Occupational therapy at Integrated Physical Therapy Services, Inc. helps people participate in meaningful and purposeful activities of daily life. The term occupation in this case refers to any activity that occupies an individual’s time. For example, a child in grade school has the occupations of learning and playing. A young or middle-aged adult may need to relearn how to write after a traumatic injury, complete chores at home or return to work responsibilities. A senior may want to continue driving safely in order to stay active in the community. All of these daily life activities are occupations, and participating in them is vital to maintaining overall health and wellness.
Occupational therapy enhances an individual's ability to participate in activities of daily living (ADLs) by strengthening the patient’s physical ability to accomplish the activities, modifying the environment or adapting certain challenging activities to better enhance participation.
At Integrated Physical Therapy Services, Inc., we look at the “big picture” when it comes to occupational therapy. For instance, we:
- Seek to understand the importance of a patient’s activity
- Analyze the physical, mental & social components of the activity
- Adapt the activity, environment and/or person so the activity can be resumed
The American Occupational Therapy Association identifies the following areas of occupation for adults:
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Bathing, showering
- Toileting and toilet hygiene
- Dressing
- Swallowing/eating
- Feeding
- Functional mobility/transfers
- Personal device care
- Personal hygiene and grooming
- Sexual activity
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
- Care of others
- Care of pets
- Child rearing
- Communication management
- Driving and community mobility
- Financial management
- Health management and maintenance
- Home establishment and managements
- Meal preparation and cleanup
- Religious and spiritual activities and expression
- Safety and emergency maintenance
- Shopping
Rest and sleep
- Rest
- Sleep preparation
- Sleep participation
Work
- Employment interests and pursuits
- Employment seeking and acquisition
- Job performance
- Retirement preparation and adjustment
- Volunteer exploration
- Volunteer participation
Play
- Play exploration
- Play participation
Leisure
- Leisure exploration
- Leisure participation
Social participation
- Community
- Family
- Peer, friend
Contact Us if you have a question about occupational therapy or would like to schedule an appointment with an occupational therapist.