Occupational Therapy & Wellness and Healing

Occupational Therapy is a health, wellness, and rehabilitation profession dedicated to the maximization of performance and function across the lifespan so that individuals can live to their fullest. The holistic approach taken by occupational therapists is particularly useful and successful in areas of wellness, health promotion and prevention.

Occupational Therapy is a health profession that helps the individual patient or family member develop skills needed for day-to-day activities when these abilities have been limited by injury, illness, chronic disease, mental health problems, the impacts of getting older or other health factors.

The Occupational Therapist uses a number of approaches to help meet the individual’s needs, including but not limited to:

  • Implementing a therapy program and a home exercise program
  • Introducing alternative ways of doing things
  • Providing strategies and techniques that support independence in areas of dressing, grooming, bathing, meal preparation and feeding, transfers such as in/out bed/toilet and much more!
  • Modifying the environment
  • Task modification strategies
  • Energy conservation techniques
  • Recommending  assistive devices
  • Fall prevention education
  • Balance re-training
  • Coping strategies
  • Caregiver support and education

Together with the Occupational Therapist, the individual will be able to find solutions that will allow them to:

  • Maintain function so they can continue to maximize functional abilities within the home and prevent injuries and complications
  • Regain skills after an illness or injury in order to return to their prior level of function
  • Develop new skills when illness, disability or other health issues interfere with normal  skill acquisition

This is all accomplished through an in-depth assessment of the individual’s needs, skills, limitations, environment and support system.

The goal of the Occupational Therapist is to provide solutions that help the individual to improve and maintain a quality of life.

Rita provides occupational therapy(OT) sessions in her private practice, and also  provides OT services in the community in the home visit setting. In her private practice she does integrate manual skills into her treatments when appropriate, along with myofascial release techniques.

  • MD Prescription is required
  • Initial Evaluation
  • Some out of network insurances accepted
  • Medicare Part B in some cases accepted

Occupational Therapy and injury Prevention & Wellness in the Workplace:

The connection between health and work is paramount. If one loses their health, they also lose their ability to work.

As an occupational therapist I support injury prevention and health promotion within the workplace and consider an employee’s health of essential value within the company.

I also support the employer’s position of cost effectiveness. As an occupational therapist, I am an expert in modification and adaptation restructuring in alignment with little to no cost to the employer. There are many strategies that can be implemented to accomplish these goals of injury prevention in the workplace, and I am qualified and prepeared to supply these opportunities for the benefit of the employee in the workplace environment.

The role of the occupational therapist in the practice of prevention and wellness is supported by evidence and practice outcomes.

The strategies to promote wellness and prevention in the workplace include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Risk Analysis & Assessment
  2. Workstation modifications (without new equipment)
  3. Education in areas as follows:
    1. Postural Re-education
    2. Positioning Techniques
    3. Healthy Lifestyle
    4. Stress Reduction & Relaxation
    5. Rest breaks
    6. Stretching
    7. Self-treatment
  4. Injury Prevention training
  5. Body Mechanics Training

SERVICES PROVIDED

Orientation training

Explanation of purpose and components of the Repetitive Strain (RSI) Prevention Program & overview of RSI.

“ The top priority of any Injury Prevention Program is to recognize and deal with RSI symptoms as easily as possible, so that minor problems do not develop into chronic problems.”

Targeted RSI Training

  • Detailed RSI sessions through power points and educational tools

Supervisory training

  • Observation of the ‘high risk’ population, work expectations, ergonomic knowledge of employees’ workstations, cultural understanding, and proper education for RSI

Reduce Body vulnerability

  • This may be accomplished through literature and onsite RSI training

Foster Good Work Habits & Behavior

  • Highly valued for its long term affects and thereby assist minimizing risks of RSI