What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy aims to help individuals manage their work, home and leisure activities. A licensed therapist’s intervention will help a patient recover from illness, disease, or disability by restoring proper movement or figuring out alternative ways of performing daily tasks.
An occupational therapist can advise on alternative methods, tools and equipment to help you or your loved one settle back into your everyday lives or occupations. If needed, they can help you to get adaptations to your home, car or workplace.
Who Do Occupational Therapists Work With?
Occupational therapists work with people of all ages, including children. By looking at all aspects of daily life, from the home, to school or the workplace, occupational therapists are able to treat and manage a wide range of conditions and needs. Some patients may need an occupational therapist’s help once or twice a week, while others will require daily intervention.
At Interim HealthCare of the Twin Cities, our occupational therapists work closely with the interdisciplinary healthcare team including physical therapy, speech therapy, skilled nursing, or social work services to foster and support therapeutic outcomes for their patients.
What Problems Do Occupational Therapists Help With?
Occupational therapy can help you with practical tasks if you:
- Are physically disabled
- Are recovering from an illness or operation
- Have learning disabilities
- Have mental health problems
- Are getting older
Occupational therapy may be used to treat lots of health conditions, for example: arthritis or other chronic pain conditions, depression or multiple sclerosis.
Can Occupational Therapy Be Provided at Home?
Absolutely! When a patient is home-bound, elderly, or when the frequency of the occupational therapy sessions is high, a doctor may advise on at-home therapy. The goal of having occupational therapy at home is to help you or your loved one regain your independence, while providing a safe and nurturing environment in which you can recover and recuperate.
Examples of occupations/activities that can promote and improve one’s independence at home include:
- Getting dressed
- Showering/bathing/toileting
- Grooming and hygiene tasks (brushing teeth, shaving)
- Housekeeping
- Cooking
- Laundry
- Yard work/gardening
- Rest and sleep
- Establishing sleep habits/routines
- Playing a musical instrument
- Reading a book
- Knitting/crocheting/cross stitch
- Writing a letter
- Using the phone/computer
- Reading the newspaper
- Attending an exercise class
- Energy conservation/work simplification
- Driving screens/evaluation
What Are the Benefits of Receiving Occupational Therapy at Home?
One huge benefit of receiving treatment from an at-home occupational therapist is that they can help you modify your home or provide you with assistive devices that will allow you to improve your function. If you are getting older or if you have an injury or disability that makes it difficult for you to live safely on your own, an occupational therapist can help you regain your independence and stay self-sufficient.
If you would like to learn more about the occupational therapy team at Interim HealthCare of the Twin Cities and how they can help you to regain your independence, please get in touch. We’re always happy to help.
