Community Therapists at your Door Step

Community Therapists provide an important service just like the name implies – in the community.

Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy services are provided in the community, right in the homes of clients, says Natasha Tonsoo, Service and Communications Coordinator.

“We have occupational therapists, physiotherapists and kinesiologists, who are based in the community, not in a clinic,” says Natasha. The services offered to seniors help reduce the incidence of falls at home using equipment, education and rehabilitation. “We assist seniors with mobility challenges and other adults who are recovering from injuries or who have recently been discharged from the hospital”.

The Role of Community Therapists

Natasha, who acts as a service coordinator, connects clients with the right therapist to conduct an assessment. She also assists with marketing and supervises the kinesiologists and says the company is growing and busy as demand for its services continues to grow. Community Therapists’ tagline is descriptive of what the company does: Building Skills. Empowering People.

“While the OTs and PTs assess our clients and form a plan for their recovery, in many situations the kinesiologists are there to help clients carry out the plan. This is a cost-effective way to work. And the therapists still oversee that process.”

Currently there is approximately 65 therapists and kinesiologists in the community, covering most of BC including the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. They are supported by approximately 15 office staff and several satellite offices.

Who can avail of these services?

The company serves clients of every age from pediatric to geriatric. Every client’s journey is different, depending on their injury or situation.

She says their clients come from a variety of sources, including fee payers like ICBC, Fraser Health and WorkSafe. They also have many referrals from lawyers and numerous private clients.

Community Therapists can be a nice compliment for home care clients, offering services like falls prevention, mobility equipment recommendations, fittings and education, help with balance, dizziness and mobility challenges and helping someone set up their home safely after leaving the hospital.

“Community Therapists has a really special culture. Everyone here is so caring and social. We have a great team,” says Natasha. “Our therapists and kinesiologists would definitely have more exposure to clients and the amazing progress some people achieve, but the clients we see in the office definitely leave an impression on us. It’s wonderful to see the positive impacts on lives.”