Written by: Aundrea Steenblock, OTD, OTR

Who’s an occupational therapist?

Occupational therapists play a key role within the rehabilitation of stroke survivors. The first role of occupational therapy in stroke recovery is to assist stroke survivors regain independence in on a regular basis activities. Depending on the severity of the stroke, the occupational therapist (OT) will work with the survivor, caregiver, and/or family to ascertain goals which can be meaningful to the survivor. Goals should be measurable and time-bound.

Occupational therapists are a part of a multi-faceted team. They work primarily with physical therapists and speech therapists to assist stroke survivors achieve their goals. OTs also work with doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, nursing assistants, dietitians, etc. to advertise one of the best possible and holistic look after stroke survivors.

Examples of activities through which OT can assist an individual after a stroke:

OTs want to satisfy their client within the recovery phase. Immediately after a stroke, the survivor might have help dressing and bathing. After a period of recovery and participation in rehabilitation services, the survivor may give you the chance to regain independence through IADLs similar to cooking, grocery shopping, and even driving.

What do occupational therapists concentrate on?

Along with helping stroke survivors gain independence of their each day activities, OTs also produce other specialties through which they assist stroke survivors. These areas include:

Vision loss or distortion is common after a stroke. OT can assist discover visual deficits and proper them using interventional techniques. A stroke specialist will likely refer you to an ophthalmologist for a proper evaluation of your vision deficits.

OTs are upper limb experts. If a stroke survivor’s coordination, strength, range of motion, or sensation within the arms is affected after a stroke, then OT will help the stroke survivor regain arm function. OTs use a wide range of treatments to assist a survivor regain shoulder function.

Cognitive changes are common after a stroke. An OT will evaluate a stroke survivor for cognitive changes that affect their independence and safety in on a regular basis tasks. Based on this assessment, the OT will provide interventions to deal with the identified deficits.

Some OTs concentrate on driver rehabilitation. A stroke survivor could also be formally assessed for road safety and should be given specific driving recommendations based on his or her skills.

Where can an occupational therapist help someone who has had a stroke?

OTs can assist stroke survivors recuperate in a wide range of settings. A stroke survivor will likely be assessed by a specialist physician immediately after she or he has had a stroke and remains to be within the hospital. Based on this assessment, your orthopedic surgeon will recommend that you just proceed your OT treatment in a rehabilitation hospital, subacute center, at home, or in an outpatient setting. Some stroke survivors must attend an intensive rehabilitation program in a rehabilitation hospital or intensive care unit after suffering a stroke. The specialist will then recommend home care or outpatient follow-up in order that the stroke survivor can proceed to attain their goals.

A couple of conclusions from OT

Occupational therapy is a very important a part of recovery for anyone who has suffered a stroke. OTs need to help survivors achieve goals which can be meaningful to them. Some necessary conclusions about participating in occupational therapy:

• Work along with your OT to establish meaningful goals. Your goals needs to be aligned along with your recovery process, and it is vital to be on the identical page as your OT. Examples of serious goals:
  • “To give you the chance to carry my grandson in my arms.”
  • “To give you the chance to take the dog for a walk.”
  • “To give you the chance to bake my specialty, homemade cakes.”
• To have patience while trying to attain your goals while recovering from a stroke. It takes time to attain your goals after a stroke.
• Repeating is crucial in recovery from stroke. Although interventions after a stroke could seem repetitive, it helps the brain remodel itself to operate at a greater efficiency.
• There isn’t a goal too small. Start with small, achievable goals, then expand your recovery process to incorporate goals that originally seemed unattainable. Examples of achievable goals:
  • “Eat alone with a spoon.”
  • “To give you the chance to decorate myself.”
  • “Give you the option to get in and away from bed independently.”