Top 10 Ways Occupational Therapy Can Help Adults

If an illness or injury is impacting your ability to live a full life, occupational therapy could be the answer. It can help you get back your cognitive abilities and improves your general health and well-being, leading to a healthier and happy life. 

Here’s what you need to know about occupational therapy for adults.

What is an Occupational Therapist? 

Occupational therapists are licensed rehabilitation care professionals who work to restore or improve physical abilities, encourage behavioural changes, adapt the environment, and teach new skills. They use everyday activities (occupations) to treat physical, mental, developmental and emotional problems that may impede day-to-day tasks for their client. 

Occupational therapists are trained to help people deal with a wide range of ailments, including physical problems that make it hard to do the things you need to do every day; psychosocial problems that make it hard to live a normal life; and special needs that require changing the physical environment or using specialised equipment and technologies. 

The end goal of an occupational therapist is to help the client reach their full potential.

8 Ways an OT Can Help You & How

Occupational therapy can assist people of all ages and professionals working in occupational therapy in the Sutherland Shire to provide a care plan to assist with several health issues in adults, including the following: 

1. Range of motion: Helping a person to move around easier, with less pain. For example, those who have arthritis, worn ligaments or stiff joints. Exercises to treat this will depend on the underlying causes for the issue at hand but could include assistive range of motion – which is when a therapist encourages a client to move by helping them make small joint-related movements.

2. Improve vision: Vision loss isn’t always permanent and where possible; an OT will use eye and brain exercises to help you see more clearly. This can help with lazy eye, double vision, vertigo and so on. Exercises to treat this could include vision tracking, ball games and reading or writing exercises.

3. Sharpening memory and mind: The older we get, the more our brain cells break down, leading to forgetfulness and even dementia. Occupational therapy can help patients improve memory loss and keep their mind sharp through reading, crossword puzzles, image and word matching.

4. Pain reduction: Chronic pain can be caused by several things, from traumatic injuries and wounds that don't heal properly, to nerve damage. However, for adults, one of the most common complaints is joint pain. Occupational therapists use stretching techniques and guided exercises to help weak joints move better and reduce pain.

5. Neurological injury or stroke: OTs are trained to help stroke survivors manage with their basic daily tasks, such as dressing and showering. It can also help them get back into work. Exercises include hand movements, such as grip and release, wrist curl and rolling, memory and cognitive exercises, and sensory stimulation.

6. Pulmonary or cardiac issues: Occupational therapy as a form of cardiac rehabilitation or pulmonary rehabilitation is highly recommended for a wide range of cardiac and respiratory problems. Exercises will be tailored to suit the heart condition or other symptoms and would generally include light cardio and strength training.

7. Mental health conditions: OTs are trained to provide coping strategies for those living with mental health issues, improving confidence, self-esteem, anxiety and depression symptoms. Exercises may include goal planning, group activities, dance and other light exercise.

8. COVID-19 long-term symptoms: Long COVID can be debilitating, and many people are turning to occupational therapy for treatment to help manage respiratory problems, fatigue, pain and “brain fog”. OT treatment could include deep breathing and core stability exercises, along with cognitive and pain-based treatments. 

How Aevum Health Can Help

If you’re considering adding any of your own exercise into the plan, you should always consult a professional physio first. That’s where Aevum Health comes in. 

Our experienced occupational therapists work to help people become stronger physically and mentally so they can function better and be more independent in their daily lives. Contact us today to make an appointment with an experienced occupational therapist Sutherland Shire.

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