5 Unpredicted Ways Occupational Therapy Can Be Helpful
Do you need to recover from a recent injury or surgical procedure? Do you have a chronic condition that causes you constant pain? In any case, occupational therapy can help you improve your health. Our occupational therapists at Therapy West Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine can help you regain function and learn how to manage your daily activities.
Occupational therapy assists people of all ages in doing what they want and need to do. This therapy helps individuals live their lives to the fullest by promoting health and/or coping with an injury, illness, or disability.
Occupational therapists (OTs) use everyday activities to treat injured, ill, or disabled patients. They do this by implementing strategies to assist patients in regaining, improving, learning, and maintaining the skills required for daily living and work duties.
If you’re curious about all the benefits of occupational therapy, keep reading and contact Therapy West Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine in Ephraim, UT for more information.
5 benefits of occupational therapy
Occupational therapy can help a huge range of individuals with unique and complex challenges. If you’re not familiar with occupational therapy, you may not know that it can help you:
1. Overcome everyday life difficulties with occupational therapy.
Occupational therapists are responsible for assisting their patients in overcoming the difficulties of everyday life.
Participating in normal daily activities (such as walking, eating, and so on) can be an overwhelming, exhausting task for many elderly people or for those with disabilities/ chronic conditions.
It follows that when people are unable to perform basic daily tasks, they are less likely to try to participate in other aspects of life, such as social gatherings, family outings, and hobbies. This can easily lead to feelings of isolation and depression.
An occupational therapist can help reserve this and better equip individuals of all ages to tackle the challenges of daily living. So seeing an occupational therapist can actually benefit your mental health!
2. Improve your home environment.
It’s not uncommon for individuals who struggle with a medical condition to live in homes that are no longer suitable for them.
Steep stairs, slippery floors, bathtubs, and showers can all be challenging to navigate if you’re having difficulty moving around.
An occupational therapist can examine the layout of your home and make suggestions for changes. These changes will contribute to a safer home and encourage independent living. Changes could include:
- Bathtubs or walk-in showers
- Handrails and grab bars in the shower and elsewhere in the house
- Ramps for wheelchairs
- Recliners with power lifts
- Non Slip flooring
- Medical alert or home monitoring systems
3. Prevent falls.
Falls are a major medical issue in our aging population. One-third of those over the age of 65 experience a fall each year. Every 11 seconds, an older adult is admitted to the emergency room for a fall. Even more disturbing, every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.
However, contrary to popular belief, falls are not inevitable. You have the power to prepare for age-related changes and adapt your home and lifestyle to remain safe and steady in your golden years. Occupational therapy is a great resource, and with just a few sessions, we can address potential risk factors for falls. Prevention is key!
4. Recover from a wide variety of conditions.
Occupational therapists work with people to address their physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and sensory-perceptual limitations. OT aims to help improve a person’s performance and engagement in occupations that affect physical and mental health and quality of life.
OT’s work with elderly patients and teach them techniques to make completing daily tasks, such as dressing, eating, and bathing, much more manageable. In addition, we also help patients improve their fine and basic motor skills, strength, dexterity, and range of motion.
Occupational therapy focuses more closely on hand, elbow, and wrist pain relief. Some common conditions we treat with OT, through our specialized hand therapy services, include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Arthritis
- Burns
- Nerve injuries
- Fractures
- Tendinitis
5. Improve your cognitive skills.
When most people reflect on occupational therapy, they focus on its physical benefits. However, seeing an occupational therapist can benefit you mentally as well!
When you first meet with an occupational therapist, they will assess both your cognitive and physical abilities.
Memory loss affects everyone over the age of 65. Occupational therapists can assist elderly patients in regaining memory skills in a variety of ways, including playing memory-boosting games such as puzzles, crossword puzzles, or matching games.
Call today to request an appointment!
Whether you are looking for relief, looking to prevent an injury, or simply improving your physical and mental function, occupational therapy is here for you. Our skilled OT’s will work closely with you to help you reach your goals!
If you’re ready to get started on the path toward improved health, contact our Ephraim, UT office today!
