Occupational therapy is slightly different from similar therapies, like physical therapy, in that OT helps your elderly family member to develop safe independence. Before she became ill or injured, this was likely one of her biggest goals. It still can be.
Help with Fall Prevention
Fall prevention is incredibly important, especially if your elderly family member has experienced a recent injury or surgery. Occupational therapists can help your senior to learn techniques and tips for walking safely throughout her home. They may even recommend specific tools and devices that can help.
Educate Her about Using Assistive Devices
Using assistive devices can be intimidating for many aging adults. They’re not always something that’s intuitive to use properly. In fact, your elderly family member may try to avoid using them because she’s not using them properly and therefore not getting the benefits she wants. Using assistive devices properly can help her to build her stamina and can help in the battle against falling.
Develop a Plan for Increasing Strength
Your senior’s strength may be an issue now, too. Her occupational therapist can assess where your senior is right now and develop a plan for her to increase her strength gradually. This plan is definitely going to take time but sticking with it will show her results that enable her to feel safer in her own home.
Work on Mobility Issues
Mobility therapy itself is part of occupational therapy. Once your senior’s occupational therapist understands where her greatest mobility challenges are, they can work together to put together a detailed plan for adding exercise and therapeutic movement to your senior’s day. This can allow her to regain lost mobility and improve even from where she was prior to her illness or injury.
Teach Your Senior How to Conserve Her Energy
When your elderly family member is spending her energy wisely, she’s going to be better able to tend to the things that she needs and wants to be doing. That can be incredibly important when she’s still healing. Occupational therapists can help your senior to find and to learn the techniques that are going to best help her to conserve her energy properly.
Your elderly family member may only need occupational therapy for a short time, or she may need help for a longer period of time. Regardless, these and other types of assistance are something that home health care providers can find for your senior as she needs that help.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Williamstown, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Attentive Care Inc. 1-800-493-5660