Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy is centered around the client or patient and uses assessment and intervention to develop, recover, or maintain meaningful activities which promote health and well being. Occupational therapists (OTRs) give residents the ability to enjoy as much autonomy and independence as possible, whilst enabling them to participate in the activities of everyday life, depending upon their unique strengths and limitations.

This is achieved by working with our residents to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do. Each occupation is modified or the environment is suited to better support their occupational engagement.

Occupations are the things we do in our life roles and the things residents do to make them who they are. But each occupation should be experienced as a blend of productivity, pleasure and restoration.

Occupational Therapy help residents:

  • Learn how to use aids such as “reachers,” or long sticks with hooks at the end to pick up small items without bending
  • Learn to use dressing sticks to assist residents with limited motion or grasping capabilities to dress themselves
  • Learn to use sock aids and long shoe horns for those who have trouble grasping socks or bending over to slip on their shoes.
  • Learn to use raised toilet seats and different types of bathtub benches that help with safe toileting and bathing
  • Recommend different types of larger equipment like wheelchairs and walkers.
  • Recommend and train other aides to use equipment designed for residents with higher levels of need.

Occupational therapists work with our residents at Mattanja to maintain independence, participate in meaningful activities, and continue to live fulfilling lives. The areas which are mainly addressed, amongst others are driving, aging in place, low vision, and dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. To enable independence of our elders, the occupational therapists often perform falls risk assessments, assess the resident functioning in their homes, and recommend specific home modifications. The occupational therapists will also modify tasks and the environment to best suit the patient. While working with individuals with Alzheimer’s, the occupational therapists focus on maintaining quality of life, safety, and promoting independence.