How Occupational Therapy Can Help after a Stroke.
A few months ago, a young woman attending one of our workshops raised her hand and said,
"You say I should stand up ask for the services that I need and my family needs. It's really not so much that I am afraid to speak up. I just don't know what services are available. How can I say, 'Joe needs occupational therapy,' when I don't really know what occupational therapy is or what it would do for him? In your next workshops, could you please add something on what kind of services are out there."
So, we did.
Occupational Therapists are trained in helping people lead as independent a life as possible. Occupational therapists can help individuals who have survived a stroke to regain skills and do the activities they need to do on a daily basis. An occupational therapist would focus on helping the person improve in the following areas:
- Training the person in self care activities: getting dressed, bathing, eating, dressing, transferring from the bed, chair and/or wheelchair, and preparing meals. This may include the recommendation of equipment for the home that can help the person complete the tasks.
- Training the family in how to help the person in his or her self care activities and in the use of the splints and adaptive equipment
- Make splints to hold the affected hand in a proper position and help it regain function if possible.
- Evaluate the home for safety hazards an adapt the home by removing hazards that could cause further injury.
- Build a person’s physical endurance and strength
- Help the person learn how to compensate for vision and memory loss
- Provide activities that help rebuild his or her confidence and self-esteem.
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