Many elderly people must adapt to life as they age to feel safe and comfortable at home. Aging changes can be frustrating, but many qualified specialists, such as carers and occupational therapists, can assist you in navigating this new period of life. Although it is widely accepted that carers and physical therapists play important roles in the care of the elderly, many people are unaware of the benefits of occupational therapists.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapists san diego helps people with difficulty performing daily activities, also known as occupations. Occupational therapy is available to people of all ages, but many older people seek it for easier ways to solve tasks that become more difficult. Seniors can also work with physical and occupational therapists to regain strength and skills after injury or illness.
What to expect during occupational therapy?
OT can be different for everyone. Your therapist will discuss your medical history, conditions, and the need to develop a plan that works for you. This includes providing guidance and training to carers and other carers.
Adult
OT helps adults learn or relearn a variety of skills. Occupational therapists can help you with the following:
- Life skills such as dressing, preparing meals, eating, and caring
- a movement
- Concentration and memory
- Gross and fine motor skills
- Adaptation to home and work
- Medical equipment such as walkers and prostheses
Child
For children and young people, occupations are activities that help them learn, have fun, develop life skills, and grow. During the surgical treatment, the therapist looks for typical developmental milestones and what prevents the child from reaching them.
Starting with a detailed assessment, they work with parents, guardians, and other professionals to develop a plan to modify and adapt your child’s activities and environment. At the same time, they work with children to learn adaptive and corrective skills for successful play, learning, relationships, and life skills.
Benefits of occupational therapy for the Elderly
- Be independent at home
Everyday challenges can arise when your body changes with age. Older adults may have difficulty caring for themselves and moving around the house. These new tools enable older adults to continue living independently in their own homes with the help of home caregivers.
- Fall prevention
Falls are a major concern for most seniors, whether at home or in public. The fall can be devastating and lead to severe injuries such as fractures and concussions. To reduce the risk of falls, occupational therapists can help clients identify problem areas in the home, such as poor lighting or slippery carpets. You can also consider fall prevention plans and how to handle specific scenarios during a fall.
- Remodelling
The occupational therapist’s role is to ensure the client lives in a safe and mobile place. They can walk around the house and find furniture and things that make life easier at home. For example, suggest a shower chair or bathtub to make bathing easier or recommend an accessible bed. They can also point out where handrails would be useful and how to make the home more accessible to wheelchair users. Make it comfortable to use the new tools.
- Improve mental and emotional health.
Occupational Therapy San Diego can help with more than physical skills. They also work with clients to improve their mental and emotional strength. Clients and therapists engage in activities to improve memory or learn new activities to sharpen the mind. Therapists can also help people with dementia identify ways to manage their symptoms.
Working with a therapist often gives older adults newfound confidence and builds mental and emotional well-being. You will learn the tools to do this and make the transition to a new phase of your life less scary.
- Professional treatment and care
Occupational therapists cannot replace the need for in-home carers. Still, they can greatly benefit older individuals with extra physical or cognitive issues, and they are delighted to provide you with the finest care available. Caregivers assist elderly people with housework, transportation, meal preparation, and care.
Differences between physiotherapy and occupational therapy
PT restores strength and movement after an injury, illness, or other health problems. The skills test contains topics such as:
- Practice
- stretch
- massage
On the other hand, OT focuses on skills. OT can plan for situations such as:
- Help injured people return to work
- Help disabled children participate in school
- Help elderly people with memory loss after a stroke
How effective is occupational therapy?
Few studies have been done on the effectiveness of OT. San diego occupational therapist included flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, strengthening, core stability, aerobic exercise, and general task simulation. Others received counselling from a psychologist, stress management training, and body mechanics training. The study found that the biggest indicators of success were the duration of each session and the number of sessions per week.