Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy can help a person who is experiencing difficulty with a variety of functional problems. Dressing, bathing, shopping for food or personal items, and carrying out daily activities safely can be particularly challenging. Occupational therapy can also aid the person with more serious problems resulting from chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stoke, Parkinson’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis. Occupational therapists work with patients and their caregivers.
Through occupational therapy, patients learn to:
- Adapt to changes brought about by aging, such as decreased energy and vision.
- Safely perform routing activities such as dressing and cooking.
- Increase physical strength and endurance to maintain self-sufficiency.
- Identify community resources such as senior centers and stroke clubs.
- Adapt the home for safety and efficiency.
Through occupational therapy, caregivers learn:
- Techniques to reduce the physical and emotional stress related to care giving.
- Ways to identify and reinforce the older adult’s abilities for independent living.
- Transfer and positioning techniques that improve safety and reduce caregiver effort.
- Meaningful activities the homebound person can perform.
- Which adaptive devices and aids can facilitate caretaking tasks.
- How to adapt the home environment for safety and mobility.
