Occupational Therapy

The field of occupational therapy employs highly educated therapists at the college level who are state board certified by passing a national exam, licensed to perform the job. OT assistants must have a two-year associates degree in occupational therapy. These therapists pinpoint movement and flexibility concerns in patients from the waist upwards. The OT helps you gain enough movement and flexibility to participate in daily living, school, events, jobs, and social situations.

This therapist assesses and intervenes to develop an individualized plan of care with set goals to reach your highest level of functioning Occupational therapy helps you recover quicker so that you can continue meaningful activities. This therapist works closely with those who have mental health problems, impairments, disabilities, and injuries. Some OTs obtain more training focusing on specific types of treatment such as:

• Low vision
• Hand therapy
• Working exclusively with children or seniors

The Objectives of Occupational Therapy

• Teaches you how to adapt
• Use assistive devices when needed and ordered
• Teaches various alternative movements to accomplish tasks
• Teaches independence at the highest level of functioning possible
• Eat without help from others
• Job training and how to adapt on the job
• Perform personal hygiene tasks
• Perform common household chores
• Teaches activity involvement

Approaches an OT Specialist May Take

• Retrain you to change your known movements
• Increase your ability for eye-hand coordination
• Improve motor skills
• Provide tools to make life easier such as raised toilet seats, wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs
• Teaches you how to button, tie, shower, bathe
• Teaches fall prevention
• Improve balance by building muscle strength
• Works with behavioral issues
• Trains administration of medications

When Do You Need Occupational Therapy?

If you find you are struggling to complete simple everyday tasks you probably would benefit greatly from the help that an OT professional has to offer. There are a multitude of health problems that necessitate the services of an OT professional. These health problems can be short-term or chronic long-term issues, such as:

• Chronic and debilitating arthritis, juvenile arthritis
• Stroke
• Brain injuries
• Closed head injuries
• Joint replacements
• Poor balance
• Low vision
• Spinal cord injuries
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• MS
• CP
• Cancer
• Mental health disabilities
• Behavior issues
• Autism
• Birth defects
• ADHD
• Burn victims and more

Where Do You Go to Get Quality OT Services?

This professional visits you and assesses your short and long-term needs. They work up a plan of care that details your problems and concerns, the approaches needed to eliminate or improve these problems, and a goal date to see this happen. If you are seeking occupational therapy services, you can call and visit the following locations, or the OT professional can visit you in your home.

• Home
• Workplace
• School setting
• Hospitals
• Rehab centers
• Prisons
• Office settings
• Outpatient clinics
• Industrial work sites

Schedule an Appointment with an Occupation Therapist

If you live in Gainesville, Texas, or one of the surrounding communities, we want you to know that we are here to service your healthcare needs. North Texas Medical Center is an award-winning level four trauma center. We are devoted to education and high-quality healthcare. We have several specialty departments available to individuals, groups, and organizations such as a state-of-the-art occupational therapy department.

We sent out to the community frequent newsletters on the latest medical data and information on an array of topics. We believe in quality care and keeping individuals educated in all things medical to enable more people to make sound, informed decisions about their health needs. If you or a family member is in need of occupational therapy, please give us a call at 940-665-1751 or stop by for a visit. Access our website for more in-depth information.