April is Occupational Therapy Month and Imago Rehab only provides innovative and effective occupational therapy to adults with stroke. Our therapy team is here to answer your burning questions like “what is OT?” and “why do I need occupational therapy if I already have a job?” Let’s get started:

What is Occupational Therapy?

A medical profession that focuses on the recovery of an individual after an illness, injury, or disability with intentions of incorporating unique client goals, roles, routines, and contexts. The OT practitioner is also called an “OTP” which encompasses both occupational therapists and certified occupational therapy assistants.

Who does an occupational therapist treat?

Everyone! Any person with an illness, injury, or disability in physical, cognitive, mental, or social context may work with an occupational therapist.

What ages do occupational therapists work with?

All ages! OTs work with people across the lifespan, birth to death.

What settings do occupational therapists work?

Most healthcare and community settings. OTs work in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, in-home, schools, community centers, group homes, outpatient facilities, mental health facilities, and even from their own homes via telehealth!

OT? Do you mean PT?

No. Physical therapists work on getting people stronger, progressing their mobility, and improving their movement. Occupational therapists may also address these important factors in our clients, but we add functional components to the mix by focusing on specific life skills as both the “how” and the “why” of our treatment. For example, we may help someone re-learn how to put their pants on after a stroke using both their stronger and their weaker arm. This treatment plan may also include strengthening muscles and improving endurance, as an example of where OT and PT overlap. For PT the physical part is the MAIN focus, but for OT, our end goal is to make sure our patient has pants on and they remembered to incorporate their weaker arm, and that they can do it on their own.

“I don’t need occupational therapy, I already have a job.”

Yes, an occupation is also a synonym for someone’s job or profession. However, in OT, an occupation is considered ANYTHING that occupies your time. Occupations are broken into 9 categories, activities of daily living (dressing/bathing/etc.), instrumental activities of daily living (cooking/cleaning/etc.), social participation, education, work, leisure, play, sleep/rest, and health management. So you may have a job, but you might not be functioning at your best when talking about all of your daily occupations.

So there you have it…a crash course on the distinct value of occupational therapy. Stay tuned for an upcoming feature on all of our unique and highly skilled Imago Rehab OTPs. If you have had a stroke and are looking for a new approach to upper limb rehabilitation, please give us a call or click today: 617-671-0789 or www.imagorehab.com. We also have bi-weekly community groups for socialization and support and would love to have you join us.