Occupational Therapy

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AT THE SHOOK REHABILITATION & WELLNESS CENTER

Our muscles go to work every day. They keep us functioning at home, in the workplace, and enjoying the activities we love. We can strengthen them through exercise, but lifting weights won’t help stiff hands open a prescription bottle, or coax an injured arm into lifting a 20-pound box.

Occupational therapy fills the breach. In OT, our bodies learn – or relearn — how to perform the basic tasks of daily life and work. While physical therapy addresses deficiencies in our large movements, OT zeroes in on the tasks essential to independence, so our muscles, joints, and mind work in harmony to restore functionality.

At the Shook Rehabilitation & Wellness Center, our goal is helping patients live as freely and independently as possible.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EXPLAINED

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

OT is therapy to enhance engagement in the meaningful activities of daily life, such as self-care, school, work, and socializing. Patients strive for their highest possible levels of functional abilities in such daily tasks as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, and toileting.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Anyone struggling with limitations on movement and functioning is a potential patient. The Shook Rehabilitation & Wellness Center serves clients ages 18 and up, helping not just the elderly but also younger adults perform at their best.

WHAT CONDITIONS DOES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREAT?

OT is effective for a vast range of conditions and circumstances. They include urinary incontinence, vision ailments such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, pain from muscle shortness and tightness, dementia, and upper-body pain and dysfunction. OT can teach proper body mechanics for jobs demanding lifting, pushing, or pulling. It can ease the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome caused by constant typing or other repetitive movements.

HOW DOES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AID THE ELDERLY?

Many of the daily functions of life are essential to maintaining independence. OT can help the elderly regain the strength to open bottles, and the capabilities to lift a spoonful of soup from bowl to mouth. Those dealing with cognitive impairments from dementia or stroke can benefit from memory exercises and step-by-step lessons on such basics as using a stove and getting dressed

THE SHOOK REHABILITATION & WELLNESS CENTER DIFFERENCE

The Shook Rehabilitation & Wellness Center’s occupational therapy offers personalized, customized care, delivered in a comfortable setting. We offer:

  • Careful evaluation: Doctors don’t always know the difference between types of therapies. They might prescribe physical therapy when OT, as a stand-alone treatment or adjunct to PT, is actually called for. We conduct thorough evaluations to find the root of the problems and deliver the most effective therapies.
  • Holistic approach: Our team of occupational, physical, and speech therapists works in unison, for the unique needs of each patient. Our treatment plans incorporate Shook Home’s comprehensive resources to address each deficit and restore clients to maximum functionality.
  • Family education and training: A strong family support system assures that therapy continues in all settings, from Shook Home to the patient’s own residence. The Shook Rehabilitation & Wellness Center’s therapists teach family members how to provide care that’s appropriate to the needs and capabilities of their loved ones. Whether they learn transfer techniques or memory prompts, family members build the strength to cope with daily demands and help their loved ones through the journey of recovery.