Have you or an elderly loved one been recommended occupational therapy and want to learn more about what it is and how it works?
In this guide, we’ll explore the different types of occupational therapy, what everyday activities and tasks OT supports, and how occupational therapy can benefit seniors who have injuries, need post-surgery recovery, or chronic condition management.
- What Is Occupational Therapy?
- How Does Occupational Therapy Work?
- Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Older Adults
- How At-Home Occupational Therapy Helps Seniors
What Is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) helps people of all ages regain or improve their ability to handle daily activities and tasks at home or at work after an injury, illness, or disability. Occupational therapy is typically offered in a hospital, rehabilitation facility, or at home by an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant.
What's the Difference Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy?
While occupational therapy and physical therapy (PT) are both focused on increasing mobility, quality of life, and independence, they have different goals.
The primary goal of physical therapy is to restore physical function and mobility. In addition to reducing pain, PT emphasizes strength, balance, range of motion, and endurance. Treatments may include a combination of exercise, stretching, massage, heat, electrical stimulation, or percussive therapy.
The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable or increase participation in meaningful activities, such as getting dressed, completing work tasks, cooking, doing yard work, and re-mastering fine motor skills. In some cases, occupational therapy may incorporate adaptive equipment or assistive technology (e.g. a walker or mobile apps to support communication), as well as updates to the home or work environment (e.g. adding handrails or modified work station).
Where PT typically focuses on physical aspects of function, OT addresses the mental component of regaining function and is often task specific.
Types of Occupational Therapy
There are several different types of occupational therapy available to address unique needs, from recovering from neurological conditions to addressing mental health.
Geriatric
Focused on age-related physical and cognitive declines, geriatric OT focuses on helping older adults maintain independence and keep them as safe as possible. This may include strength and balance exercises, home modifications, memory activities for those with dementia, and more.
Mental Health
This OT specialty addresses mental health challenges by focusing on daily routines and social interaction. This type of occupational therapist can assist in developing coping strategies, enhancing social skills to maintain community, and learning stress management techniques.
Hand Therapy
Some occupational therapists focus on hand and wrist rehab, helping people improve or regain fine motor skills for tasks like writing, getting dressed, and other essential activities. If you or your loved one have carpal tunnel, a hand or wrist fracture, or a tendon injury, you may be referred to a therapist who is OT certified in hand therapy.
Driving Rehabilitation
Designed for elderly individuals, adults recovering from stroke, and others that need to regain safe driving abilities, this type of OT focuses on cognitive skills, coordination, reaction time, and other essential driving skills.
Community Therapy
Community OT takes people outside of traditional clinical locations to provide direction in various community environments. If you or your loved one need support in navigating a return to work, running errands, or other interactive situations, community therapy may provide the right solution.
Neurological
Occupational therapists that specialize in neurological rehab help individuals with conditions including stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Neurological OT may include exercises to improve strength and coordination, strategies to compensate for memory loss, and other customized interventions.
OT with Assistive Technology
Assistive technology (AT) in occupational therapy incorporates devices, equipment, software, and mobile apps to help individuals regain their independence and improve skills that contribute to meaningful participation in life’s activities.
What Health Conditions Does Occupational Therapy Help?
If you or an elderly loved one have certain medical conditions or health risks, occupational therapy may help improve quality of life and reduce the likelihood of future injury. Some of the conditions helped by OT include:
- Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Arthritis
- Brain and spinal cord injuries
- Chronic pain
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
- Diabetes
- Fall prevention
- Heart disease
- Illness, injury, or surgical recovery
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Orthopedic surgery
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke recovery
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Vision problems
How Does Occupational Therapy Work?
Here’s how OT typically works:
- You’ll start with an initial physical assessment provided by an occupational therapist.
- A home safety assessment will be conducted to eliminate hazards and improve the overall safety of your living environment.
- A personalized OT treatment plan will be created, which will include short-term and/or long-term goals. This may be created in partnership with your physician, physical therapist, speech therapist, or other healthcare professionals.
- Your occupational therapist will work with you on the specific exercises or activities needed to support your physical condition and goals. They will typically demonstrate the movement or task before assisting you in completing them yourself.
- In between at-home visits from your occupational therapist, you will probably be encouraged to do specific exercises on your own or with caregiver support.
