OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

OVERVIEW :

Occupational therapy practitioners focus on “achieving health, well-being, and participation in life and address training in self-care skills; training in the use of adaptive equipment, compensatory techniques, and environmental modifications; and behavioral and mental health issues.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Remediating instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) related to the patient’s discharge environment, such as preparing a meal or managing one’s home or finances
• Training in functional mobility, such as how to prepare a meal while using an ambulatory device
• Preparing the client and family for community reintegration (as appropriate for the client’s discharge site) with activities such as public dining or emergency response management
• Assessing the need for and recommending potential home modifications and safety equipment to reduce barriers and promote safe functioning upon discharge
• Exploring adaptations and compensatory strategies for return to volunteer or paid employment
• Assessing current leisure skills to determine whether modifications are needed to continue participation and / or assisting with exploring new leisure pursuits
• Teaching functional mobility, including using an ambulatory device and / or transfers to different surfaces, such as a bed, chair, toilet, or shower in order to perform self-care and personal tasks; and training in wheelchair mobility and safety appropriate for the resident’s level of cognition and perception
• Remediating or enhancing IADLs, such as ability to use the telephone or the emergency staff call system
• Teaching residents with cognitive and perceptual deficits in compensatory techniques to maximize abilities in areas such as attention span, orientation, sequencing, and / or memory
• Teaching residents with low vision how to maximize their remaining vision and enhance safety through compensatory techniques, environmental modifications, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment
• Instructing residents and caregivers in techniques to improve positioning, reduce the need for restraints, and maintain skin integrity
• Modifying the environment and adapting tasks for safety (e.g., falls prevention, fatigue management)
• Educating caregivers on ways to enhance function and preserve dignity by using the remaining abilities of adults with dementia
• Providing opportunities for engagement in meaningful activities despite client limitations

QUALIFICATIONS :