What is Occupational Therapy?

How is Occupational Therapy different?

Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants help people of all ages participate in the things they want and need to do by applying the therapeutic use of everyday activities or “life occupations." Common Occupational Therapy activities include helping children with disabilities to reach developmental milestones in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury or illness to regain skills, and providing support for adults in their later years who are experiencing physical and/or cognitive changes.

Occupational Therapy services typically follow the pattern of:

• an initial evaluation where the client and the client's support system asses the specific limitations and then determine the patient's goals
• a customized plan of care through a series of sessions to improve the patient's ability to perform daily activities
• periodic evaluations to ensure both the patient and Occupational Therapist feel the plan of care is adequately helping the patient achieve their goals

Occupational Therapy can also include an assessment of the patient's home, workplace, vehicle, or other places where they wish to function at the highest possible level. Along with modifications of these spaces, adaptive equipment can often be provided by the Occupational Therapist, who will teach the patient how to use it. It is also important to include the different members of the patient's support system in the therapy team for the best results.

Occupational Therapists are trained not only to assess and treat physical limitations, but they are educated on the emotional affects of injury and disability. Due to this fact and the inclusion of the patient's support system in the process, Occupational Therapy is a holistic treatment that can truly give the patient a higher quality of life than they may have ever believed would be available to them.