During the month of April, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) celebrates Occupational Therapy Month and the more than 213,000 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students who work nationwide to create fuller lives for clients and their families.
Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
Occupational Therapists can practice in many areas of physical health. Some of these include: Pediatrics, Inpatient Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Health, Outpatient Clinics, Assisted Living Facilities, Schools, Work and Industry, and even Mental Health. With all of these areas of practice, the goal of the Occupational Therapist is still the same, to increase the function and independence of a person so that he or she is able to perform activities alone or with very limited help.
Aside from adults, Occupational Therapists treat infants and children as it relates to their development, in and out of their natural setting. The therapist will provide an evaluation and treatment for children having difficulty with fine motor skills, attention, and sensory issues. Treatments may include utilizing therapeutic exercise, sensory integration, and motor control strategies to assist children. These therapies will improve the child’s ability to self-regulate their attention and arousal, develop fine motor coordination, and achieve age appropriate play and everyday living skills. Interpersonal interactions, feeding, dressing, and grooming skills are all tasks which can be addressed through Occupational Therapy treatment sessions.
To learn more about the profession of occupational therapy, visit www.aota.org.
Thank you to the Occupational Therapists at DCMH who work hard to keep our community healthy. If you would like more information about Occupational Therapy or Pediatric Occupational Therapy at Decatur County Memorial Hospital, please call Rehabilitation Services at 812-663-1119 or visit our website at http://www.dcmh.net/services/rehabilitation/occupational-therapy/.