Why occupational therapy is important
1 July 2019
Occupational therapy is important for those who require additional help with their day-to-day activities. Whether the help is required due to a physical disability or a lack of motor skills, Occupational Therapists (OT’s) work with people in a variety of settings and cater their wide range of skills to meet the patient’s needs.
When working with the elderly, OT’s work hard to ensure that patients feel independent throughout their daily life. Assessing the home, the therapists will ensure no fall hazards are left unidentified. Occupational Therapists will then establish that the patient’s health needs are taken care of efficiently by checking how their health conditions currently affect their daily activities. Through developing plans to ensure the patient’s goals are being met, OT’s will inform the families on ways in which they can adapt and improve the functionality of the home and other areas of day-to-day life.
With the patient’s needs being the main priority, OT’s tailor their expertise to help those with various types of disabilities. They work closely to identify, improve, and maintain the patient’s skill set by guiding them to overcome those barriers that prevent them from completing the activities that matter to them the most. One way they do this is by providing practical support that aids them in completing tasks that matter to them – thus increasing independence and overall satisfaction. For example, for those who suffer from arthritis, the patient’s Occupational Therapist will build upon a custom exercise routine that provides joint and arthritis relief.
Maintaining a high-quality life
There are so many aspects of life that can contribute to your overall happiness. Regardless of how big or small, each and every person has certain ingredients that can be mixed together to create a higher quality of life.
Unfortunately, there is a misconception of “if only I had X amount of money then I can feel and do X, Y, and Z”. However, there are so many things in life that can advance your life satisfaction for little to no money at all. For example, the relationships that you keep around you can either support or drain you. Choosing to maintain and build the relationships that affirm and build you as a person can reduce the amount of stress you have to face within your social circle. When you have the right people to lean on, your experience of life will better overall.
This is where OT’s enter into the scene. Providing the correct support physically and mentally, Occupational Therapists help provide patients with the correct social support to fulfil their happiness.
Focusing on what matters to you the most
As you know there are many distractions and limitations in life that can deter you from focusing on the things that you truly want to do. However, just by simply making time to spend on the things that you value can make life more meaningful.
Occupational Therapist work in a variety of settings to provide their patients with a better lifestyle. Placing their attention on what matters most to the patient, they concentrate on working on activities that will satisfy the patient’s needs. They make sure they have the right products to ensure that patients stay comfortable and relaxed within their environment.
