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Occupational Therapy

What it is

Occupational therapy, provided by an occupational therapist, is a form of rehabilitation to enhance a person's quality of life. It focuses in improving the ability to perform activities of daily living, self-care and independence at work and leisure.

How it works

Occupational therapy involves an assessment of the stroke survivor's cognitive and perceptual functioning, the ability to perform daily tasks such as walking, bathing, dressing, feeding and housework. Given this wide scope, there is some overlap in the work of physiotherapist and speech pathologist; ideally all therapists work together as a team with the stroke survivor.

Occupational therapy involves re-training the stroke survivor's brain to adapt to the disabilities caused by stroke. To perform task of daily living most effectively taking care to avoid any deformities or complications. For example, the correct way to assist a stroke survivor to get up from bed, sit down, get into the car etc without neglecting the affected side of the body that could lead to increased stiffness and pain.

Related Links

Stroke Prevention

• What is a stroke?
• What causes a stroke?
• Who is at risk?
• What are the symptoms?
• How stroke is diagnosed?
• What are the effects of stroke?
• What can be done to reduce the risk of stroke?