Specialty
Occupational Therapy – Adult
Occupational therapy is a type of treatment aimed at helping patients improve, maintain and recover their activities of daily living such as self-care.
Locations
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Main Street Clinic
Mankato
About
Occupational therapists (OT’s) are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who help patients improve functional skills within motor, cognitive, psycho-social and sensory domains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Occupational Therapy is a profession that helps people of all ages participate in daily life or live better with an injury, illness, or disability. Occupational Therapists take a holistic approach, which means they look at the whole person to identify strengths and impairments. Together with the patient, they help patients develop or restore skills, adapt for impairment, or prevent further loss of function.
Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy have similarities and can overlap in treatment. However, Physical Therapy is focused on movement, strength, and mobility. Occupational Therapists focus on function and look at how muscle strength and coordination affect a person’s ability to take part in daily life. They also consider a person’s thinking skills, senses, and mental health. With a personalized plan, they help people improve their independence and quality of life.
Following a broken bone or stroke, both physical and occupational therapy may be part of a rehab plan to restore movement and function. Physical Therapy helps people learn to sit, move in and out of bed, walk and use a walker or cane. Occupational Therapy helps people navigate daily life and relearn everyday tasks.
Although the term occupation is often associated with employment, Occupational Therapists broaden the term to include activities of daily living or self-care, work tasks, play/leisure activities, rest, and sleep, driving, education, and social participation. Occupational Therapy can help people to live independently. Occupational Therapy can help people to live independently.
Our occupations change as our roles change throughout life. Play and school is the work of a child. As adults, our occupations include work, parenting, housework, physical activity, hobbies, and caregiving. As older adults, our occupations tend to be personal care, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, doing dishes, and visiting with friends.
Occupational Therapy helps you participate in life activities after an acute injury, illness, or when changes in everyday function occur due to aging. The OT can evaluate and provide recommendations for:
- Restoring strength, fine motor coordination for participation in life activities
- Methods and strategies to adapt Activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing, and eating)
- Adaptive equipment (such as shower chairs, or equipment to make daily tasks easier)
- Sensory organizational tools and strategies to manage emotional and behavioral responses, plan routines, self-pacing, and coping with environmental changes
- Caregiver and family training
- Planning and making the most of daily routines
- Returning to work, school, or leisure activities
- Techniques to aid in memory, concentration, and executive functioning (e.g., planning and prioritizing, functional cognition)
- Falls prevention, home safety and community accessibility such as driving fitness
Occupational Therapists may see patients with a variety of diagnoses including:
Arthritis and chronic pain
Stroke
Concussions
Traumatic brain injury
Joint replacement
Spinal cord injury
Low vision
Dementia
Multiple sclerosis
Poor balance
Cancer
Diabetes
Mental health or behavior issues
Nervous system disorders like Parkinsons, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease
Contact your primary care provider for a referral for Occupational Therapy.
