A disability, accident, or developmental problem shouldn’t limit your day-to-day activities. Fortunately, occupational therapy is a branch of healthcare that focuses on helping you maximize your fine motor skills.
Your occupational therapist will create a treatment plan that includes your most important activities to restore function therapeutically. But do you need occupational therapy? Find answers to this article that highlights conditions occupational therapy treats.
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy in Bedford seeks to improve an individual’s ability to carry out work and leisure activities to the best of their physical and cognitive abilities. This treatment also helps patients relearn skills to help them live independent and productive lives.
Patients who have issues performing their normal daily activities usually require occupational therapy. Therefore, you may need occupational therapy if you have a physical injury, developmental problems, birth defects, or have undergone elective surgery.
How Is Occupational Therapy Different From Physical Therapy?
Although occupational and physical therapists work with similar groups of people, what they do is different. Physical therapy helps patients improve movement and range of motion. Occupational therapy helps to improve people’s ability and confidence to carry out their daily tasks.
In addition, a physical therapist may create a customized treatment plan or prescribe a series of exercises to improve a patient’s movement. An occupational therapist may also recommend equipment or ways to help people perform their tasks with minimal difficulty.
Usually, an occupational therapist works in a team with physical therapists, teachers, and social workers to help a patient adapt and live a normal life.
Who Needs Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists work with people across all life stages. Treatment for everyone is unique and addresses each patient’s psychological and cognitive needs. People who need occupational therapy include;
Children And Teenagers
- Struggling with autism or other learning disabilities.
- Having eating difficulties.
- Needing help with self-regulating emotions.
- Requiring help with fine motor skills.
Adults
- Recovering from a traumatic brain injury.
- Who have poor vision.
- Recovering from a workplace injury.
- Recovering from shoulder surgery.
Seniors
- Recovering from a fall but want to remain at home.
- Who need adaptations around their home.
- Recovering from a stroke.
- Who have dementia or memory loss.
What Does Occupational Therapy Treat?
Occupational therapy helps with several conditions to improve a patient’s psychological and social well-being. Some of these conditions include;
Amputations
Undergoing an amputation results in a loss of function and has adverse psychological effects on a patient. A ghost limb is when a patient sometimes experiences painful sensations in a limb that does not exist. Therefore, dealing with an amputation can be pretty challenging.
However, occupational therapists in Bedford can help patients make relevant modifications to complete their daily tasks. Patients will also undergo prosthetic training to ease their burden.
Burns
Burn victims may experience excruciating pain, especially when moving. Therefore, the brain may forget some physical functions due to lack of use. An occupational therapist can work with physical therapy to help burn patients relearn these functions without hurting themselves.
Autism
Children with autism have communication and interaction issues, especially with their peers. Therefore, occupational therapists can work with parents and teachers to develop exercises that cater to the child’s needs. These exercises aim to improve the child’s interaction and play skills.
Depression And Anxiety
People suffering from depression and anxiety can work with occupational therapists to build self-awareness. An occupational therapist will also evaluate the patient’s environment to see if it supports or hinders the ability to do daily tasks.
Brain Injury
Brain injury recovery takes time from a few months to years. Occupational therapy helps patients through targeted exercises that form pathways between the limbs and the brain. Consequently, brain injury patients can regain control over their daily activities.
Arthritis
Arthritis results from a lack of movement, causing stiff joints. This then results in excruciating pain for patients. Occupational therapists can treat arthritis patients and help them perform activities without straining their joints.
ADHD
Children with ADHD are easily distracted and have difficulty regulating and prioritizing attention. Using sensory integration therapy, occupational therapists can help reorganize a child’s sensory capabilities.
How Does Occupational Therapy Help Patients?
Before recommending a treatment plan, an occupational therapist in Bedford will evaluate the patient’s conditions and needs. Afterward, the developed treatment plan is suited to meet the patient’s needs.
The occupational therapist also assesses the patient’s home and work environment to recommend adaptations that will improve independence and suit the patient’s needs.
Another way occupational therapy helps patients is by training both patients and their caregivers on how to use special equipment.
Conclusion
Although people often mistake occupational therapy for physical therapy in Bedford, they are different. Your occupational therapist uses a formidable approach to restore function and fine motor skills, helping you live an independent and confident life.
Occupational therapy in Bedford uses specialized treatment to improve function in children, adults, and seniors.