Occupational Therapists goals

Occupational therapy to improve daily living takes a holistic approach to help patients recover and adapt after an injury, disability or illness. It draws on a wide range of disciplines, including physical therapy, nursing, psychiatry and rehabilitation to provide services. Occupational therapists (OT) and occupational aides (OTA) work with people of all ages in many different settings. Some are employed in hospitals and private practice while others may choose to work in schools or even in the home care industry for elders.

OTs are trained to evaluate a client’s ability to perform a range of daily tasks and come up with a treatment plan that addresses the client’s goals. This treatment includes education, counseling and hands-on activities aimed at regaining independence. The therapists are also able to recommend adaptive equipment to assist with the performance of everyday tasks, such as grab bars in the bathroom or a shower chair.

Visual impairments are another area that an OT can assist with. Visual impairments are categorized into two types, low vision and cortical visual impairment (CVI). Low vision is the result of eye disease or age-related macular degeneration, while CVI is a condition that affects the areas of the brain that process sight and movement. In both cases, the OT can assess the severity of a person’s vision and recommend the appropriate treatments.

Another important part of the occupation of an OT is community outreach. OTs often collaborate with other health professionals and work to promote wellness in the communities they serve. They can conduct educational classes and workshops on topics such as stress management and exercise. They can also offer ergonomic assessments and gardening classes. Additionally, a home safety assessment can be performed to make recommendations for enhancing safety at home.

An OT can teach patients new ways to perform everyday tasks that are important to them, such as dressing, eating or using the toilet. They can also help them develop a sense of purpose, which is a vital component to overall well-being. This can be accomplished through a variety of means, such as finding a hobby or volunteering.

If a loved one needs in-home assistance, it’s important to find an agency with experience and a good reputation. Ensure that the company you hire does background checks on all of its employees and has a license from your state’s board of occupational therapy. Choosing an unlicensed agency can result in unnecessary ER visits, hospitalizations and more expensive long-term care options down the road. A licensed Occupational Therapist is likely to cost more, but will be well worth the extra expense. They will help your loved one maintain a higher quality of life and delay the mental or physical decline that often accompanies chronic diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s. In addition to helping seniors perform household chores, they can also help with errands, grocery shopping and meal preparation. They can also teach them how to use technology, such as the internet or mobile phones, and help with money management.