Imagine what it would be like if you suddenly lost the ability to tap your smart phone screen. Imagine if a swipe had become an impossibility and your phone did not even register your touch. Now, imagine there was someone who knew how to help you tap out texts, swipe through photos, and regain the use of your hand and the use of your phone. That person is an occupational therapist.
April is Occupational Therapy month and occupational therapy is a key part of the skilled services offered by Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care. Our occupational therapists can help you develop and recover a broad range of skills needed for daily activities such as bathing and dressing. They have the education and experience to evaluate your needs, to set goals that are important to you, and to customize interventions that help you reach those goals.
Occupational therapists do more than treat hands and arms, they also help you to make your home safer by recommending equipment such as shower chairs or grab bars. In addition, they often teach you a home exercise program that you can continue on your own. Restoring hand strength is not an end in itself, but a means to allowing someone to push up from a chair, grab a door handle, or hold the cell phone during a video chat. Each patient is an integral part of the therapy team.
During April, we recognize the particular contribution of occupational therapy to the Franciscan Home Care and Hospice care team.
Pictured at left is Michelle, an occupational therapist with Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care.