An occupational therapist’s goal is to help people develop the skills needed to perform activities of daily living. This level of medical rehabilitation may be needed after an illness, accident, or surgery. With occupational therapy, your mom will:
- Regain independence faster
- Learn how to complete her daily routines without falling
- Re-engage in favorite activities
- Rebuild strength and stamina
Your mom’s hip replacement surgery is coming up. It’s a good time to take a closer look at what occupational therapy helps her achieve when she goes home.
Skills Your Mom Will Improve or Regain
An occupational therapist’s goal is for your mom to perform daily activities with as little help as needed. This includes learning how to manage these tasks on her own, even if she needs crutches, a cane, or a walker to do them.
- Get in and out of bed
- Stand up or sit down from a chair, sofa, or toilet
- Take a shower and get dressed
- Walk around the home
- Go up and down the stairs when your mom can
- Manage pain
- Cook a meal and eat it
- Clean the home, wash dishes, and do the laundry
- Engage in favorite hobbies and activities like a daily walk
Your mom will start slow and follow her surgeon’s instructions. If her surgeon wants her to walk at least 15 minutes a day multiple times a day while using a walker, she needs to do that.
She also has the expert guidance of her occupational therapist. An occupational therapist has to have a master’s degree in the U.S. The master’s degree program typically takes two or three years to complete. Some of the classes that are required include anatomy, kinesiology, and neuroscience.
Instruction Using Mobility Aids
If your mom will need a mobility aid like a cane or walker, her occupational therapist teaches her how to safely use it. She’ll also learn how to get around her home safely while using that device.
Even if your mom thinks a walker will be simple to use because of its wheels, there is a learning curve. Make sure your mom knows she needs a medical professional to help her learn how to safely use it. A second fall could be the absolute worst thing to happen. She needs to stay on her feet and mobile.
What Happens During the Initial Meeting?
Her initial appointment with an occupational therapist should take place before her surgery. It helps her get to know the therapist she’ll be working with, and it allows her therapist to establish a care plan and talk to your mom’s surgeon about her goals and limitations.
Her occupational therapist will also need to look at her home and recommend changes right now in preparation for her recovery at home. Talk to her surgeon and schedule an appointment to meet with an occupational therapist before her surgery takes place if possible.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering occupational therapy in Gainesville, VA please contact the caring staff at Passion Home Health Solutions LLC today at. 703-462-9141
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