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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Companion Corner: Dolly at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is an affectionate kitty at Berkshire Humane Society looking for a new home.

Dolly is a 1-year-old domestic shorthair with white and tabby markings who has been at the shelter for a short amount of time.

Feline/small animal adoption counselor Alyssa Petell introduced us to her.

"Her name was actually inspired off of Dolly Parton because she came in on the day that Dolly Parton passed away," she said. 

The shelter doesn't have a lot of information on Dolly as she was a stray, but knows she is very sweet.

"She was originally found as a stray. So we don't have much background information as to exactly what happened and why she ended up becoming a stray," Petell said. "Unfortunately, a lot of times kitties will become abandoned and become strays or get left behind."

Dolly needs a home with no other cats and will prefer somewhere quiet because she can get a little shy and nervous at times.

"She doesn't like other cats. I think a quiet home, older people would be best for her, just because of her shy personality in the beginning," Petell said. "But she eventually will warm up, and she is a lovely lady."

Dolly loves to be pet and might even play with some feather toys. Like any other cat, she will let you know when she has had enough pets but will be back for more shortly after.

"She loves butt scratches. She's super affectionate. She actually does have a little bit of a playful side when she gets used to you, and she just wants to snuggle with you and be loved on all day long," said Petell.

Dolly is healthy and will join your family up to date with all of her vaccines.

"She doesn't have any health issues. She is spayed, and when you adopt a kitty from our shelter, the adoption fee does include everything medically wise. So their spay or neuter, their vaccines, their health certificate from the vet, everything is included. So she will have all of that done before she goes," she said.

One of her ears is clipped to show she has been spayed as she was a part of the Community Cat Program, but since she was so friendly, the Humane Society decided to adopt her out.

"She was originally caught as a stray from our community cat program. They normally work with trap, neuter, return for feral, semi-feral cats, or friendly strays, and when she was caught, they realized that she was very friendly, and she was then brought into our shelter so we could adopt her out," Petell said.

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