Lynn, a physiotherapist at Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC), utilises her passion for sports to help her clients and residents improve their functional and mobility abilities.
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Misconceptions of a Physiotherapist
Contrary to the common belief that physiotherapists are confined to hospitals, the role of a physiotherapist extends far beyond those boundaries. Lynn works in Homes for Disabled, where she collaborates with a diverse team including Therapy Assistants, Nurses, Psychologist Associates, Behavioural Interventionists, Social Workers, and more. This experience has allowed her to reflect on the true essence of being a community-focused physiotherapist. Effective communication plays a vital role, especially when working with residents who have behavioural challenges, to ensure the attainment of residents' and homes' goals.
Her day-to-day operations include planning and executing programmes based on the residents’ ability while ensuring that they are safe. She also performs assessments on the residents. As each client has different needs, Lynn empathises and tailors her approach accordingly to each unique circumstance. At times, she may encounter challenges in her scope of work, and being resilient gets her through her work.
Channelling her passion to help others
Lynn is also a sports enthusiast who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science and has completed courses in Sports Training, Basic Sports Massage, and Advance Sports Massage. This allows her to actively contribute to the sports community by serving as their sports physiotherapists for the National Women’s Football team.
Apart from sports, she finds joy in serving the community by providing healthcare to those who cannot afford it, while empowering them to take charge of their health. Witnessing her clients overcoming obstacles brings her immense satisfaction. Additionally, she relishes the creative challenge posed by her interventions.
With obesity as a concern and challenge for the residents, there may be other comorbidities that are a health concern. However, through the collaborative team efforts and programmes available for the residents, Lynn has been able to witness successful results among overweight residents.
Support System
Despite occasional doubts about her role, Lynn reflects on her achievements and finds motivation to advance in her career.
“You’re exactly where you need to be, even if you think you aren't.”
This quote serves as a reminder for her to look ahead and continue making progress. She would reflect on her achievements and find motivations to push herself forward in her career.
Lynn expresses gratitude for her colleagues and mentors who share her vision of deriving satisfaction from witnessing individuals' progress and finding innovative solutions to overcome obstacles. She has a team of supervisors who are ready to listen, support and guide them, allowing her to feel safe yet steered her in the right direction for her work.
*Article Update: Given the evolving landscape of the social service sector and the dynamic nature of our social service professionals’ roles, Lynn is no longer at Homes for Disabled and has been deployed externally. She is currently providing support to the National Men's and Women's Hockey Teams.
A physiotherapist is one of many careers in social service. To find out more, visit https://www.ncss.gov.sg/social-service-tribe/careerdetail/therapy.
