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 Honors Disability Pride Month

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Catherine Carchedi, chair of the Commission on Disabilities, speaks to how the Americans with Disabilities Act has allowed people with disabilities to function and enjoy everyday things like going to the movies. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city marked Disability Pride Month with a flag raising on Thursday, recognizing the right of every person to be seen, valued, and included exactly as they are.

Catherine Carchedi, chair of the Commission on Disabilities, pointed out that it has been 36 years since the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

"The ADA is really a civil rights movement, and I want to remind people that," she said. 

"… It's a civil rights law, and it needs to be protected, especially during these times." 

The historic legislation made it illegal to discriminate based on disability in employment, education, transportation, and public spaces. Disability Pride Month was first celebrated in 2015. 

Carchedi used the movie theater as an example of how, decades ago, she wouldn't have been able to enjoy a night out with friends who use a wheelchair or require assistive devices. 

She said they can now catch a ride to the movies with the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority because all buses now need to be accessible, and find a good place to sit in the theater with seating that meets their needs. 

Carchedi's friend with a guide dog can also go to the movies and use a visual descriptive device, and another friend who is hard of hearing can watch the movie with closed captioning or with an assistive listening device. 

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