Enable Occupational Therapy

Spring Break Scavenger Hunt! What do you think the kids are looking for?!

Meet Steve! Steve is a OTA/PTA student who is currently completing his practicum here at the clinic! He is originally from Chicago, but moved to Canada a couple years agoa smart move, considering how much he loves to be active outdoors If you see him around, be sure to say hi!

Gina recently wrote an article for the Spring Issue of the Dance Current magazine on her discovery of how Bollywood and bhangra dance can help manage Parkinson’s Disease! Get your copy of it by heading over to the Dance Current page! Congrats Gina!

Happy #internationalwomensday! An extra special day where we celebrate women’s achievements, courage and strength, plus those that continue to inspire us every day

It's not too late to sign up for our Richmond Scavenger Hunt Camp happening this Spring Break! Email us at [email protected] to register!

New camp alert - Surrey Basketball Camp! Email us at [email protected] to register now!

Our Richmond Printing camp coming to you soon! Email us at [email protected] to register now!

#enableots24daysofgratitude DAY 24: For the wonderful families that attend our clinic!

#enableots24daysofgratitude DAY 23: For the support that the significant others, friends and family provide to Enable OT staff which enable us to provide good client care to the kids and families!

#enableots24daysofgratitude DAY 22: For the opportunity to be a support to the kids at the clinic as they grow up! Meeting this family was one of the most pivotal moments of my OT career. This lovely family of 3 children was one of my first families at our original clinic site - Richmond. Every meeting with their mother was a breath of fresh air and such an inspirational moment for me. Her patience with her children, acceptance of her children's diagnosis, and yet firm bounda...ry setting and ability in their belief to achieve wonderful things, was amazing. Interestingly, 2 of her sons had a diagnosis of ASD, and her daughter did not (but was an infant), so she definitely had her hands full! She managed to balance so many things in her life including school and parenting, as she was part of our sandwich generation (and she had the added challenge of having immediate family members in the States!). I had the pleasure of providing treatment to both of her sons who were so different in personality and clinical presentation. It was a definite challenge and kept me on my toes! Then, as her youngest daughter grew older, we began to include her in our sessions, as sibling inclusion is a very important part of Enable OT. Over the years, we bonded with the entire family, including the boys' father who had a great sense of humour, and children’s grandmother, affectionately termed "Nana" who was often found providing advice to myself and all the other staff members...for those of us who were a long distance from our families or who had lost family members at a young age, Nana's advice was a lovely gesture. The entire family was so patient as I brought on new clinicians who learned "on the job" after finishing their OT degree, about how to effectively work with children with ASD. As the boys grew older, we adapted our program offerings to meet their changing interests and ages. Although the boys had their challenges with social skills, their empathy was always present as this was something that their parents and grandparents fostered from an early age. Perhaps, the most fabulous moment in which this was demonstrated, was last summer, when I finally agreed to get in the water...the oldest boy noticed that I hated going underwater, so this advanced swimmer, offered his hand and stated that he "would be close by, if I needed him", so I dunked my head quickly to get the task over and done with...and was met by the response of him saying "good job, Gina! You're doing well. Let's do it again!" How could I say no to this? This family was instrumental in me building my vision of what I wanted the pediatric division of Enable OT to be - a small, close knit team which provides quality Occupational Therapy services and supported all members of the family - grandparents, parents, siblings and the children. Stay tuned for more stories of our fabulous families at Enable OT!

It may be difficult, now more than ever, to remain present and in the moment this holiday season. The pandemic situation is probably occupying our thoughts, however, there are some grounding techniques that the whole family can do to remain present during this time! These can include breathing techniques or even this mindfulness activity shown in the picture! Here we get clients to state: 5 things they can see, 4 things they can feel, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell and 1 thing they can taste! Give it a try, you’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel afterwards!

#enableots24daysofgratitude DAY 21: For meeting Darja, the Expressive Arts Therapist, at a dancehall class, as that's where she and Gina met!

Here at Enable OT, we also work closely with individuals with Parkinson’s specifically through boxing which can be an effective treatment to slow the progression of PD. Boxing is a moderate to high-intensity activity that focuses on bigger movements. It can help strengthen the muscles that are affected by Parkinson’s Disease while also focusing largely on bilateral coordination. The second pic is from when Gina attended PD training in sunny California!

#enableots24daysofgratitude DAY 20: For the fact that Eileen is fluent in sign language, as this helps the children immensely! Head over to our Instagram page to check out some helpful tips when using sign language!

Did you know about our weekly running groups?! Here are just a few of the areas that kids get to practice running at. Kids will also work on safety awareness too!

