In-Home Physical and Occupational Services

Concerned about a patient’s ability to take care of themselves and manage at home safely?

Occupational Therapy Service in Tampa

Some patients are able to independently regain skills that are temporarily affected by a health condition.

However, many others need help to prevent further loss of ability, while learning to adjust to temporary or permanent disability challenges.

Regardless of the specific diagnosis or condition, Occupational Therapy (OT) practitioners offer pragmatic solutions to assist your patients to manage daily activities and reduce the risk of injury.

An estimated 3.2 million older adults receive medical treatment for injuries related to falls each year — many of these injuries result in decreased independence, create a need for long- term care support, and increase the risk of early death.

In-Home Occupational Therapy uniquely and immediately focuses on a patient’s functional and social needs to reduce the risk of readmission.

Most falls occur at home due to home hazards in combination with declining physical abilities.

An Occupational Therapist is trained to perform an environmental assessment of all key activities occurring at and around the home including:

  • ADLs (bathing, dressing, other self-care activities)
  • IADLs (preparing meals, doing laundry, performing home maintenance chores)
  • Play/leisure activities (playing cards, exercising, enjoying hobbies)

Throughout this process, home modifications and other intervention strategies are put in place with the aim of improving a patient’s safety and independence, and decreasing the risk of readmission.

 

Deficits Addressed by In-Home Occupational Therapy

In-Home Physical Therapy in Tampa

  • Upper body strength, range of motion (ROM), orthotic needs affect a patient’s ability to transfer, complete tasks that require functional reach, or prevent a patient from being independent with ADLs/IADLs.
  • Decreased functional activity tolerance (aerobic capacity) prevents a patient from participating in daily tasks, functional mobility, or impedes a patient’s social participation.
  • Difficulty with self-care activities are addressed by an Occupational Therapist to improve a patient’s safety and independence with ADLs/IADLs, while increasing a patient’s quality of life.
  • Cognitive deficits affect a patient’s ability to safely care for themselves. Skilled treatment by an Occupational Therapist, can actually slow the rate of mental decline and memory loss. In the early stages of these conditions, OT assesses a patient’s cognitive abilities and then uses behavioral modifications to address personality changes. In the later stages, OT provides sensory stimulation to help seniors focus on
    simplifying daily activities, while also educating and training a patient’s
    family or caregivers to decrease caregiver burden.
  • Low vision affects a patient’s ability to navigate the home environment safely with or without an assistive device, manage medications, carry out ADLs/IADLs independently, and increases the risk of falls.
  • Fine motor coordination deficits affect a patient’s ability to open medicine bottles, manage small pills, administer insulin, or manage clothing fasteners or grooming tasks.
  • Static and dynamic balance deficits decrease a patient’s ability to participate in functional mobility and ADLs/IADLs.
  • Home/Environmental safety modifications improve a patient’s safety and independence within the home, such as needed durable medical equipment, adaptive equipment, or furniture layout.
  • Training of proper use of adaptive equipment and durable medical equipment including built up handles, sock aids, reachers, dressing sticks, shoe horns, u-cuffs, walker trays, steady assist bed rails, furniture risers, low vision equipment, and wheelchair assessments/fittings.
  • Disease knowledge deficits affect a patient’s ability to independently manage chronic disease and increase the risk of rehospitalization.
  • Mental/Emotional wellness can affect a patient’s ability to perform daily tasks successfully. Many seniors can fall into depressive states and begin losing hope when they are limited physically. An Occupational Therapist can have a positive emotional influence on patients, as they are trained to help patients see beyond temporary or permanent dysfunctions and instead help the patient focus on what they CAN do.