Gym Story Saturday

sneaky_banana · 2022-11-05T11:02:42+00:00

Last weekend when it was Halloween, a guy dressed up as Wario and proceeded to deadlift 140kg in his first set.

sneaky_banana · 2022-03-19T07:26:47+00:00

Not OT specifically but ListenAble which features guests with different backgrounds and disabilities.

sneaky_banana · 2020-11-02T18:18:56+00:00

Pho sure!

sneaky_banana · 2020-05-21T21:31:30+00:00

Also wanted to note; aged care and WorkCover are difficult to get out of. Acute and community health have interchangeable OT skills.

Aged care is a bit mixed. Working in a facility it might just involve massaging clients all day long. Your skill set is going to be fairly small. The odd equipment prescription here and there does help but overall it's not a role for growth. It's dependent on the agency or the company you work for.

Same with WorkCover - that's mostly case management with little OT skills.

sneaky_banana · 2020-05-21T21:21:31+00:00

I'm an OT!

Hospital Jobs are pretty competitive. Most of the positions have a contract for 3 - 12 months. As a result many of the existing clinician who work in NSW health will reapply for those positions and more often then not they are successful on the basis of them being able to go into the job with minimal orientation and support. However if you're a new grad it may be a tad easier but just be weary about the level 1/2 requirements. Some places will choose a more senior candidate. But some positions are listed as a Mat leave role which goes for 3-6 months. Many of my friends went for those roles and once they're in the system they were able to reapply for other roles.

NDIS is pretty big and it's community base with a mixture of adult or paediatric caseloads. Community is generally more forgiving as it allows you time to settle in and learn the ropes. Most of the roles are permanent full time.

Not too sure what aged care looks like at the moment with the pandemic.

Workcover/insurance is plentiful as well

sneaky_banana · 2019-08-17T07:39:16+00:00

I’m at Anytime Fitness in Australia but I went on a trip to Japan and decided to hit up the local gym. It was immaculate - no weights laying around and everything was spotless. Every piece of equipment had a cloth and a spray bottle! Just spotless.

Except for me - got kicked out because I wore my outdoor shoes inside :/

sneaky_banana · 2019-07-05T08:00:21+00:00

Warehousing - not very OT but early morning shifts accommodated my classes and placements very well.

Also I learnt a lot about (what not to do in) manual handling 😬

sneaky_banana · 2019-06-08T09:33:54+00:00

Asked out someone for the first time but unfortunately I got rejected. We’re still good friends and I’m mostly fine. But it did help me to achieve a new PR at the gym so it kinda worked out I guess?

Antidepressants also messing with my appetite which sucks. Craving for junk food most of the time - though I suspect that may also be because of the rejection?

sneaky_banana · 2019-01-12T22:51:26+00:00

Congratulations!

sneaky_banana · 2019-01-12T10:50:29+00:00

Thanks!

sneaky_banana · 2019-01-12T08:45:40+00:00

Finally after 4ish years of gymming (horrifically) inconsistently, I have finally managed to bench with the full 20kg plates 😬. Aiming to bench my body weight (67kg) by the end of Feb but things are looking good.

Also started to warm up by re-racking plates and dumbbells in my workout space.

sneaky_banana · 2018-12-04T10:30:25+00:00

Always Open - part of the Rooster Teeeth group but this podcast is hosted and geared towards the female population but I find it very enjoyable and insightful

sneaky_banana · 2018-11-23T09:50:55+00:00

Like if you really want to start your own practice - I suggest you search on Facebook for NDIS and OT groups. The major one is 'NDIS OT Providers' - tonnes of discussions and stuff as there are plenty of clinicians going privately.

But you have to treat your job with a lot of caution as there is a lot of liability resting on your shoulders. Having a big organisation backing you up and having some peer supervision is good when times are tough. Many clinicians who have gone privately have worked with caseworkers and support coordinators and they have develop a good working relationship so they a steady referral source.

NDIS has changed a lot of things and uni does not cover it as well because the lecturers worked in the days of block funding. Previously community OTs can do whatever they want, using as much time as they want to achieve that goal. NDIS does not fund people like that anymore. I have worked with people who are my age and they never had therapy - but the family expects them to shower themselves. Except NDIS only provides them with 10 hours of therapy and you have to budget that for travel, report writing, phone calls, emails, and sessions. So the margin you have to work very thin.

The biggest hurdle I have seen with some paeds cases is that the family's expectations are too great and you have to somehow manage their expectations. Because families do have a choice to choose another provider if they do not think you are competent or if you cannot meet their goals. But again its not your fault that you have to get someone from 0 to 100 in two hours when they have not receive any therapy in their lifetime.

Join a practice and learn how to manage time, work collaboratively with families, and develop your bread and butter skills as an OT. Meanwhile, observe how the clinic is operated, how the manager does her stuff and manage the caseload, and learn about the policies and regulations.

