground had yet to be explored. Appreciation was'expressed by Miss Poole that last week training for occupational therapy was commenced in the Avondale Mental Hospital, Auckland, where students could be instructed for work later at the Rotorua or Hanmer institutions. In England, the training of students for this work was begun ten years ago by Dr. L. Casson at the Dorset House School of Occupational Therapy, Dr. Casson being a s>ster-in law of Dame Sybil Thorndike The training lasted for two or three years, according to whether the student intended to undertake work in hospitals or outside in the community generally. Miss Poole had specialised with children and she mentioned that, in mental cases, all the children’s toys were made of rubber so that they might not harm tho patients or their companions. In the children’s ward of a hospital the occupational therapeutist took all Unsocial side of the ward’s work from the sister and the nurses, taught school work and supervised games and other recreations. Among the latter was the Morris. movement system- —all set to music and designed to exeicise the muscles which might be unused otherwise In chronic cases looms and craft benches were provided in the hospitals in England undertaking occupational therapy, and at these the patients carried through some beautiful work. Children in their ’teens more than likely could earn their living later at the undertakings they had learned in this manner, and two societies in England were engaged in selling the goods made by the patients. The patient or the patient’s family benefited by the sale of the goods, in chronic wards for men work was often done by groups, some of it being most beautifully carved chairs and excellently made rugs. Eor the mental cases wirenetting was a popular product because it had a repetition of design and, for the blind, basketwork and leatherwork were common, although tor the blind person not suffering from any other disability institutions for the blind undertook the work. TEACHING THE BLIND.

Speaking of teaching the Bnaillie alphabet to blind children, Miss Poole showed a velvet pad on which was gmed a cut-out “picture” of a dog, a cat or auv other simple object, and which the child was taught to recognise. Near the “picture” was the Braille combination of symbols standing for the object, and from this lettering a step was taken to the Braille type-writer (printing in ordinary characters) so that in typing the child had a means of livelihood. “Occupational therapy is suitable work for girls over 21,” said Miss Poole in conclusion, “and it can ho undertaken bv men also, but they would require to combine it with something, else. Eor people who feel for their fellow menyvho a,rc suffering it is a grand occupation.” - Tho thanks of the club for the address were expressed' to Miss Poole by the chairman, Mr L. G. H. Sinclair. The following were welcomed as visitors: Mesdames J. Cox, W. J. Crawford, J. H. Stevens, D. W. Low, L. F. Cooper. Currie, Horn blow a.”d Galbraith and Misses A. C. Giblin, E. A. Giblin, B. Stevens and Gould.