- Throughout the process, you and your occupational therapist will review progress for your treatment plan and goals. Your exact activities and exercises will be adapted to fit your changing health.
- Once your occupational therapist feels that you have met the treatment plan goals, you will be released from the therapist’s care. They will discuss a potential follow-up schedule and share any symptoms that would indicate a need for additional treatment.
Activities an Occupational Therapist Might Recommend
While under the care of an occupational therapist, there are several categories of exercises and activities that are commonly recommended to older adults.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Bathing/showering, grooming, going to the bathroom
- Dressing, including shoes and outerwear
- Meal preparation and eating
- Medication management
- Transferring in and out of chairs, beds
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
- Household and outside chores
- Community transportation and mobility
- Paying bills, tracking financial information
- Maintaining health and safety elements at home
- Managing home activities
Social Activities and Hobbies
- Focus on fine motor skills for tasks like knitting, card games, playing checkers
- Regaining strength, balance, and mobility for activities that could be unsafe
- Encouraging social engagement for improved mental health
- Memory games and puzzles
Environmental Modifications and Adaptive Strategies
- Changes to your home to improve safety and accessibility
- Training on how to properly use grab bars, shower chairs, adaptive utensils, other support devices
- Pattern detection for those with diminished vision or vision loss
- Recommending and providing training for technology-enabled assistive devices
Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Older Adults
Occupational therapy provides a wide range of practical benefits that enable you or your elderly loved one to remain independent, safe, and engaged in daily life.
Improved Quality of Life
Not being able to do the things that make life comfortable and enjoyable can be frustrating. An occupational therapist helps to minimize these limitations by providing exercises, activities, and movement modifications that enhance quality of life.
Support for Chronic Conditions
If you or a loved one have neurological issues, cardiovascular disease, joint problems, or other chronic conditions, OT addresses changes in health and function. Along with prescribing exercises, occupational therapists offer strategies to compensate for areas of weakness, restricted movement, and pain. As medical needs progress and evolve over time, a therapist can also provide ongoing support to adapt to unique physical and mental changes.
Fall Prevention
Helping seniors reduce the risk of injury or hospitalization due to falls is one of the most important aspects of occupational therapy. OT can also address vision loss, balance issues, neuropathy, sensory deficits, and attention/focus issues that can lead to painful or dangerous falls. Occupational therapists can also help you or your loved one learn how to use assistive devices correctly and safely.
Physical or Mental Strengthening
Increasing physical strength, muscle memory, and cognition can help restore the functionality you or your loved one had prior to injury. This includes strengthening movement patterns related to daily tasks, such as maintaining stability when moving from sitting to standing, reaching, preparing meals, showering, carrying items, and other essential activities.
How At-Home Occupational Therapy Helps Seniors
Since the majority of seniors prefer to age in place, you may already be working with a home care agency for personal care, companion care, memory care, or skilled nursing. The convenience and coordination of care with other in-home services can enhance the overall benefits you or your loved one receive from occupational therapy provided in your home. Here are some ways occupational therapy at home can help support you or your loved one’s needs.
Physical Home Modifications
- Adding grab bars and non-slip mats to your bathroom
- Offering safety solutions for risky areas like the kitchen
- Improving lighting, especially on stairs and entryways
- Eliminating loose rugs and recommending safer furniture placement
Routine and Task Modification
- Demonstrating how to avoid injury or a fall while transferring from bed, the toilet, the shower, or other furniture
- Reorganizing parts of your home to make daily tasks safer and more convenient
- Identifying routines to maintain strength, balance, and mobility
Family and Caregiver Support
- Teaching family caregivers and professional caregivers what movements are safe to do independently
- Demonstrating how to safely assist your loved one in their home without injuring yourself
- Creating consistency of care between occupational therapy, caregivers, and family members
- Outlining potential concerns to look for during your loved one’s recovery
BrightStar Care Can Support Your Occupational Therapy Needs
Because occupational therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all, helping you or your loved one remain independent and safe often requires a comprehensive assessment of the home environment. This helps your occupational therapist provide personalized recommendations for daily needs.
BrightStar Care offers in-home occupational therapy services that can support both temporary and long-term therapy needs. Therapy services can also supplement existing in-home care services, such as personal care, skilled nursing care, and more.
Find a location near you, contact us online, or call (844) 574-1091 to connect with our experienced local care team members.