This year, IF you are opting to hand out candy, packaging the treats in little bags for trick or treaters can be a great activity that the kids can help out with! This is a great way for kids to practice fine motor skills such as dexterity and bilateral coordination! Happy Halloween

Are you signed up for our virtual Diya painting workshop?! Here's some additional information on what the activity can work on! Happy #Diwali

In celebration of Diwali, we will be running a virtual Diya Painting Workshop this coming Thursday! Registered attendees will receive a Diya painting kit delivered right to their doorstep! Contact us at [email protected] if you're interested!

At Enable OT, we are able to specifically assist clients across three main areas. Through productivity, we can assist kids with printing which helps build skills such as fine motor and visual skills. Through self-care, we can help kids self-feed and use forks and knives independently. Lastly, through leisure, we are able to deliver sport and recreation programs for self-regulation and anxiety reduction!

Meet our new OT Celine! Celine recently moved here from chilly Montreal where she has both studied and worked as an OT! Give her a warm welcome if you ever see her at the clinic

Being able to use a fork and knife is an important ADLcheck out this video of the proper way to hold a fork and knife! We often work on this skill which requires bilateral coordination, with kids at the clinic!

Check out our latest infographic on the benefits of participating in leisure activities at Enable OT!

Get to know the RA’s at Enable OT! Comment below what you think the answers are and you could win a prize! Answers will be revealed this week on IG Where did Gina and Shanice first meet: 1. Basketball courts (Shanice was Gina's exercise coach) 2. CDI College (Gina was Shanice's college instructor)... 3. In the neighborhood, walking their dogs on the street Which RA has the neatest printing: 1. Caitlyn 2. Eileen 3. Shanice What country are Caitlyn and Eileen going to for OT school in 2021: 1. England 2. Scotland 3. Australia Which RA is a firefighter?

Looking for an outdoor social group for your child or teen? Look no further and sign up for our running groups happening in both Richmond and Surrey! This group will focus on improving gait, endurance and coordination as well as social skills and most importantly, street safety! So run, don’t walk! Spots are filling up so email us at [email protected] to secure yours now!

At Enable OT, we also work with adults in providing interventions that can help improve their physical, social, cognitive and emotional health! Check out this infographic outlining just a few of the ways in which OT’s can provide assistance in, such as bathroom equipment, exercise programs and anxiety reduction!

Get to know more about OT Eden! Comment below what you think the answers are and you could win a prize! And don’t forget to head over to our IG stories (@enableoccupationaltherapy) where the answers will be revealed later this week! What place in Northern BC did Eden work in: 1. Prince Rupert 2. Terrace... 3. Prince George Which water activity does Eden like to do on vacation? 1. Swimming 2. Snorkelling 3. Scuba diving

Did you know that OT’s can also assist with equipment recommendations and sizing? Check out this walker being adjusted by an OT! #otmonth

Over the years, Enable OT has had the opportunity to attend various events, one of which being the Parkinson’s Superwalk! Comment below what country you think Gina was in when she attended the World Parkinson’s Congress in 2019 (last two pics)!

October is #otmonth To celebrate, we have a fun new trivia series with some of the OT staff! To kick things off, get to know more about Gina! Comment below what you think the answers could be! The answers will be revealed on our Instagram (@enableoccupationaltherapy) stories later this week! What place did Gina NOT work at during her OT career:... 1. Maximum security prison 2. Swallowing and Picky Eating pediatric clinic 3. Abbotsford Regional hospital What OT interventions does Gina NOT know how to do: 1. Sew 2. Boxing 3. Dance Can you tell from the photos what university Gina did her Bachelor’s degree at?

Ever wanted to learn more about anxiety and how OT can help with anxiety reduction? Check out this anxiety reduction infographic we’ve created which has tips on how to help children cope with anxiety and common interventions OT’s may use with them!

Meet our new Clinical Resource Therapist Diane! Diane has extensive experience working with both children and adults in both private and public settings. She founded Therapy Explorations which delivers OT treatment while integrating dance/movement therapy. She has also worked as a Clinic Lead OT in addition to being a guest lecturer and instructor! Diane’s role at Enable OT is to provide consultation and guidance to the OT’s and RA’s at the clinic.

Meet our new OT Rebecca! Rebecca has worked at various schools as an elementary teacher, in addition to being an OT. She has experience working with adults in acute care and recently acquired experience with a mobile pediatric OT service working with children in both home, school and childcare settings! Having recently moved from Australia, Rebecca has loved exploring all that Canada has to offer especially when it comes to the great outdoors! Say hi if you see her around the clinic