You likely know that rehab professionals work to improve people’s mobility and speech, so they can get back to daily living. But you may not know the difference between physical therapists, speech and language pathologists and occupational therapists.
Basically, occupational therapists help people of all ages with the activities they need to do or are used to doing. They use these daily activities — or occupations — as therapy to achieve this goal, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association.
OTs evaluate patients' abilities to take care of themselves, looking at whether they can bathe, dress and feed themselves, according to Solaris Healthcare. They may also find out if people can shop, manage medications or safely prepare a meal.
Occupational therapists discuss patients' goals to tailor treatment plans. At the end of therapy, OTs evaluate whether patients have met their goals and decide what changes need to be made, according to AOTA.
Occupational therapy helps people across their lifespan, according to AOTA.
Seniors in particular can benefit from occupational therapy, whatever their health and activity level. Aging tends to lead to decline in abilities often taken for granted, such as balance, vision and memory, according to Solaris Healthcare, and OTs can step in to help seniors continue to function.
Occupational therapists help seniors improve after medical procedures or hospital stays to return them to their highest functioning levels by focusing on patients' goals. They assess home environments by talking with patients and their families, and patients return home only when it’s clear the space is safe: It should be free of clutter, and any adaptive equipment should be installed.
Occupational therapists look at the people they treat in a holistic way, according to the AOTA, with a focus on “adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person,” rather than the other way around, and the person is a part of the therapy team. Occupational therapy “is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science.”
If you need the professional expertise of an occupational therapist, visit Solaris Healthcare. Its therapy team, along with your physician, will develop an individualized plan of care to help you reach your highest level of independence.
