Occupational therapists at St Croix Therapy perform a wide variety of developmental work with clients. When people hear the word “occupation”, they often think of work related activities. Occupation in regard to therapy actually applies to anything that occupies a person’s time and that is meaningful to him or her. This can be work, self-care, and housekeeping – anything!
Occupational therapists strive to address the meaningful and functional activities of a person’s daily life and either establish, adapt or restore these tasks to make the person more independent.
For adult clients, therapy focuses on modifying or adapting tasks to make clients more independent within their home and community. While traditional strengthening and range of motion activities are important, non-traditional approaches are also employed to address the effects of injury or progressive conditions. Clients are also aided with sensory processing development.
Benefits of Occupational Therapy
- Improved sensory processing and modulation
- Improved coping skills and social/emotional skills
- Improved household or work performance
- Improved fine motor skills (i.e. writing, manipulating small objects, buttoning, using tools, etc.)
- Increased independence in self-care activities (dressing, bathing, feeding, etc.)
- Increased participation in every day meaningful activities. What’s meaningful to the client is meaningful to us!
- Parent/client education on therapy techniques and use within the home.