Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) treats people who are injured or disabled, helping them develop, recover, improve, and maintain the skills needed for day-to-day functioning. Occupational therapy aims to help patients who have cognitive, physical, or sensory problems regain their independence and alleviate obstacles that affect their emotional, physical, and social needs.

Occupational therapists commonly do the following:

• Review patient’s medical history
• Evaluate a patient’s condition and asses their needs
• Help people with disabilities perform different activities of daily living
• Develop a treatment plan
• Identify a patient’s specific goals and the types of activities needed to reach those goals
• Demonstrate and teach exercises
• Observe and identify home modifications and improvements needed based on the patient’s specific needs and health condition
• Educate the patient’s family and a caregiver about how to provide effective care to the patient
• Record and evaluate the patient’s activities and progress
• Recommend special equipment and aids

Occupational therapists who work with the aging population help the patients maintain independence for as long as possible and lead active lives. They asses potential health and safety hazards in a patient’s home and make recommendations to improve the patient’s everyday life.

OT professionals also work as part of healthcare teams in hospitals, along with doctors, registered nurses, and other health care professionals with patients who have chronic conditions or injuries.

OT services are beneficial for elderly persons who:

• Have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia
• Want to age in place
• Are disabled or injured or recovering from hip replacement
• Are recovering from a stroke
• Have low vision issues
• Want to keep up mobility and be able to drive

Occupational therapy professionals in elder care work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and nursing homes, in-home healthcare, and outpatient rehabilitation centers. At Devoted Guardians, we can deliver occupational therapy to people at home almost anywhere in the Phoenix Valley.

A specialty practice of Driving and Community Mobility within occupational therapy allows seniors to maintain mobility through driving, using public transportation, or walking.

These occupational therapy practitioners work in a variety of settings in the community such as:

• Determining if a patient is able to drive
• Driving or riding in cars with the patient
• Providing drive-specific rehabilitation services and teaching the patient how to use adaptive equipment
• Training the patient in a method of transportation he or she is not familiar
• Advocating for mobility-related issues and traffic safety programs intended for those with disabilities