Wandering what is Occupational Therapy or what does an Occupational Therapist do? Let us see all the details through this post.
What is Occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a health profession concerned with helping patients develop, recover, or maintain the conversational skills required for work, home life, leisure activities, and participation in society.
What is the need for Occupational Therapists?
Occupational therapists (OT) help people with a wide range of problems, from developmental disabilities to injuries and illnesses resulting in limitations in participation in work and leisure activities. Occupational therapists assist individuals and the community by providing remedial, rehabilitative, educational, and conversational services. Occupational health therapists evaluate the environment of patients and try to alter it. They also teach people various ways to adapt and maintain their independence.
If you are wondering what can occupational therapy help with or what can an OT help with, let us tell you that Occupational Therapy can help people with any of the following conditions:
1. Depression and Anxiety
People who struggle with depression usually don’t have the energy or motivation to participate in essential aspects of their lives. Depression symptoms in children are often expressed as anger, while adults are more likely to become anxious. The most common symptoms of depression are a lack of engagement in society, work, and personal life, a lack of self-care, and an overall sense of hopelessness. Occupational therapy treatment can help depressed people get back to their daily responsibilities by reconnecting them with essential roles in their lives.
2. Brain Injury, Dementia, and Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s and dementia can be hard on patients and their families, but occupational therapy (OT) can help. OT helps patients regain control over their movements and motor skills, even after a stroke or injury. OT also helps Alzheimer’s and dementia patients learn new skills—such as household chores—and remember what they learned.
3. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Unfortunately, many parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) mistakenly believe that ADHD is something a child grows out of. That is not the case; if not appropriately treated, ADHD can cause problems in adulthood. Occupational therapy can help your child develop organizational and planning skills, sensory processing difficulties, fine- and gross-motor skills, and other necessary life skills.
4. Autism
Autism is a developmental disability that can cause children to be withdrawn and uncomfortable with new situations or environments. To help these children, occupational therapists work directly with the child, parents, and teachers to develop activities that stimulate the senses and encourage interaction with others.
5. Down’s Syndrome
Occupational therapy is designed to help people perform daily tasks they’d otherwise be unable to do independently. In the case of children with Down syndrome, OT can help teach them the skills they need to be independent, such as writing letters and numbers, drawing, playing an instrument, or playing a particular sport. These abilities boost children’s self-esteem. It’s also crucial for them to receive constant support in every activity because doing so helps them reach their full potential.
Other conditions in which OT works and help patients overcome their limitations are as follows:
With Occupational Therapy, Multiple sclerosis, Diabetes, Poor Vision, Arthritis, Spinal Cord Injury, and Mental Health and Behavioural Issues can be treated as well.
Get Occupational Therapy Support in Australia from Brilliant Life Services, an NDIS approved disability support organisation.
