Provider Profile – Suzanne Childs, BHS Occupational Therapist

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Across the country, there are nearly 135,000 Occupational Therapists, and Suzanne Childs, who provides this specialized care at the Center for Rehabilitation at BMC, says OT goes beyond helping someone regain their functions for work.
 
"We promote functional independence for people and help restore not only vocational skills, but also homemaking and daily living skills," said Childs. "Occupational Therapy covers the full range of activities people of all ages do to live functional, meaningful lives."
 
Suzanne has been with BMC since 1994 and has served as an Occupational Therapist in the Berkshires for nearly 30 years, most of that time in the outpatient setting. She came to the Berkshires after providing OT services in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and later New York state.
 
"Occupational Therapists often work together with Physical Therapists, but our roles are quite unique. PT focuses on improving the patient's ability to move their body, whereas I concentrate on improving my patient's ability to perform activities of daily living. We help our patients to do things beyond their PT care, such as brushing their teeth, getting dressed, making meals and all of their other everyday tasks that may have been impeded by an illness or injury."
 
Suzanne is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and completed her clinical education at Toledo Mental Health in Ohio and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia. Over the years, she has provided care for spinal cord injury, stroke, post-acute rehabilitation for children and young adults and general rehabilitation.
 
If you need Occupational Therapy or any kind of rehabilitative care, ask your primary care provider for a referral or call the Center for Rehabilitation at BMC at 413-447-2234.




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Pittsfield E-Bike Rider Injured in Collision

Staff reportsiBerkshires

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A man on a motorbike was injured after being struck by a vehicle on Wahconah Street on Tuesday. 

Just before 3 p.m., police, firefighters and Action Ambulance were called to the 400 block of Wahconah Street, near the former Bel Air Dam, for a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle.

Upon arrival, first responders found a 22-year-old man, later identified as Girey Rivera of Memorial Drive, lying in the northbound lane with "obvious injuries." Police say he was struck by a vehicle operated by a Lanesborough resident. 

"Initial investigation showed that Rivera was actually riding an e-motorcycle southbound on Wahconah Street and attempted to move between stopped traffic to cross the northbound lane when he was struck by a 2014 Honda CRV being operated by Louis Baker of Lanesborough, traveling north," police wrote on Tuesday. 

"Baker was uninjured in the collision and Rivera was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with potentially life-threatening injuries."

Wahconah Street was closed for about four hours between Wilson Street and Bel Air Avenue while the accident was investigated and cleared up. The roadway was opened at around 7 p.m. 

Next to the roadway in this area is the site of the former abandoned Bel Air Dam, which contractors have been in the process of removing.

The accident remains under investigation by the Pittsfield Police Traffic Unit. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident or may have witnessed this vehicle traveling on Wahconah Street shortly before the accident is asked to contact Sergeant David Hallas at 448-9700 Ext. 560.

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