Occupational therapists work with elderly patients and teach them exercise and rehabilitation techniques that make completing daily tasks, such as dressing, eating, and bathing, much easier. Occupational therapists help patients improve their fine and basic motor skills, strength, dexterity, and their range of motion.

What is an example of occupational therapy?

For example, activities to build fine motor skills might include picking things up with tweezers. Exercises to improve gross motor skills might include jumping jacks or running an obstacle course. For someone who struggles with motor planning, therapists might work on daily routines like getting dressed.

What is the main goal of occupational therapy?

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by enabling people to do things that will enhance their ability to participate or by modifying the environment to better support participation.

What type of patients need occupational therapy?

Who Might Need Occupational Therapy?

• birth injuries or birth defects.
• sensory processing disorders.
• traumatic injuries to the brain or spinal cord.
• learning problems.
• autism.
• juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
• mental health or behavioral problems.
• broken bones or other orthopedic injuries.

What does occupational therapy deal with?

Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.

What does occupational therapy do for adults?

Occupational therapists work with elderly patients and teach them exercise and rehabilitation techniques that make completing daily tasks, such as dressing, eating, and bathing, much easier. Occupational therapists help patients improve their fine and basic motor skills, strength, dexterity, and their range of motion.

What are some occupational therapy activities for adults?

Best Occupational Therapy Activities for Adults

• Activity: Origami paper folding. What you need: Origami paper and instructions.
• Activity: Stringing beads. What you need: Large beads and a shoelace knotted at one end.
• Activity: Ball Toss. What you need: A beach ball and a friend.
• Activity: Memoir writing.
• Activity: Yoga.

What is occupational therapy in simple words?

occupational therapy, use of self-care and work and play activities to promote and maintain health, prevent disability, increase independent function, and enhance development. Occupation includes all the activities or tasks that a person performs each day.

How do you explain occupational therapy to someone?

AOTA defines occupational therapy as “ the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do ” as well as “[enabling] people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent… injury, illness, or disability.”

What does occupational therapy include?

Occupational therapy services may include comprehensive evaluations of the client’s home and other environments (e.g., workplace, school), recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use, and guidance and education for family members and caregivers.

Why is it called occupational therapy?

It is called “occupational” therapy because of the emphasis it places upon the importance of occupation (e.g., functional tasks and activities performed throughout life that are meaningful and purposeful to the individual).

Are occupational therapists allowed to diagnose?

1) Do OTs diagnose sensory processing disorders? The answer is NO. We are not permitted to diagnose any disorder. In fact, the sad truth is that Sensory Processing Disorder is not yet an ‘official’ diagnosis according to the newest DSM (Diagnostic & Statistical Manual).

What are the 8 areas of occupation?

There are 8 areas of occupation that OTs are trained in:

• Activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
• Sleep and rest.
• Work.
• Education.
• Play.
• Leisure.
• Social participation.