Services
Occupational Therapy (O.T.) services are provided for children and adults, of any age and any ability, in this outpatient setting. If you are unsure if occupational therapy is right for your condition, you may schedule a free consultation with the therapist.
Once the decision has been made to initiate therapy, the process may begin with a prescription and/or notes from the doctor. Should insurance coverage for service be desired, a call will be placed to determine the amount of coverage and if a prior authorization is required. Next, the client will complete a comprehensive intake packet.
Once the therapist has all of the above information (a prescription, notes, insurance information, and the completed intake), the client will be contacted to set up the 60-120 minute evaluation. After the evaluation, a report will be generated, and the therapist will submit information to the doctor and/or insurance. After approval from the insurance and doctor, the therapy treatments can be scheduled. Frequency and duration for the 60-90 minute treatment visits will be determined based on diagnosis and ability.
Physical Wellness
Concerning adults, this is a sampling of problems treated, but are not limited to:
- Shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand pain
- Weakness
- Abnormal posture
- Neck, shoulder or headache pain
- Rehabilitation after surgical repair or replacement
- Recovery after a traumatic brain injury or stroke
- Rehabilitation for orthopedic, muscular or neurological disorder
Concerning children, this is a sampling of problems treated, but are not limited to:
- Developmental delay
- Poor attention
- Problems with fine motor or gross motors skills
- Difficulty feeding self
- Challenges with eye-hand coordination and handwriting
- Poor gross or fine motor skills
- Emotional/behavioral problems
- Sensory defensiveness
- Academic challenges
- Poor strength
- Abnormal posture
- Bed-wetting
- PTSD
Mental Wellness
A sampling of diagnosis or challenges that are addressed are:
- Inattention
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Pain
- Abnormal posture
- Weakness
- PTSD
Incontinence
Frequency and duration for the 60-90 minute treatment visits will be determined with the client based on a number of factors. The evaluation and treatments will be conducted while the client is fully clothed.
A personalized home exercise program will be instructed and it is a necessary and valued component to the success of treatment.
Ergonomic Wellness
A sampling of problems treated include, but are not limited to:
- Shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand pain
- Weakness
- Abnormal posture
- Neck, shoulder or headache pain
- Rehabilitation after surgical repair or replacement
- Recovery after a traumatic brain injury or stroke
- Rehabilitation for orthopedic, muscular or neurological disorders
Lymphedema & Other Conditions
Lymphedema, Lipedema, and Orthopedic Edema are conditions with the same symptoms but different origins.
Signs and symptoms of include:
- Prickly, burning or itchy sensation in the area
- Heavy or achy feeling: often described as tight and full (rings, watches and bracelets can be tight)
- Clothes not fitting well
- Persistent swelling
- Decreased flexibility in affected joints
Treatment includes:
- Manual lymph drainage (MLD) – a light pressure massage that helps to reduce fluid by rerouting lymph and/or opening and/or widening new pathways.
- Bandaging – used to promote lymphatic pumping during the slightest muscle contraction.
- Exercise/Education – the client is given a program to complete at home
Exercise
Exercise classes for women are led by Gold Certified WholyFit Instructor and Occupational Therapist Heidi Jo Sovacool, Owner of Offering Hope Therapies.
Class goals will be stretching, strengthening, and balance.
Equipment needed: an exercise mat.
Recommended attire: modest, comfortable clothes.
The exercises will be done on your mat with bare feet. The class length is 55-60 minutes. Class sizes are limited. Please call/message to request a registration form at 715-609-1310. If you’ve never taken a class here before, your first class will be free. The cost for each class is posted on the Offering Hope Therapies Facebook page. For more information about WholyFit, please go to www.wholyfit.org.
Rehabilitation. Occupational Therapy. Function.
Have Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
In its simplest terms, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Occupational therapy services typically include:
- an individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals,
- customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals, and
- an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.
Occupational therapy services may include comprehensive evaluations of the client’s home and other environments (e.g., workplace, school), recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use, and guidance and education for family members and caregivers. Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team.
You may call, email or stop by to Offering Hope Therapies to schedule a complimentary screening to have a tour and to determine how the therapist can help you. If your concern is beyond the scope of practice for the therapist, she will try to help you find a provider who can help you.
Most often, clients are scheduled for an evaluation appointment the same week that they request an appointment.
Please wear comfortable, loose clothing which is easy to move in. Depending on the concern you are seeing the therapist for, she may ask you to put on a gown to examine specific areas more closely.
The evaluation ranges in time from 1 to 2 hours pending the complexity of concerns. Typical follow-up appointments are 1 hour in length.
The frequency of visits is dependent on the nature of the condition and severity or acuity of the concern. For those with swelling, edema, lipedema, and lymphedema, treatments are 5 days a week for the first two weeks. For most cases regarding muscular, skeletal or nerve pain or rehab, the frequency is 2 to 3 times per week. For mental health, ergonomics, incontinence, and children’s treatments, the frequency and duration are determined on a case-by-case basis.
Offering Hope Therapies does bill to most insurances, however, it is the client’s responsibility to pay deductibles and co-pay costs. Should a client not have insurance coverage, or choose to self-pay, the rates of service are provided at a discount. Please call to get the pricing for a self-pay evaluation. To learn if Offering Hope Therapies is an in-network provider for your insurance plan, please call us or your insurance plan directly.
In the summer of 2016, Occupational Therapists were provided with “Direct Access” in the State of Wisconsin, meaning that a client seeking rehabilitative or habilitative care from an Occupational Therapy provider could begin care without a prescription. If the client wishes to have his insurance company billed for the service, most likely, a doctor’s prescription is needed prior to the evaluation.
The first visit is called an evaluation (or assessment). Based on the results of this first visit, the therapist along with the patient will collaborate regarding making a plan of care that will meet the needs of the client. A report will be written and sent to the Primary Care Provider (Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, Physician’s Assistant, etc.) for review and signature. In the case of some insurance companies, a “Prior Authorization” is required. This means that the report will be sent to the insurance company for review. The insurance provider may approve a particular number of therapy visits. When communication is received from Insurance, the therapist will phone the client to schedule the approved treatment visits. Sometimes, there is a lag of time between when the report is submitted to the insurance company and when approval is granted.
Prior to the first therapy visit, the parent is encouraged to bring the child to Offering Hope Therapies for a tour and complimentary screening visit. During the evaluation, the child is assisted to choose the order of the assessments and have their parent/guardian be present and participate during the process. During the treatment session, picture cue cards are used to help the child understand the sequence of events during the session. At the end of the evaluation session (and at each subsequent follow-up visit), the child is rewarded for good participation with a positive reward chart. Based on the child’s ability to tolerate the therapy session, treatment time may vary from 30 to 60 minutes.