What is Occupational Therapy?

In this day and age, you’ve probably heard the term Occupational Therapy, but you may not be familiar with what it means. Is it the same as physical therapy? Not quite, but it does fall under the physical rehabilitation umbrella. Does it have to do with one’s job? Possibly, but not always.

Occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) are dedicated healthcare professionals who help people of all ages participate in activities and daily tasks that are meaningful and important to them.

Occupational therapy is a science-driven healthcare profession that examines the person, the environment, and the tasks the person desires to perform. The goal is to restore the person’s function or adapt the task or environment for optimal performance.

Who can benefit from Occupational Therapy (OT) services?

OT can help anyone experiencing difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs). These difficulties might be due to an injury such as a broken wrist or a recent illness or hospitalization that resulted in general weakness and fatigue.

Some activities that might benefit from OT are:

• Dressing
• Bathing
• Toileting
• Cooking
• Leisure Activities
• Work Tasks
• Other tasks that are meaningful and important to the person

Occupational therapist can also help with chronic health conditions such as, arthritis, COPD, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease that have impacted a person’s physical or cognitive ability to complete daily tasks.

What will an occupational therapist do?

The OT will start with an evaluation to collect information on your health history, current limitations, and goals for therapy. From there they will develop an individualized plan of care to help you achieve these goals.

Interventions could include:

• Exercises or stretches to help you gain strength or range of motion
• Splinting
• Adaptive equipment education and training
• Safety training and education
• Pain management
• Suggestions for home modifications or activity modifications to help you better perform specific activities. 

Our OT’s at The Rehabilitation Center also have specialized training in lymphedema treatment and management, pelvic health issues or concerns, ergonomics assessments and interventions, and aquatic therapy interventions.

Having difficulty with something you want to do or need to do?

We have a team of OTs and OTAs at The Rehabilitation Center who are here to help you achieve your goals. If you have questions or want to know if you could benefit from Occupational Therapy Services, call our office at (828) 268-9043.