Occupational Therapy In- Action

jwilliamsot
Jun 8
5 min read

What does occupational therapy (OT) look like in action? Read below to see the many faces of occupational therapy!

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to give you all an update on what we are up to and highlight some fun cases I have been working on over the past few months.

First of all, May marked 5 years in business!!! I am not sure where the time has gone! It has been a whirlwind of learning how to run a business as an occupational therapist, keeping up with insurance changes, and having so much fun with all of my clients! The clients and other colleagues in the healthcare field are the highlight of my work!

I wanted to highlight a few recent OT sessions, but first, here is a brief recap on what occupational therapy is.....

The field of occupational therapy (OT) is so broad that it can be challenging to understand precisely what OT entails. The field of occupational therapy (OT) is centered on the concept of "occupation". Occupations refer to the day-to-day tasks we all do that bring meaning and joy to our lives. Occupations can look different for everyone. Occupations can refer to the basic activities we do, such as getting dressed, taking a shower, and making lunch. However, most people have individual occupations that include activities important to them or that bring them joy. For example, I have a client who loves embroidery, and it brings her joy to work on embroidery projects - it is one of her "occupations".

In short, Occupational therapy refers to the things that you Need to do, Want to do, and Have to do. Occupational therapists help people of all ages find ways to do those things, which is pretty cool!

See below for a few examples of what occupational therapy (OT) looks like in real life for the older adult population.

#1 - Home Modifications.

Meet client A. We will call her Alice. Alice has Parkinson's disease. She was having trouble getting up and down from her recliner. When she would reach back, it was hard to find the armrest, and it would throw her off balance. I suggested a "couch cane". The couch cane sits higher than the arm of her chair, helping her get up and down. One complication of Parkinson's disease is that it can impact visual spatial awareness. Meaning, sometimes Alice would have a hard time telling when she was lined up with the chair. To help, I added a blue box on the floor using painters' tape to indicate when she is in the right spot and safe to sit down. These are examples of low-tech home modifications that can help people perform daily tasks, such as making transfers a little easier and safer.

#2 - Leisure Activities

Client B is teaching me how to make a wreath!

Meet client B, "Betty". Betty also has Parkinson's disease. One of her favorite pastimes is making wreaths. She would make them for all seasons and give them to family and friends. Changes from parkinsons have made this hobby more difficult, and she had not made a wreath in a few years. We began working on this wreath as an occupational therapy (OT) goal. She found it to be a great exercise for her hands and arms, and most importantly, it is fun!

“Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health.” Mary Reilly, EdD

#3 - What about exercise? Is exercise an "occupation"

Client C "Charlie" has been having some changes in mobility due to some health conditions like diabetes and back pain. As a result, he has been gaining weight and has been feeling down. He identified that it is hard to get out and exercise, and walking is hard for him. One day, I arrived at his house for our weekly visit, and he had a rowing machine! He had ordered from Amazon but was unsure how to use it or get on and off it. We spent one session moving the machine around the house and finding a spot where it would be accessible, but not in the way. We ended up placing it between a wall and a large armchair, which he could use to get up and down from the machine easily. The next visit focused on how to use the features of the machine. For Charlie, exercise was his goal, and OT helped him find a way to do it safely.

#4 - Adaptive Equipment

Client D "David" has injuries to both of his shoulders and his right wrist that make using a knife difficult. OT recommended a rocker knife. Rocker knives are designed to help people cut food using one hand. There are several styles available. Together, we looked on amazon.com and determined this style of rocker knife would be good to try. So far, he is really liking this knife and reports that it makes cutting and eating easier. As you can see in the picture above, you can hold the knife at different angles. You can use the rocking motion to cut, and you can use the knife to help scoop food onto your fork or spoon. This was an easy modification that made the day-to-day task of eating easier! That's a win!

#5 - Meal Prep - Dessert Anyone?

Meet client E "Ellie". Ellie has dementia, and some of her old hobbies have become difficult. She was a very active woman, and now that things are more difficult, she is bored! The focus of our OT sessions was to find fun activities that are easy to do. Ellie has a major sweet tooth, and we found that she loves to dip fruit in chocolate. It's a quick and easy activity that's both fun and delicious! It took a little trial and error to find an activity that was a "just right challenge"- not too easy or too hard. But ended up finding that this is a fun and easy activity for her caregivers to do with her, and she enjoys it.

In closing

As you can see, OT can take different forms for different individuals. If you or someone you know is struggling to do the things they Need to do, Have to do, or Want to do - reach out to your occupational therapist! Thank you all for your support over the past 5 years! A special thank you to all of my clients who teach me so many cool things!

Thank you for reading!

Jenny Williams, OTD