What is occupational therapy for?
What does an an occupational therapist do? This might be a question you've asked before or always wondered about (we've talked to many people who ask the same thing!)
Unlike physical therapy, whose practice is fairly well known, occupational therapy can be a bit more of a mystery to some.
Who needs occupational therapy?
For patients utilizing home health services, a course of occupational therapy is often ordered by a physician following these types of events:
Recent hospitalization
Recent surgery
Injury sustained during a fall
Recent fracture
Though this list is not all inclusive, it can begin to give you an idea of what things might cause your doctor to recommend occupational therapy.
(Have more questions about home health services? Check out our Home Health FAQ).
What does an occupational therapist do?
An occupation therapist is required to hold a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree in occupational therapy and must pass a national licensing exam. Additionally, occupational therapy assistants (OTA) also practice in the field. These are people that have obtained an Associate degree in occupational therapy.
The goal of the work an occupational therapist does with you is to first assess your needs and your home environment to determine a plan of care that will help you get back to being independent in your activities of daily living. This is referred to as a holistic approach.
This could include a range of things like:
Dressing
Bathing
Food preparation
Getting in and out of bed
An occupational therapist might also recommend modifications to your home to help you achieve these your activities of daily living goals. They might also suggest modifications to to help fall-proof your home.
Sunshine Home Care is an Altus, OK home health agency. For more information on our agency, you can visit our About Us page or contact us today.
