Occupational Therapy

For your first appointment, we request that you arrive 20 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time to allow for intake paperwork completion. Most therapy appointments are scheduled to give you 40 minutes of one-on-one time with your therapist, so it is important to arrive on time.

You will complete intake information about your needs, daily activities affected, and medical history.  After your intake is complete, your therapist will perform a personalized evaluation assessing functional abilities with consideration for all aspects of an individual’s life—their current health condition, prior medical history, and the environment in which they live and work. A customized treatment plan is developed to work towards your individual goals.

How does occupational therapy differ from physical therapy?

Occupational and physical therapy overlap in many areas and focus on helping patients function better in their daily lives.  Both require advanced degrees and a professional license to practice. 

Physical therapy focuses on helping improve your movement, mobility, and function. A physical therapist may do this by using a variety of exercises, stretches, or other physical activities. For example, someone who has had knee replacement surgery may visit a physical therapist as part of their recovery. The physical therapist will work with the patient to help strengthen their knee and increase the range of motion in their knee joint. This can help them move more easily with less pain and discomfort.

Occupational therapy focuses on helping you perform daily tasks more easily. This type of therapy focuses on improving your fine and gross motor skills via exercise and therapeutic activities so you can carry out specific day-to-day tasks. The occupational therapist may also focus on making your home environment more optimal for your everyday life. For example, an occupational therapist may help someone recovering from a stroke relearn how to do daily tasks, like dressing or eating with utensils. They may also make changes in the home, like installing a grab bar in the shower.  Alternatively, an occupational therapist may help a patient who’s broken a finger improve strength and coordination of the healing finger to be able to write or button their shirt.

Meet Our Occupational Therapists

Lisa Findley, OTR/L EDUCATION • Master of Science, Occupational Therapy, University of South Dakota, 1997 • Bachelor of Arts, Child Development and Family Relations, South Dakota State University,  1990 PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS & SPECIALIZED TRAINING • Dizziness and vertigo • Hand injury and post-surgery therapy • Home adaptation • Pediatrics      o   Sensory and fine motor coordination • Wheelchair assessments and fitting PERSONAL INTERESTS • Biking, walking and crafting • Spending time with my husband, family and cats COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • Founding Therapist for the SMCH Occupational Therapy Department in 1998 • Iowa Occupational Therapy Association Member • American Occupational Therapy Association Member • Active Member of the Lake City Union Church and Hand Bell Choir

Marie Drey, OTR/L EDUCATION • Master of Science, Occupational Therapy, College of Saint Mary, 2018 • Bachelor of Science, Rehabilitation Studies, College of Saint Mary, 2017 PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS & SPECIALIZED TRAINING • Geriatrics • Hand injury and post-surgery therapy • Home adaptation • Home-based therapy • Pediatrics      o Sensory and fine motor coordination PERSONAL INTERESTS • Reading, biking, boating and traveling • Spending time with family, friends and our dog, Mac COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • Iowa Occupational Therapy Association Member • American Occupational Therapy Association Member • Sac County Fair Queen Coordinator • Sac County 4-H Endowment Committee Member • Active Member and Volunteer of the Sac City Catholic Church