You’ve probably heard the term occupational therapy before, but do you actually know what it is? We’ll tell you one thing – it doesn’t just have to do with your occupation! Although occupational therapists can help individuals with tasks related to their job, it’s much more than that. Keep reading to find out exactly what occupational therapy is and how it can help individuals who suffer from a wide variety of illnesses or diseases in their everyday lives.
What exactly is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a unique form of therapy that focuses on both the mind and body. Unlike physical therapy, which you may be more familiar with, occupational therapy helps individuals whose lives have been altered by diseases or accidents to regain their daily activities. Sounds simple, right? Well, it goes much deeper than that. This form of therapy focuses on giving an individual meaning in their lives, through a variety of tactics that give them independence and encourage growth.
Like we said before, it doesn’t have as much to do with one’s occupation; instead, it focuses on one’s quality of life. This therapy helps individuals with all of the things they could “occupy” themselves with, like taking care of themselves physically, working in a job environment, activities for enjoyment, and pretty much anything else you could fill your day with.
How does an occupational therapist help?
It can be hard to understand exactly how an occupational therapist can help a person do all of the things we mentioned previously. That’s because this type of therapist helps individuals with their entire lives, not just specific skill sets.
Occupational therapists help individuals overcome their illnesses or diseases in order to live a meaningful and full life. By taking into account the limitations of an individual’s disease or illness, occupational therapists seek to improve the lives of their patients through a variety of tactics. These tactics can include adapting their home environments, helping to overcome their condition mentally, and much, much more.
Who can benefit from occupational therapy?
This form of therapy is suitable for a wide range of diseases and illnesses, as well as for patients of any age. Young children whose lives are affected by mental conditions, as well as older individuals in nursing homes, and everyone in between can benefit from occupational therapy.
Who is everyone in between?
More than just individuals who are facing a physical disability, people who are facing depression or anxiety can also benefit. Patients who have undergone big surgeries with lots of recovery time may also benefit from an occupational therapist’s help.
Let us help with your occupational therapy needs!
Finding the right physical therapist for you or a family member doesn’t have to be a struggle. At the Brian Center of Durham, our occupational therapy in Durham focuses on individualized evaluations and client-centered treatment plans. We help our patients receiving both outpatient and inpatient therapy learn and get re-adjusted.
Learn more about our occupational therapy today!