Occupational Therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession designed to help people regain and develop skills important for health, well-being, security, and happiness. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who, because of physical, development, social, and/or emotional deficits need specialized assistance in learning skills to enable them to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives. People with persistent mental illness often exhibit substantial functional deficits and a breakdown in the organization of routines and habits. Through goal-directed activity in a structured environment, occupational therapy helps focus an individual's use of time, energy, interest, and action, to develop adaptive skills to bring each individual to his or her optimum level of functional independence. Skill Groups for Successful Community Living Many of our clients lack experience in the daily living skills needed to be successful in the community. Some of the therapeutic groups we might have would be: General Living Skills, Household Management, Money Management, Assertiveness, Anger Management, Stress Management, Problem Solving, Cooking, Substance Abuse Recovery, Wellness Spirituality, Coping Skills, Social Skills, and Community Living. We use the ACL (Allen Cognitive Level) screening to identify the client's cognitive functioning level, problem-solving skills, and frustration tolerance. We also us other standardized assessment tools to identify specific needs and skills. This data along with a client interview helps us in making recommendations for service. Physical Dysfunction These are services for the physical rehabilitation of our clients and may include eating or feeding assessments and the provision of adaptive equipment to facilitate independence at mealtime. We make a significant contribution to the comfort of our clients through body positioning which may include bed positioning to prevent contractures and bed sores or wheelchair assessments to keep clients as independent as possible. Some of our clients may have arthritis or a hand injury and require hand splints, soft splints, and exercises to prevent further deformity and provide comfort. We provide ADL and homemaking self care assessments, contribute to the client's safety by providing bed and chair alarms, and encourage client independence by providing a variety of other adaptive equipment. |
|
Cherry Hospital - Department of Health & Human Services - Division of MH/DD/SAS Updated 9/15/2008 |
