Friendship Village of Bloomington is home to one of top-rated health care centers in the country. We take great pride in being able to accommodate the needs of our residents, providing them with the care and support they need to live comfortably and independently. Quality of life is essential to independent living, especially at our community here in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Occupational therapy is one of the many health care services we provide for our residents, though many of them may be unfamiliar with it at first. Learn more about what occupational therapy is and how it can help you lead a more independent and fulfilling life.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is about promoting independence and productivity. Much like physical therapy, it is hands-on care aimed at improving your movement, mobility and function. But where the two types of therapy differ is that occupational therapy is a more holistic approach. Whereas physical therapy may focus on strengthening your knee, occupational therapy takes it a step further and identifies what daily tasks you perform with that knee. The goal of occupational therapy is to maximize your ability to perform daily tasks at the greatest level of independence.
Older adults, especially those recovering from an injury or surgery, managing pain or living with a neurological, joint, hand, developmental or psychological condition often turn to occupational therapy to improve the skills necessary to complete activities of daily life.
What does an occupational therapist do?
The first thing an occupational therapist does is get to know you. The more they know about you and your specific set of circumstances, the better equipped they are to help you. Whether you are suffering from arthritis or recovering from a stroke, an occupational therapist develops a program tailored to your individual needs. Their adaptive strategies and modifications are designed to improve functional independence until your goals are achieved.
Here are three common conditions occupational therapy can help older adults address, with the end goal of guiding them towards functioning at their highest possible level.
Dementia
When caring for an older adult with dementia, the focus is often on their disabilities, rather than their remaining abilities. Occupational therapy takes a different approach. The occupational therapist’s goal is to develop opportunities for people with dementia to be active and engaged in their daily activities, ensuring the highest quality of life. By analyzing the affected person’s current cognitive level, an occupational therapist can develop a plan that taps into their best ability to function in all aspects of life, from everyday mobility to leisure activities.
Chronic Pain
If you are living with chronic pain, occupational therapy can help you cope with and manage it. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts more than a month, which is often a warning sign that you could be dealing with arthritis, an injury or a disorder. The pain and the stress from having to live with it can have a significant impact on your ability to function. An occupational therapist will evaluate the impact of your chronic pain on activities of daily life and your quality of life, developing strategies to help redirect that pain so it interferes less with your everyday tasks.
Range of Motion
Your hips, knees and shoulders are critical to performing activities of daily life. Your ability to move each of the joints in your body is referred to as range of motion. With limited or impaired range of motion, you can begin to lose your ability to function independently. Occupational therapy is an approach to maintaining or improving your range of motion, which in turn enables you to perform everyday tasks at your greatest level of independence. An occupational therapist will identify your current level of mobility and tailor a program to best address your needs, utilizing a variety of therapeutic exercises, activities and techniques.
Our occupational therapy team can help you live independently
It is no secret that the people who choose independent living value their independence. At Friendship Village of Bloomington, we understand that. More importantly, our occupational therapy team understands how important independence is to our residents, which is why they are here to help you live your life to the fullest. If you have an illness or condition that is limiting your ability to perform everyday tasks, talk to our occupational therapists about developing a plan to take back control of your life and live as independently as possible.
If you’d like to get more information on Friendship Village of Bloomington Health Services or about our community, fill out the form below or call us at 952-831-7500.