What is Occupational Therapy (OT)?

A health care profession that helps people with temporary and permanent disabilities lead a more independent life. Occupational Therapy can help people reach goals such as relearning a job skill, to being able to get dressed and cook. An Occupational Therapist can help people with many types of disabilities get the most out of work, the community and their family. The focus of OT is to help people function at the highest level possible. This means promoting independent living, ergonomics, and improved movement. Ergonomics simply means adapting to tools and workstations, etc., to improve efficiency and overcome or prevent illness or injury.

Who Can Benefit From OT?

• arthritis, stroke, heart attacks, pulmonary disease, cancer and other serious illnesses
• shoulder, elbow or hand injuries
• developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida and mental retardation.
• Job-related injuries such as carpal-tunnel syndrome
• traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries
• nerve or tendon injuries in hand
• amputations

* and anyone who has difficulty performing their everyday tasks such as eating, personal hygiene, dressing, home management tasks or money management.

What Does OT Do?

Occupational Therapy is an important health-care tool used for promoting independence, teaching new skills and preventing injury. Adapting the patient's surroundings can help them cope with the effects of disease, injury, or aging. OT helps restore or improve physical abilities with strengthening, endurance training and coordination. In each case, occupational therapy uses "everyday activities" to achieve desired results.