OccupatiOnal therapy - Health Sciences - Curtin University

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Carolyn Webster Manager, Community and Regulatory Services, Shire of Wagin Dip Occ Therapy; B Hlth Sc (Curtin) (1963) and Grad Adv Mgt Prog (UWA) I was one of seven graduates from the first school of Occupational Therapy in Western Australia (WA) and later undertook degree completion studies at the School of Occupational Therapy, Curtin University. Having worked as a clinician in both physical and psychiatric rehabilitation I lectured at the Occupational Therapy School and then worked as the Chief Occupational Therapist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH). From SCGH I was seconded to the Public Service Commission to head the State Task Force in overuse injury and stayed on to become a policy officer in occupational safety and health. At that time I was fortunate to be selected for the Executive Development Year Program which included a number of secondments and the completion of an Advanced Management Program at a local university. I worked as a consultant to the Police Commissioner and his executive team and then moved to become Director of Social Policy and Social Justice in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Later I worked as assistant director Medical and Specialist Services at the Disability Services Commission and Manager Access and Improvement. I left WA to work for five years in Kenya as director of an East African non-Government organisation. Upon returning to Australia I worked as principal policy officer of WorkCover WA and then as senior therapist for the Southern Wheatbelt in WA Country Health. Recently I was appointed to my current post of manager, Community and Regulatory Services, Shire of Wagin. All these positions have been possible due to my undergraduate education at Curtin University. I continually use the many skills and acquired knowledge that my studies in occupational therapy gave me. I have adopted a lifelong learning ethic and have remained close to my professional roots through involvement at local, state and international levels of professional associations. As national President I became very aware of the role Australian therapists played across the world and later went on to become President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. This position allowed me to make some significant inroads into the development of the profession in many countries. In parallel with all of the above, I have also been a wife, mother and grandmother. I believe that my work as a health professional equipped me with special abilities in these life roles. I continue to mentor others and promote the values of study and work in the health sciences. www.ot.curtin.edu.au
Alex Hitchcock Shenton Park Rehabilitation Centre, Royal Perth Hospital BSc (Curtin) (2008) Following graduation from the School of Occupational Therapy at Curtin University, I was lucky enough to get an occupational therapist position with Royal Perth Hospital at the Shenton Park Rehabilitation Campus. Since then I have had an extended rotation on the State Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service Unit. My role involves working with people following an acquired brain injury as a result of a traumatic injury, such as a car accident or a vascular accident requiring brain surgery. I appreciate the variety of patients I get to work with, some requiring months of daily rehabilitation to achieve goals. Primarily, I see patients displaying cognitive deficits, which limit their ability to care for themselves. However, they commonly have physical and communicative deficits as well, which necessitates working closely with the entire multidisciplinary team. It is a wonderful experience to be involved in a patient’s treatment that enables them to achieve a meaningful goal which may have seemed unachievable to them and their family, such as writing their name, getting showered and dressed independently or cooking a meal. I personally feel the best reward comes from seeing a previously highly dependent patient returning home to lead a normal life with their family. I have recently had the opportunity to diversify my skills by spending time in the occupational therapy upper limb unit, and so I have hit the books again to review my anatomy and splinting techniques. Having completed my first splint on a patient yesterday, I am relishing the opportunity to expand my knowledge and skill base. I find the variety of work available for occupational therapists amazes me and is one of the best aspects of the job. Catching up with university colleagues always leads to in-depth discussions on the diverse industries and client groups that we now see as professionals. So, what does the future hold? I am planning on heading to the United Kingdom to work for a few years, joining the great procession of occupational therapists getting experience overseas before heading home with a greater wealth of knowledge. www.ot.curtin.edu.au
Page 1 and 2: Faculty of Health Sciences Occupati
Page 3 and 4: Occupational Therapy Change the Wor
Page 5 and 6: What the Employers Say Wendy Hudson
Page 7 and 8: Sean Ashton Health Coordinator, Nep
Page 9 and 10: Robyn Della Franca Lecturer: School
Page 11 and 12: Hon Helen Morton MLC Assoc Dip OT M
Page 13 and 14: Elizabeth Saleeba Specialised Hand
Page 15 and 16: Dawn Anderson Lecturer, Occupationa
Page 17 and 18: Rebecca Thompson Principal Occupati
Page 19 and 20: Setareh Ghahari Senior Research Fel
Page 21: John Harmsen Occupational Therapist
Page 25 and 26: Hoe Lee Senior Lecturer, Senior Res
Page 27: Suzy Retallack Health and Safety Ma

OccupatiOnal therapy - Health Sciences - Curtin University

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