Occupational Therapy Can:

Increase Independence With Self-Care

Have you recently had an illness or injury that has impacted your ability to take care of yourself? The primary goal of occupational therapy is to help someone increase their independence while caring for themselves. Occupational therapists help you explore options to return to dressing, bathing, toileting, cooking, caring for others, and leisure tasks. If it is important to you, it is important to us.

Improve Your Range Of Motion

Ever feel like you just aren’t moving like you used to? Your body must be able to move through a certain degree of motion for you to be able to do the things you do every day. Your arm must be able to raise your arm high enough to reach for something on the top shelf. Your hand must open wide enough to grab a glass. An occupational therapist will evaluate how much motion you have and teach ways to increase your motion and flexibility with proper form.

Improve Your Strength Safely

There are many conditions that can cause you to feel weaker than you used to be. Whatever the cause of decreased strength may be, an occupational therapist will guide you through the proper exercises to rebuild your strength. They will make sure that you have proper form and movement patterns so that you are working the muscles correctly.

Decrease Pain

Pain can be a debilitating factor for many people. Whether you are feeling acute or chronic pain, you don’t feel like yourself and you are often limited in how you can enjoy life. An occupational therapist can help you identify why you might be having pain and teach you strategies to decrease or avoid pain.

Improve Coordination

Isn’t it frustrating when you can’t get the key into the lock or the charger into the cell phone? There are many different reasons why you may have trouble with your coordination. An occupational therapist will teach you specific exercises and have you perform specific activities to improve the way your fingers work together to complete these types of tasks.

Explore Compensatory Techniques And Adaptive Equipment

Sometimes we all need help to see things differently. What if you were having trouble doing something you loved and there was a way you could get back to it? Occupational therapists are skilled in helping clients to explore tools and techniques that will do just that. There are a lot of products on the market, some you see on TV and some that are hidden gems. An occupational therapist can help you explore and decide which ones will be the best for you!

Improve Visual Skills

As a result of various conditions including diabetes, stroke and brain injuries, your vision can be affected. Decreased vision impacts all aspects of your daily life and could cause an increase in falls. Occupational therapists can teach you strategies to help improve scanning and can recommend modifications to your environment to help decrease the impact of low vision in your daily life.

Assess Home Environment

There are many reasons why it may become more difficult for you to function in your own home. Sometimes there are simple changes that can be made to your home to make it easier to function including adding grab bars, identifying and removing trip hazards, or adding additional task lighting. Sometimes larger renovations are needed. An occupational therapist can help you explore options that would allow you to move around your house easier and safer.

Provide Caregiver Education

One of the hardest parts of suffering from an illness or injury can be accepting help from others. An occupational therapist can provide education to help you know what kind of help to ask for and when to ask for it. If you are a caregiver, an occupational therapist can teach you how to help your loved one without taking away their independence. Sometimes the hardest part is knowing how to help and when to let them do it on their own.

Visit Moreau Physical Therapy to Experience What Occupational Therapy Can Do for You!