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Occupational therapy is a health care profession concerned with people of all ages whose everyday life has been affected by physical, cognitive, and/or mental health problems. Occupational therapists use purposeful activities and a variety of treatment methods to obtain a desired level of functioning in work, self-care, play and leisure.
The SGH Occupational Therapy Department has been a provider of rehabilitation services since 1954. Our dynamic approach to rehabilitation reflects the changing needs of our society over time. It is now one of the largest occupational therapy department in Singapore offering rehabilitation services in areas of specialties such as upper limb and hands rehabilitation, burns and plastics, neurology, orthopaedics, oncology, vascular and lymphoedema rehabilitation.
Traditionally, the department has provided services to people with disabilities/ injuries in a clinical setting. Our experience in this area has resulted in the development of strong community links and expertise.
As the need arose, our services expanded. New services such as occupational health and ergonomic consultation are now provided for companies and individuals. Our team of occupational therapists with their skills and knowledge of health management ensure that we continue to provide a high standard of service to people with diverse needs. We hope that the provision of these quality services would help our clients reduce the cost of injuries and disabilities and lead to a better quality of life. |
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| Occupational Therapy Services |
| The services are provided in the following specialty areas: |
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Burns And Plastic Rehabilitation |
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This unit provides services to people who have burn injuries or have undergone reconstructive or aesthetic surgery. Services include: |
- Positioning and Splinting to prevent contractures of the affected joints;
- Mobilisation and Exercises;
- Scar management using customised pressure garment and silicone gel treatment;
- Self-Care Training
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| Therapists also teach clients in pain management to help them cope and manage their pain. |
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Geriatric Rehabilitation
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Services provided in this interdisciplinary unit for the elderly with a variety of conditions include: |
- Functional assessment
- Activities of Daily Living training
- Caregiver training
- Prescription of aids and equipment
- Home assessment and modification
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| Hand And Upper Limb Rehabilitation |
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This unit provides therapy for people who have injuries or congenital abnormalities of their upper limbs. The goal in hand and upper limb rehabilitation is to help the individuals achieve optimal function of their upper limbs so as to regain independence in their daily activities and return to work.
The various treatment modalities include splinting, heat application, fluidotherapy, therapeutic laser, muscle stimulation, and mobilisation and exercises to specific joints of the hand and upper limbs. The use of these treatment modalities is aimed at: |
- preventing stiffness of joint and contractures;
- regaining range of motion;
- improving strength;
- managing pain;
- preventing muscle atrophy;
- re-educating hand functions;
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| Lymphoedema Rehabilitation |
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This unit provides Complex Lymphatic Therapy for people with upper and lower limb swelling. Both in-patient and out-patient services are provided by therapists who have undergone specialised training in this area. Individuals are taught self-massage, exercises, compression bandaging and skin care. The unit also conducts an in-patient group for people who have undergone mastectomy. Exercises and education on care of the arm are taught during the group sessions. |
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Neurological Rehabilitation |
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The unit provides rehabilitation for people with neurological disorders such as Stroke and Parkinson's Disease.
Services includes : |
- Training in activities of daily living such as dressing, feeding and grooming;
- Designing and fabricating splints to prevent contractures or to aid in functions;
- Exercises, mobilisation, and activities;
- Prescription of assistive devices and adaptive equipment;
- Home assessment and modification;
- Cognitive and perceptual retraining;
- Patients and carers education.
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| Oncology Rehabilitation |
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Services provided for people with cancer may include the following : |
- Exercises, mobilisation, and activities;
- Stress and pain management;
- Training in activities of daily living;
- Prescription of assistive devices and adaptive equipment;
- Home assessment and modification;
- Patients and carers education.
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| Orthopaedics Rehabilitation |
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| Services available for people who had musculo-skeletal disorders include: |
- Designing and fabricating splints
- Exercises, Mobilisation, and Activities
- Training in Activities of Daily Living
- Wheelchair Assessment and Training
- Prescription of Assistive Devices
- Home Assessment and Modification
- Educational programmes on Joint Protection and Energy Conservation for conditions such as Arthritis and Repetitive Stress Injuries.
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| Paediatric Rehabilitation |
| This unitprovides assessment and intervention for children in the areas of: |
- Developmental delay
- Fine motor skills training
- Visual perceptual and visual motor abilities
- Hand-writing skills
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| Vascular Rehabilitation |
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Services provided for people with vascular diseases that result in limb amputation include assessment and training in self-care activities, wheelchair mobility training, transfer practice, caregiver training, recommendation of assistive devices, and home modification to enhance independence. The services also include prescription of compression stockings for patients with venous insufficiency or have undergone vascular surgical procedures. |
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| Home Assessment |
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Our therapists carry out home visits to: |
- advise clients on safety and accessibility in the home environment;
- guide care givers to assist clients in the home;
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| Stress Management |
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Services available to people who have physical or psychological stress that impedes their normal life or work includes: |
- Myofascial (Trigger Point) Therapy to relieve pain and physical stress and tension;
- Relaxation Techniques to relieve psychological stress
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| Occupational Health And Ergonomics |
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The Occupational Health and Ergonomic Services offered by our department aim to help organisations maintain the highest quality of working life practicable for employees by: |
- reducing the potential for on-job-injuries
- encouraging an awareness of safe work practices in the workplace; and
- promotion of health awareness
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| The services offered by our department's certified ergonomic specialist includes: |
| WORKSITE / OFFICE ASSESSMENT |
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We visit companies to assess the individual workstations of employees, perform job analysis and provide cost-effective recommendations on preventing and alleviating occupational overuse syndromes and other common industrial injuries like neck and back strains. |
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| ERGONOMICS TALKS AND WORKSHOP |
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Duration of workshop range from 1 to 4 hours depending on the extent of topics covered. The topics may include the following: |
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- Risk Factors and Hazards Identification
- Cumulative Trauma Disorders
- Developing an ergonomic program
- Work-station design
- Working postures
- Use of "ergonomic" furniture and aids
- Principles of manual handling (lifting)
- Stretching exercises
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| The contents of the talks/workshop may be tailored to suit the companies' needs. They may be conducted at our department or the companies' premises. |
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| Podiatry Services |
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The podiatrists diagnose and treat the following: |
- Diabetic Foot Complications
- Walking Problems
- Sports Injuries
- Orthotic Therapy (customised insoles)
- Skin and Nail Pathologies
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| Fees |
| Treatment Modalities |
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The fee is $16.00 per modality (Podiatry $20.00). A typical treatment session consists of one to three modalities. The fee for home visit is $100.00 per visit.
A 25% surcharge is applicable to non-Singapore citizen. Appliances and therapeutic aids supplied to clients are at suppliers' prices and will not be subjected to the surcharge. |
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| Occupational Health & Ergonomic Services |
| Worksite / Ergonomic Assessment |
| The cost of the visit is $200 per hour on-site and $100 per hour off-site. Off-site hour refers to time spent on report writing and related activities. |
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| Talks to Companies |
| The cost of the talk is $300 for the first hour and $150 for every subsequent hour. |