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Occupational Therapy: Living Life To the Fullest
You experience back pain, or survived a stroke and life is a challenge. You have a child with special needs and hope that your kid lives his or her life in the best possible quality.
These are examples for situations where occupational therapy will be a good resource.
What Is Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Occupational therapy practitioners ask, “What matters to you?” not, “What’s the matter with you?” says the American Occupational Therapy association (AOTA), where most of the occupational therapists (OTs) are members. AOTA also offers a wide variety of online resources (www.aota.org).
OTs assist in restoring function; adjusting and adapting to life changes; and finding alternative ways to perform your daily activities. These can include work and leisure activities, writing, typing, child care or playing your instrument. It can also include dressing, bathing, personal hygiene, eating, and meal preparation. For children, it includes play, social interaction, school or pre-school performance. We often also look at your sleep and rest habits.
The goal is to promote health and participation in all aspects of life.
Services include:
- an individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals,
- customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals, and
- an outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.
Occupational therapists have either a Master or Doctor Degree and are certified through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Many OTs specialize in a field like orthopedics, hand therapy, mental health, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology etc. or in certain treatment methods like Bobath, PNF, Sensory Integration or Feldenkrais®.
Occupational therapy services gets reimbursed by health insurances. With Medicare or Medicaid you will need a referral from your doctor.
Where Do You Find OT Clinicians?
Some OT clinicians work in hospitals, others in private practice.
Others work in schools, nursing homes, community settings, mental health facilities, universities and as home health care providers in your home.
Call your health insurance and they will provide you with a list of approved providers or search on the web for “occupational therapy services” under your zip code.
