Occupational Therapy
When many people hear the word "occupation," they think it means "getting a job." Although Occupational Therapists (OT's) can help with returning to work, they tend to deal with activities you do every day; Activities of Daily Living (ADL's). With the brain injured individual, the occupational therapist works on high-level thinking skills to increase independence such as time management, decision-making, meal preparation and planning, work return activities, and more. Their therapy may also include routine tasks such as dressing, grooming and eating.
Occupational Therapy services are provided in both individual and group sessions. The focus of the sessions is on providing the patients with structured and organized tasks to improve overall functional abilities. Activities presented address deficits in basic or advanced cognitive processing, activities of daily living, visual perceptual skills, ocular motor skills, upper extremity function, strength and endurance as related to functional tasks.The Occupational Therapist also addresses leisure skills and psychosocial concerns during group sessions. Cooking sessions are completed in our ADL kitchen to address safety and hygiene related to this functional task.
During both group and individual sessions, activities are graded to each person's ability and goals. Group sessions allow the clients to practice social interaction skills. Groups also provide clients an opportunity to increase self-awareness and attention/concentration skills while learning and then using a variety of compensatory strategies. Individual sessions are provided to further address deficits noted and to practice compensatory strategies as deemed necessary by the treating therapist.
The occupational therapist is also responsible for the implementation and use of the Brain Train Volume 3 computer software program and Nintendo Wii gaming system.