Occupational Therapy at All Ages
Occupational Therapy (OT) allows people of all ages to participate and thrive in daily activities. Occupational therapy intervention integrates everyday life activities (occupations) to promote well being, health, and a person’s ability to participate in important activities and experiences in their lives. Additionally, occupational therapy is used for individuals that struggle with physical, sensory, cognitive, and emotional challenges. With the aid of OT, individuals are able to regain independence and self-care to live a fulfilling and rewarding life.
What is an OT/What do they do?
With the help and guide of an occupational therapist, individuals of all ages are able to achieve optimal performance and participation in everyday activities. Occupational therapists will utilize different assessments and evaluations to determine the best practice for their patient. In addition, an OT will work with the family to discuss goals, “design a custom intervention, or plan, that will help the person perform their everyday activities” (Barrell, 2020), and closely monitor the success of the individual to make any necessary changes to their plan. An occupational therapist may also evaluate an individual’s home or work space, and suggest any ways to improve those spaces or suggest specific equipment for their goals. With the help of an OT, success and growth in meaningful activities are amplified through activities, suggestions, and practices.
Occupational Therapy for Children
As stated previously, occupational therapy is utilized for all ages. For some children, it is necessary to incorporate OT in order to improve motor function or self-help skills. These practices are different for each child, as their delay or motor issue varies.
It is integral for occupational therapists to work on skills such as social emotional regulation, fine motor skills, and adaptive skills, when working with children.Some examples of these practices include learning emotions, working on grasping/releasing items and handwriting, enhancing hand-eye coordination, and working on basic life skills such as brushing teeth, getting dressed and self-feeding (Pattaravoratham, 2023). With the help of an occupational therapist, children are able to enhance their skills and meet their needs for everyday tasks.
Occupational Therapy for Adults
Occupational therapy for adults can be a different process than for children. In some cases, adults receive occupational therapy to re-gain strength and the ability to perform everyday tasks that may have been impaired due to an illness, stroke, surgeries, or chronic pain. Some examples of OT for adults include learning how to use assistive devices, managing medication regimen, and providing rehabilitation for adults who need help with balance, memory and speech, and strengthening muscles (Pattaravoratham, 2023). The integration of occupational therapy can help to improve fine motor skills, cognitive skills, visual-perceptual skills and sensory-processing difficulties, leading to a better quality of life.
Conclusion
Occupational therapy is utilized at all ages for a variety of individuals. With the help of an occupational therapist, children and adults can receive proper care and practices to help improve their everyday lives. In all, OT is helpful for individuals facing sensory, cognitive, or physical challenges, as it enables them to regain their strength and independence across various aspects of their life. Occupational Therapists are “skilled in assessing the impact of developmental, physical and mental health conditions on a person’s ability to participate in activities” (Bolt, 2019) that are necessary and important to them. Our world is lucky to have such an incredible team of occupational therapists, who help people in all conditions all over the globe.
Articles
Barrell, A. (2020, April 28). Occupational therapy: What it is, who it treats, and more. Medical
News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-is-occupational-therapy
Bolt, M., Ikking, T., Baaijen, R., & Saenger, S. (2019). Occupational therapy and primary care.
Primary health care research & development, 20, e27. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423618000452
Pattaravoratham, S. (2024, September 20). Occupational therapy - benefits for children and
adults. MedPark Hospital. https://www.medparkhospital.com/en-US/lifestyles/occupational-therapy-benefits-for-children-and-adults