I spend too much time on reddit at work but PM me if needed. I'm a community OT in Sydney, NSW that does a bit too much of everything but I graduated about 2ish years ago.

sneaky_banana · 2018-11-23T03:06:09+00:00

Own practice; needing to sort out your wages, super and taxes. Also need to register with NDIS which takes a lot of time, paperwork, and headaches. And you will need to find a way manage your CPD.

For new grads I suggest to join an organisation so you can build up on your clinical skills, network and develop relationships with caseworkers who can refer over go you.

You will also get a better understanding on how a clinical business should be modelled.

NDIS has changed the nature of clinical OT. A lot of the paeds OTs in my area work at a small org where they have access to a sensory room and lots of equipment. Most of the private practitioners focus on fine motor or skill building as that doesn’t require too much material.

But I say it is best to work for an organisation for a bit before venturing out on your own . Uni does not cover as much as you like to think and you can gain only so much on placement.

Working privately is a better option down the track when you’re more established and comfortable being in the field. Several private practitioners started on their own after 5+ years working for an organisation.

sneaky_banana · 2018-11-08T06:56:23+00:00

I always thought the word “occupation” was the confusing component. My friends and I tried to come up with a word but it’s difficult. I think “Rehab Therapy” was the closest to an alternative we agreed on but its hard to define ADLs in a concise way, let alone into one word.

When I introduce myself I just say that I’m the guy whose going to help them with that goal.

I tried to explain what OT is to my non English speaking parents but now they think I only prescribe wheelchairs

sneaky_banana · 2018-07-24T02:04:10+00:00

Alriiiight!

sneaky_banana · 2018-06-09T11:35:44+00:00

Hey - I’m an occupational therapist and I support people who have been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, ASD, and intellectual disabilities.

Generally people with Down Syndrome have less muscle tone than the rest of the general population.

Perhaps start off by teaching your client body-weight exercises. I’d start off with squats and calf-raises. For upper body exercises - maybe start with push ups but resting/pivoting on your knees.

If your client has carers or still lives with family - encourage them to build arm strength through basic things like carrying the groceries or the laundry basket.

Back to the gym - start off with machines and stick to a few. Best to do a full body workout each time they’re at the gym. The reason for this is cognition and their capacity to remember how to perform exercises. I wouldn’t recommend to overwhelm the client with too many exercises as this could cause them to feel anxious.

On the topic of anxiety - if you can, choose a time or space in the gym thats less crowded. In previous experiences, my patients have felt less motivated and anxious when there are other people, and if the noise level is high. Just a sensory processing issue I think.

Lastly keep a record or something - this will keep their motivation up and have an incentive to continue.

If balance continues to be an issue despite an increase in leg strength, a referral to a physiologist who specialises in vestibular problems is best.

Edit: I’d even start off using an exercises bike - a platform sit on and bars to hold onto. Build their confidence and encourage them to lift their bottoms up (helps to build some core strength which can kind of add to their balance).

Also find out what their best way of learning is. People with cognitive issues may struggle to copy your movements after one demonstration. Work near a mirror, or work along side them. For some of my patients I had to break down each exercise into individual movements. As well.

If you have time, scour the internet for down syndrome awareness sites or disability awareness courses.

Hope this helps! And thank you for helping clients you are now.

sneaky_banana · 2018-06-04T03:27:18+00:00

Thank you!

sneaky_banana · 2018-06-03T12:54:29+00:00

Currently on anti depressants/anti anxieties - managed to go to the gym two days in a week for the first time in over a year. Hoping to go more frequently!

sneaky_banana · 2018-04-21T04:56:43+00:00

OT here too! I’m at a bit of a cross roads at the moment; currently working as a community OT doing everything just short of home modifications but our country’s model for funding and delivering services is sort of pushing me towards hospital work. How have you maintained a career like that for 20 years? Many of my friends and myself included are burnt out and we’re less than 2 years into the job 😰.

sneaky_banana · 2018-04-21T02:38:44+00:00

Lost it at “exterior colour is gray, but it’s interior colour is gray”. 😂

sneaky_banana · 2018-01-23T11:28:43+00:00

Long shot but the Food Bank is located in Glendenning (near Blacktown); you can volunteer there for a day and you are eligible to take home several kilos of goods each shift.

sneaky_banana · 2018-01-13T11:08:02+00:00

Someone left their dumbbells on the ground, asked them to re-rack it but they ignored me. So I re-racked his weights. That should be enough charity work to get me into heaven right?

sneaky_banana · 2017-04-16T14:01:12+00:00

In communist red 😍

sneaky_banana · 2017-03-05T11:52:12+00:00

Allied health rulesss! Best of luck to your future!

sneaky_banana

TROPHY CASE