Occupational Therapy

Our mission is to work with patients and support them as they reintegrate into their everyday life with as much self-reliance as possible, thereby achieving the best possible quality of life. Our professional treatments are holistically oriented and the therapies we offer are adapted to the individual needs of patients, as well as the specific rehabilitation programme. This ensures that we create a personalised treatment plan which is aligned with recovery potential in line with the WHO’s “International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health” (ICF).

In providing occupational therapy on an outpatient basis, we aim to treat and advise patients in line with our objectives and missions stated above. Our multi-talented specialists are available to provide advice and support to outpatients as well as inpatients. The benefits of occupational therapy are recognised, and social and health insurance policies will meet the cost for treatments which are prescribed by a doctor.

Costs of outpatient occupational therapy:

Fees for occupational therapy treatments are usually charged via basic health insurance, accident insurance or disability insurance policies. According to the standard scale of charges, costs are calculated at the rate of the tax point value: currently CHF 1.10. This has been the same for all insurance policies since 2005. Fees are billed in 15-minute blocks.

Examples:
Services when the patient is present: Examination, recording, treatment, advice, instruction, adjustment of splints and mobility aids
15 minutes = 24 tax points at CHF 1.10 = CHF 26.40

Services when the patient is absent: Examination, recording, treatment, advice, instruction, adjustment of splints and mobility aids
15 minutes = 18 tax points at CHF 1.10 = CHF 19.80

Passive measures when the patient is present (TENS, paraffin bath)
15 minutes = 11 tax points at CHF 1.10 = CHF 12.10

Transit times for treatments in the home
15 minutes = 9 tax points at CHF 1.10 = CHF 9.90

• Functional therapy (robotics: e.g. ARMEO, biometrics)
• Hand therapy including splint making
• Tetra hand surgery (Hand consultation with an interdisciplinary team)
• Transfer training (e.g. wheelchair-to-bed transfer, wheelchair-to-car transfer, etc.)
• Training in writing and fine motor skills
• ADL training (Activities of Daily Living: eating, cooking and housekeeping, getting dressed)
• Brain performance training (on the computer, CogPack, RehaCom, paper and pencil tasks)
• City training, learning by doing
• Aids evaluation (wheelchair, seat cushion, communication aids)
• Sitting position in wheelchair, and pressure sore prophylaxis (for complex assessments, refer to the Wheelchair Seat Centre)
• Home and work environment adaptation (in collaboration with the Center for Obstacle-free Building in Muhen)
• Support in vehicle modifications and coordinating motorisation
• Advice about ergonomics

• Manual therapies
• Trigger point treatment
• PNF (Proprio Neuromuscular Facilitation)
• Therapies in line with the Bobath, Affolter and Perfetti methods
• Brain performance training in accordance with Verena Schweizer and utilising various computer programs
• Functional electrical stimulation
• Physical arrangements, e.g. paraffin bath
• Somatosensory rehabilitation (Claude Spycher) e.g. for pain patients
• Mirror therapy

Therapists in this specialist group continually evaluate and implement new electronic and technical mobility aids that can simplify everyday life, communication and work for patients with spinal cord injuries – this might involve using a smartphone or electronically controlling a light switch. As part of this task they research conventional products available on the market as well as those geared towards people with disabilities. This group also trains patients in the use of electronic mobility aids and ensures the transfer of knowledge to therapists.

The specialist occupational therapy group advises and trains patients – as well as employees – about the best way to arrange their desk, for example. The goal is to remain as healthy as possible, for example by setting the height of the desk correctly, or taking the right approach to lifting and carrying heavy items in day-to-day life.

Would you like to train in therapies with us? Here is what we offer.

The training period can last between three months and a year. You will receive individual, personalised guidance from our specialist professionals. The first two months include a daily module-based teaching session lasting one hour. This session is aimed at the interdisciplinary transfer of knowledge and applications related to treating patients with spinal cord injuries. Various advanced training sessions on current issues in paraplegiology are available for small and large teams. You can also sit in on sessions for internal speciality departments.

Price, Switzerland: CHF 45 inc. VAT & shipping costs
Price, Europe: CHF 50 inc. VAT & shipping costs

Order the binder by writing to: ergo.spz@paraplegie.ch

At the Occupational Therapy department of the SPC, we have been looking at muscle testing procedures for the upper extremities for several years. The matter has been discussed a great deal, because in our large team several different manual test methods were being employed, each of them evaluated differently. From these discussions we went on to develop guidelines for the standardised assessment of muscle power and muscle function.

We referenced the following specialist works in doing so:
1. Kendall, F. P. / Kendall McCreary, E. (1988). Muskeln Funktionen und Test (Muscles: testing and function) (2nd edition). Stuttgart/New York: Gustav Fischer Verlag
2. Valerius, K.-P. / Frank, A. / Kolster, B.C. / Hirsch, M. C. / Hamilton, C. / Lafont, E. A. (2002). Das Muskelbuch (The Muscle Book: Anatomy, Testing, Movement). Stuttgart: Hippokrates Verlag
3. Daniels, L. / Worthingham, C. (1992). Muskeltest (6th edition). Jena/New York: Gustav Fischer Verlag
4. Hislop, H. J. / Montgomery, J. (1999). Daniels und Worthingham’s Muskeltests (Daniels and Worthingham’s Muscle Testing) (7th edition). Munich/Jena: Urban und Fischer Verlag
5. Platzer, W. (1999). Taschenatlas der Anatomie 1 Bewegungsapparat (Color Atlas of Human Anatomy)(7th completely revised edition). Stuttgart/New York: Georg Thieme Verlag
6. Scheepers, C. / Steding-Albrecht, U. / Jehn, P. (1999). Ergotherapie vom Behandeln zum Handeln. Stuttgart/New York: Georg Thieme Verlag
7. Devinsky, O. / Feldmann, E. (1988). Examination of the cranial and peripheral nerves. New York: Churchill Livingstone

The Swiss Paraplegic Centre has made a film about pressure sores in patients with spinal cord injuries. It contains information on their background, causes, treatment, and how they can be prevented.

“Haut unter Druck – Dekubitus” (Skin under pressure – pressure sores)
Order a data stick, shipping
costs: CHF 10 (excl. postage and shipping)
Languages: German, French, Italian and English
An invoice will be sent with the data stick.

You can send your order by email, together with your address details to: Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Occupational Therapy Administration: therapien.spz@paraplegie.ch