Occupational Therapy
Locations Offering This Specialty
Scott & White's licensed and registered occupational therapists have specific skills to teach patients how to cope with the challenges of everyday life. Occupational therapists direct special activities to help people of all ages maximize their ability to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives.
Occupational therapy uses purposeful activity to evaluate and train individuals suffering from physical, sensory, visual-perceptual and cognitive deficits in order to return the individual to a functional lifestyle. Family members are encouraged to take active roles in the rehabilitation process. Home visits and/or home evaluations determine what modifications or adaptations are necessary to ensure independence and safety once the individual returns home from the hospital.
Occupational therapists maximize independence of people with disabilities or illness by:
- Assessing and training in daily life tasks such as dressing, bathing, grooming, eating, etc.
- Evaluating needs and training the patient to use self-help devices to enhance independence.
- Increasing mobility by prescribing needed wheelchairs and training in transfers.
- Evaluating an individual's ability to perform homemaking and work activities.
- Guiding people in activities to increase function, strength, joint motion, coordination and endurance.
- Fabricating appropriate slings and splints for proper positioning, joint support and correction of contractures which may also prevent deformity.
- Visiting home, work, or school to evaluate the environmental layout and making recommendations for modifications to enhance safety, function and independence.
