Occupational Therapy and GVHD: Meet expert Carly Cappozzo

In this episode, we talk to Carly Cappozzo, a senior occupational therapist specializing in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) rehabilitation at a major cancer hospital. Carly shares her unique approach to patient care, emphasizing the importance of holistic and personalized therapy that empowers patients to regain their independence and identity post-treatment.

Carly explains her role as an occupational therapist, detailing how she helps patients achieve independence in everyday tasks and rediscover activities that give their lives meaning. Her methods include activity analysis, breaking down tasks to identify barriers, and creating strategies to overcome them. She highlights the need for patient-centered care, ensuring therapy aligns with each individual’s goals and preferences.

Carly discusses her work in GVHD rehabilitation, particularly focusing on the relationship between skin, fascia, muscle tightness, and the nervous system. She underscores the value of gentle, prolonged stretching and calming the nervous system to improve mobility and reduce stress. She also addresses cancer-related fatigue, comparing it to a depleted energy "bank account," and stresses the importance of prioritizing activities that bring joy while conserving energy for essential tasks.

Practical solutions for ocular GVHD are explored, including leveraging technology’s accessibility features like text magnification and screen readers. Carly advises tailoring daily routines to maximize engagement in meaningful activities and adapting tasks to accommodate physical limitations. She highlights the importance of movement over exercise, recommending gentle, natural activity to improve well-being.

Carly emphasizes the critical role of caregivers in fostering patient independence. She advises caregivers to balance support with opportunities for patients to contribute to daily life, thus maintaining a sense of purpose. Carly also shares inspiring stories of patients overcoming significant physical and emotional challenges through therapy, demonstrating resilience and achieving a fulfilling quality of life.

The conversation concludes with advice for survivors and caregivers to approach GVHD recovery as a marathon rather than a sprint, emphasizing patience, consistency, and a collaborative approach to health and wellness.

More:

• Seeing AI App: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/seeing-ai
• GVHD Alliance: https://www.gvhdalliance.org
• Link to LLS free Nutrition Consultations: https://www.lls.org/managing-your-cancer/food-and-nutrition
• Thank you to our sponsors. This season is supported by a healthcare contribution from Sanofi  https://www.sanofi.com/

National Bone Marrow Transplant Link - (800) LINK-BMT, or [phone].

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