OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational therapy is a allied health care proffesion that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:

• Self-care - getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
• Being productive - going to work or school, participating in the community, and
• Leisure activities - sports, gardening, social activities. 

Occupational Therapists provides individualized, community-based rehabilitation to patients in their homes, workplaces and communities.

Occupational Therapists help people who have been in motor vehicle accidents, work place accidents, or whose abilities are impacted by disability or illness, i.e. patients with neurological, orthopedic, and psychological impairments, including brain injury, repetitive strain injuries, fractures, soft tissue injuries, chronic pain, anxiety and depression.

Our approach combines an understanding of our patient's experience with objective, functional information and medical opinion, to facilitate a meaningful and successful recovery. We provide active-based, goal-driven, patient - centered care that considers the whole person.

Hand Rehabilitation is actually a type of therapy for the people suffering from a condition that is affecting their hands and upper extremities. It is usually performed by an Occupational Therapist. Hand rehabilitation helps the people to regain their normal lifestyle and even helps them to make it a productive one.

Hand therapy can help people who have been affected by any trauma or accident, or if they have  injured tendons or nerves, or even amputations of the fingers, arms or hands.

Hand rehabilitation helps you to recover from severe conditions that ultimately lead to an improved life.

Hand rehabilitation can actually work wonders and can help you to bring your daily normal lifestyle back.  Hand Therapy can be beneficial for: 

• Any kind of hand trauma
• Any ligament or tendon tear/repair
• Infections related to hands
• Any sports injury
• Condition of dislocation or fracture
• Stroke*
• Condition arising out of any neurological disorder
• Experiencing stiffness
• Sensitivity issue
• Post surgery condition
• Reduction in swelling
• Management of scars
• Healing of wounds
• Situation arising from diabetes
• Psychological disorder

An occupational therapist's primary role is to conduct a Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA) or a Functional Abilities Evaluation (FAE) to determine the physical, mental, and medical limitations of an individual's injuries and disabilities.

An Occupational Therapy (OT) Functional Assessment is all about helping you achieve your goals. The assessment works to determine your current level of functioning, what your strengths and weaknesses may be, how you manage on a day-to-day basis and to identify any challenges or gaps that may need to be addressed. 

It can provide recommendations of the supports and services you may need, not only with an OT but also in other areas like speech language pathology, physiotherapy or psychology.

Following the functional assessment, your Occupational Therapist (OT) can make recommendations to increase your independence through therapy goals like developing or enhancing skills, assistive technology or environmental changes, and working towards goals including social and community participation. 

• Management of daily tasks (showering, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, sleep, nutrition etc.) and if there are any challenges that may be impacting your ability to complete these tasks
• Home management skills (meal preparation, shopping, cleaning, laundry, household budgets and bills etc.) and any challenges within your current living situation and supports
• Community management abilities (accessing shops, banks, attending medical or health related appointments etc.) and how you manage this with driving, public transport or supported transport access
• Work and study abilities and whether there are any challenges you experience or short- or long-term goals you would like to set
• Recreational and social engagement skills (exercise, craft, art, music etc.) and how your ability to engage may be impacted, as well as whether you want to engage and your confidence in engaging socially in the community

When the assessment process is completed, you OT will finalise the Functional Assessment report with a summary of your current functional abilities and recommendations for ongoing support, therapy or assistive devices that may increase your independence and help you to achieve your goals.