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Therapist Invested in Helping Patients Remain Safe, Independent at Home

For occupational therapist Kelly Maguire, OTR/L, CLWT, the rewards of helping someone improve their ability to function and remain independent at home are immense.

“There’s so much occupational therapists can do. We assess cognition and safety. We make modifications in the home and help people access additional resources,” said Kelly.

Her efforts help people develop, recover, or maintain the skills they need for day-to-day living and working — quite literally helping people get their lives back after surgery, while managing chronic conditions like COPD, and facing other health concerns.

It’s this dedication to her patients’ quality of life that has made all the difference for Irene Cohen, who has severe lymphedema. The chronic condition causes fluid to build up, leading to swelling in her legs, and, at times, contributing to the development of leg wounds. When the swelling is extreme, Irene has difficulty walking, and it becomes incredibly challenging to leave her home for treatments. She must rely on transportation services that have proven unreliable, causing her to miss an appointment and leaving her stranded for hours at another.

“My legs were in a very bad condition when I started with Kelly,” recalled Irene. “She’s done the most of anyone toward getting my legs back to a decent size.”

Kelly, who is certified as a lymphedema and wound therapist, provides manual lymphatic drainage treatment for Irene during each home visit. The process involves massaging specific areas to improve fluid drainage. Compression therapy is a key component in managing swelling, so Kelly then wraps Irene’s legs in layers of compression bandages.

Kelly has quickly made progress towards Irene’s goal of reducing the swelling to a point where she can maintain her legs with standard compression socks instead of layers upon layers of bandages. To ensure Irene’s progress continues, Kelly is teaching one of Irene’s caregivers how to perform the drainage treatment — setting Irene up for long-term success, independence, and quality of life.

Irene appreciates Kelly’s cheerful, warm presence that has kept her spirits up during a challenging time. She added, “Kelly is a wonderful person and always concerned about me. She’s really invested in her patients. You know she cares.”