Everyone, Everyday. Relentlessly: Meet Amy Roux

As we update our brand name to UMass Memorial Health and launch a new brand campaign, it’s time to tell the world who we are, what we do and what we stand for as a health care system. Our relentless caregivers are the inspiration for the update of our new brand name and campaign. Find out more about these caregivers and how it takes everyone, every day, working together relentlessly to care for our patients and each other. This week, we interviewed Rehabilitation Supervisor Amy Roux, OTR/L, CHT, whose grandmother’s lifelong work as a nurse’s aide inspired her to become a caregiver. The past two years have tested the mettle of all caregivers, and Amy was ready.

Growing up, Amy Roux, OTR/L, CHT fondly recalls looking out the window and watching her grandmother, a nurse’s aide, walk to and from work nearby at then Leominster Hospital. “My grandmother looked so happy walking to and from her job” – a job she performed with relentless dedication for some 28 years, Amy said. Young Amy loved the hustle and bustle of the hospital and the idea of caring for people, and said, “I knew I wanted to work there, too.” 

Amy volunteered as a “candy striper” – young women dressed in pink-and-white striped uniforms who assisted hospital staff with tasks such as delivering mail and flowers. She went on to study occupational therapy at Worcester State University, landing her first job at a city rehabilitation center. “But my heart was always in Leominster,” Amy added. When a job opened up with UMass Memorial Health in 1993, Amy jumped at the chance. And she’s been with us ever since. Amy is an occupational therapist/certified hand therapist at Physical Therapy Plus at Whitney Field in Leominster, a satellite of UMass Memorial – HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital.

The clinic has remained open throughout the pandemic. PT Plus treats a range of patients, from people recovering from surgery and injury, to those with neurological disorders and other conditions requiring specialty care. “We changed our work flow to provide a safe environment for our employees and our patients,” Amy noted. “Patients are screened and employees check in online to attest to their wellness and readiness to work. We have rearranged seating and some exercise equipment to reflect social distancing. COVID-19 has made us all more mindful of infection control.” 

When UMass Memorial Health asks Amy to shift gears and pitch in with the hospital’s COVID-19 screening operations, she never hesitates. But her heart is with her OT patients. “It’s gratifying to know that we make a difference in our patients' lives,” she said. “I enjoy working with patients to help them get back to doing the things they need to do and love to do in life.”

Amy recalls one patient whose debilitating hand condition prevented her from playing the piano – her passion. “I fitted the patient with wrist splints and asked her to try playing the keyboard at home to see if it would help,” Amy said. “She insisted on bringing in a small keyboard to show me how well she could play a few songs with the support of the splints. Pretty soon others were drawn to her impromptu concert. It was very emotional for everyone, and the patient was so happy!” 

“Amy brings her dedication and enthusiasm for helping people to work every day,” says Melissa DiLorenzo, PT, DPT, Director of Rehabilitation and Ambulatory Services. “She has been with us for many years and has helped set the standard for compassionate care here at our facility. Her staff respect her and she respects them, and both her coworkers and patients love her! Her upbeat tone creates a positive mood wherever she goes. Amy is a dedicated clinician, with a specialty in hand rehabilitation. She is also a serious leader – stepping up to do what needed to be done during the COVID crisis. She is someone our team has come to count on for support and guidance, especially during these challenging times. During spring/summer 2020, Amy took on the task of creating a video (for a video competition) highlighting all four rehab locations and the staff who took on new roles and wore ‘many hats’; and the video won!”

When not at work, Amy enjoys swimming, ice skating and snowmobiling. Besides the spirit of caregiving that she gets from her grandmother, and the ongoing support of her husband and four children at home that “helps me do what I do,” Amy says her UMass Memorial Health family keeps her going strong. “We’re relentless,” Amy said. “We have the drive and the passion to continue, even in face of adversity. We just never stopped.”

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