Niagara families who face long wait times for Occupational Therapy services to assist their children with fine motor skills now have a brand new option in their community.
Niagara College has opened a new clinic, called Performance, which is now home to a new pediatric Fine Motor Skills Development program for community clients. The new program will benefit Niagara residents by helping to alleviate wait times for those seeking assistance for their child’s fine motor skills challenges, and by offering the in-demand services at a reduced cost.
“Our new Performance clinic is a big leap forward, enabling us to use our College’s expertise and state-of-the-art equipment in new ways to serve our college community and beyond, as well as enhance learning opportunities and employment opportunities for our students and graduates,” said Carolyn Triemstra, dean of NC’s Community and Health Studies division.
Run by faculty member and registered Occupational Therapist Sarah Cole, the program focuses on developing fine motor skills in areas such as strength, dexterity, grasp, manipulation, and coordination. It will help children improve independence in two main areas: school participation in writing tasks, and/ or self-care tasks such as dressing, eating, and grooming.
“I’m thrilled to be able to provide service with the community to a population in need, but also to provide the OTA and PTA students with a placement opportunity that will allow them to further develop their OTA-specific skills,” said Sarah Cole.
The new clinic is supported in part by $191,000 from the Government of Ontario to increase experiential learning opportunities for students.
The Clinic is providing work opportunities for six graduates and 12 students from the College’s Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program this term – with more students expected to be hired next term. While a registered therapist will perform all assessments, graduates hired as assistants will assist with implementing treatment plans, while students hired for their placements provide one-on-one support during the sessions, gaining real-world experience in the process.
“As a family physician for 28 years, I know how important it is to up-skill to stay at the top of your field and provide patients with the best possible healthcare,” said Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “The hands-on learning that students and recent graduates will access through Niagara’s clinic will provide them with the skills and experience they need to secure good jobs and thrive in their professional careers.”
At the end of the six-week program, clients will be provided with strategies and resources for the continued development of the child’s fine motor skills as needed.
The Performance clinic features brand new hydraulic tables and top of the line equipment – which is also used for student programming at the College.
The program currently runs on Mondays and Thursdays starting at 4:30 p.m. The cost of the six-week program is $300 including an assessment and 12 treatment sessions.
In addition to the pediatric OT services it provides for community clients, the dual-purpose Performance clinic also offers physiotherapy services for Niagara College staff and students. The physiotherapy aspect of the clinic is run by a Niagara faculty member, registered physiotherapist Kelly Martindale, and operates Monday to Thursday with day and evening appointments available.
The Government of Ontario funding is also supporting several new initiatives by the School of Community and Health Services this term, including a new Therapeutic Recreation Activity Centre for students at the College’s Welland Campus, weekly Wellness Walks at the Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake campuses, new simulation equipment primarily used by the College’s Justice Studies students, and more.
Visit the Performance Clinic page on the Niagara College website for information or to book an appointment online: www.niagaracollege.ca/allied-health-studies/programs/occupational-therapist-physiotherapist-assistant/clinic/
For further information or to make an appointment call 905-735-2211 extension 7460 or email [email protected].
