The role of the Occupational Therapist is to determine what activities of daily living skills (ADL’s) you are having difficulties with and establish goals to improve on your level of independence in these areas.
What are ADL’s? ADL’s include but are not limited to:
- Dressing skills (including manipulating clothing fasteners, tying shoes)
- Grooming and hygiene (brushing teeth, washing face, applying makeup, brushing hair)
- Bathing/Showering
- Feeding yourself
- Household chores
- Work
- Handwriting, computer skills
The Occupational Therapist will interview you and assess your skill levels. The OT will identify your strengths and weaknesses. Based upon your symptoms and strengths the OT will teach you strategies to allow you to continue to do those ADL’s that are important and meaningful to you. Often, the OT will focus on arm movements and fine motor skills to help improve on your ADL’s.
There are also specific exercises that are highly recommended in order to help maintain and improve on your mobility. One of these specific programs is called the LSVT BIG program. At Rehab Specialists we have several PT’s, Physical Therapist Assistants and 1 OT all trained in the LSVT BIG program. This is a specific movement based program to help improve on balance and mobility for those individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. As part of this program the patient can be seen by both OT and PT in a joint effort to improve on both upper extremity and lower extremity movement. The goals are tailored to the individuals needs and wants and are very specific to the patient.
At Rehab Specialists we do offer free consultations. If you would like to discuss your concerns with an Occupational Therapist please feel free to call and schedule a consultation. You may also discuss with your Primary Care Doctor or Neurologist the option to obtain a script for Occupational Therapy.