Occupational Therapist
What is an occupational therapist?
Occupational therapists are a type of healthcare professional specializing in helping patients with health issues that affect their ability to perform everyday activities.
Through the activities assisted by an occupational therapist, patients can recover, develop, and improve the skills they need for daily living and working.
An occupational therapist often begins with an individualized evaluation determining the patient’s goals and current capabilities. They then create interventions that help the patient reach their goal and become more independent.
Occupational therapy services may also include an evaluation of the patient’s home, school, or workplace and recommendations for adaptations that would allow them to perform specific tasks more easily.
How is occupational therapy important in healthcare?
Occupational therapy helps patients with an illness or injury regain their independence by teaching them the skill needed to complete daily activities or work by improving strength, fine and basic motor skills, dexterity, and range of motion.
Some examples of occupations that occupational therapy focuses on include:
- dressing
- making meals
- driving
- managing medications
- playing
- going to school or work