An occupational therapist supports people in everyday activities such as self-care, leisure, work and play. For example, they may show people how to do a task better or change their environment.
Occupational therapy Adelaide can also help children with learning and behaviour challenges. These can be physical, sensory, or mental.
Occupational Therapists work with people to support their participation in everyday activities.
Occupational therapists (OT) work with people to keep their involvement in daily activities, like getting dressed, eating, working, or driving. In addition, they help patients with illnesses or injuries to regain independence in these areas.
OTs are compassionate problem-solvers who consider a person’s physical, emotional and environmental conditions when developing treatment plans. They specialise in helping children and adults with various conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, sensory processing issues or physical disabilities.
They also assist adults with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety or PTSD. They develop ways for their clients to live better, reduce stress, manage their daily activities and find new ways to cope with emotional difficulties.
OTs often take a client-centred approach, with the patient themselves and their families and significant others involved in the process. The process is based on assessments and is informed by the patient’s occupations, skills, needs, environment, and goals.
Occupational therapists work with children.
Occupational therapists work with children and adults to help them participate in their favourite activities, like playing, working, and learning. They can also support people with problems with their motor skills or sensory processing and those with physical and cognitive disabilities.
OTs use a wide range of treatments and techniques to improve a person’s abilities in daily life. For example, they can work on self-care (dressing, feeding), toilet training and handwriting skills. They can also work with children with sensory processing issues, developmental coordination disorders or problems with fine motor skills. These are the areas that OTs usually focus on when they’re working with kids.
OTs can make sessions fun for kids by using motivating activities like board games and crafts. They can also work with the child to identify their strengths and work on ways to help them overcome any challenges.
Occupational therapists work with adults.
Occupational therapists work with adults of all ages, whether they have health issues or are recovering from an injury. Their skills can help improve fine motor skills, mobility, and coordination so people can perform their everyday activities more effectively.
They also work with children and adults with disabilities to develop and implement safe, compensatory strategies for their daily activities to preserve their independence. These strategies can include teaching patients to eat safely, bathe, and dress themselves using assistive devices.
Before the first session, an occupational therapy Adelaide will complete an evaluation of your needs and goals. This process involves interviews, observation, and testing. The results of these assessments will form the basis for your plan of care (POC).
Occupational therapists work with older people.
Occupational therapists work with older people to support their participation in everyday activities. They are vital to healthcare teams and can be found in hospitals, nursing homes, and post-acute rehabilitation centres.
The daily tasks we take for granted may be enormous challenges for older adults, particularly if they have a medical condition limiting their ability to perform basic activities. This can create a lot of stress and anxiety. Occupational therapists help patients to overcome these barriers by developing strategies that allow them to do what they want and need. This often means modifying or adapting their activities, their environment, or the skills they need to complete them.
Occupational Therapy Adelaide
Occupational Therapy Adelaide is the professional practice of helping people achieve their daily potential through specialised skills, strategies, and equipment. Occupational therapists can work in various settings, including schools, hospitals, health organisations and rehabilitation centres, aged care, community care and research.
Helping with everyday tasks such as putting on shoes, dressing, eating or using the bathroom can be challenging for adults with medical conditions, physical impairments or dementia. An OT can help you with these by showing exercises and skills, offering simple adjustments to your home or prescribing assistive equipment like wheelchairs, beds and chairs.
Working with children and adolescents who have difficulty achieving developmental goals can be rewarding. Occupational therapists support children and their families to overcome challenges with movement, play, learning and attention. Upper limb therapy helps children develop skills in using their arms, hands and fingers. This could be through task-specific training, constraint-induced movement therapy, bi-manual therapy or strength training.