You’ve been through an illness or trauma, and you’re putting the pieces of your life back together to recapture as much of your old normal as possible. Whatever that was, through occupational therapy, we can certainly work toward creating a new normal that allows you to thrive and navigate your world independently.
While speech therapy is at the core of what we do here at Celebrations Speech Group, it’s part of a larger picture that includes helping you to function in the world around you, which is where occupational therapy comes in. And for our adult clients, this ability is important in maintaining independent living.
While occupational therapy (OT) may sound like it has something to do with work, that’s hardly the case. The term occupation doesn’t refer to your job, but to those everyday activities that make up daily life — from brushing your teeth in the morning to putting on your pajamas and crawling into bed each night. And everything in between.
With speech therapy, we work on the mechanics of speech so that you can communicate more clearly. With OT, our focus is much broader, and we help you build (or rebuild) skills that allow you to interact and function in your own unique world.
Some examples of OT for adults might include:
It’s difficult to provide you with a more detailed outline as our OT is highly individualized and tailored to each patient’s needs. Each of our patients has their own concerns, challenges, and goals that they want to achieve, so we meet them where they are and guide them through OT.
So, if maintaining independence is the goal, that’s exactly what we work toward during OT.
When it comes to who can benefit from OT, the list is long. Let’s start with one of the biggest challenges we all face — aging, and everything that comes with it. The number of Americans aged 65 and up is going to jump by 47%, from 58 million in 2022 to 85 million by 2050.
With aging comes a host of health issues that can benefit from OT, especially if you’re looking to maintain independence.
Aside from aging, we also see patients who’ve had an injury, such as a traumatic brain injury. As well, OT is appropriate for anyone who has had a health condition that leads to disability.
Whatever is preventing you from functioning optimally in your everyday life, we’re confident that OT can play a role in getting you back to living life on your own terms.
If you’d like to explore whether OT is right for you and how it can help you hold onto your independence, we invite you to contact one of our offices in Brentwood, Stockton, or Elk Grove, California, to schedule a consultation.
