If you’ve recently suffered from an illness, injury, or you’re having difficulty performing your usual activities, you might benefit from occupational therapy.
“There’s a common misconception that occupational therapy only applies to people in the workforce,” explains Satish Raman, an occupational therapist at Henry Ford Health. “But the reality is, occupational therapy is relevant for people of all ages and it can dramatically improve quality of life.”
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is often used in workplace applications like returning to work after an injury or improving ergonomics. But the term “occupation” actually encompasses all activities of daily living—it focuses on all of the ways you meaningfully occupy your time.
The goal of OT is to help you live as independently as possible. We work to understand the activities that are meaningful and important to our patients—self-care, work or leisure tasks like gardening, cooking, shopping, dancing—and incorporate therapeutic exercises and activities geared toward them.
How Does OT Differ From Physical Therapy (PT)?
Occupational therapy and physical therapy (PT) both provide rehabilitative services that help you move your body in safe and healthy ways, reduce and manage pain, re-learn movement patterns and restore function.
Physical therapy focuses on improving your ability to move your body correctly. It typically involves a specific area of the body, often reducing symptoms like pain or stiffness after an injury or surgery.
OT, on the other hand, focuses on improving your ability to participate independently in meaningful daily activities to help improve quality of life. With OT, the goal is to uncover which tasks are limited and address those that are most important to you first.
How Does Occupational Therapy Work?
During your first OT session, the therapist will talk to you about your goals and limitations and gain a better understanding of what you hope to achieve from therapy. The assessment will help the therapist determine which tasks are most important to you and break down the physical elements required to perform those tasks.
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With OT, the skills you need to perform leisure activities are often the same skills required to perform daily activities. So an occupational therapist might challenge you to a game of chess—knowing that re-learning to grasp the chess pieces will also help you grab the salt and pepper shakers.
Your therapist may also assess your home, workplace and other environments where you spend a lot of time to determine whether adaptive equipment (handrails, shower stools, grabbers and other tools) can help you maintain your independence.
Who Is A Good Candidate For Occupational Therapy?
OT can be invaluable for people of all ages experiencing limitations in their daily activities due to injury, illness, developmental delays, and emotional or physical problems.
If you’re unable to participate in activities that bring you joy, struggle to perform everyday tasks or require assistance in your daily life with things such as preparing meals, dressing yourself or playing bingo, you could be a good candidate for OT.
People who benefit from OT may include:
- Children with developmental delays
- Children with sensory processing challenges
- People who have suffered from an injury that impacts their ability to function
- Seniors who have suffered from a fall
- People who have neurological conditions that impact their ability to perform daily activities
How Can I Get Started With OT?
If you think you might benefit from OT, talk to your primary care provider about your experiences and request a referral. Seeking services for a child or loved one? Accompany them to their provider and share your concerns.
It’s important to remember that limitations are not “normal.” If you’re struggling to perform daily activities, an occupational therapist can help. They will create a customized plan that addresses your personal goals—physical, emotional, mental and social.
With OT, the goal is always to help you regain (or maintain) your independence and participate in the activities you enjoy.
Reviewed by Satish Raman, an occupational therapist at Henry Ford Health. Raman has a master’s degree in occupational therapy and is the supervisor at Henry Ford Rehabilitation – Second Avenue.
