Occupational therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on helping people with physical, mental, or emotional challenges perform daily living activities with greater ease and independence. In-home occupational therapy is an option for those who are unable to travel to a clinic or facility. Whether a person is recovering from an injury or living with a disability, in-home occupational therapy can make a tremendous difference in quality of life. Therapy sessions can include exercises, activities, and environmental modifications to achieve the goal of improving the patient’s independence and quality of life. Discover the benefits of in-home occupational therapy and how it can help if you’re unable to leave your home.
Benefits of In-Home Occupational Therapy
In-home occupational therapy has many advantages, one being that you can get the care in the convenience of your home. This benefit is crucial for people who lack mobility, have difficulty traveling, or live in rural areas. The therapist can assess how their patient performs daily activities and suggest modifications that would be easier to do. Another advantage of in-home therapy is that it can involve the patient’s family who can learn how to assist and support the patient when the therapist isn’t there. Being at home can help minimize stress and anxiety since the patient is already in a comfortable environment with their belongings
Home Assessment
A huge benefit of hiring one of our in-home occupational therapists, is we’ll do a home assessment to make sure your home is safe and accessible to meet your needs.
We’ll do the following during the home evaluation:
- Assess any potential hazard.
- Assess fall risk such as in the shower and kitchen.
- Recommend any adaptive equipment we think could be beneficial like shower chairs, grabbers, and reachers.
- Energy conservation techniques and/or joint protection in home activities.
After we’ve done our evaluation, we’ll give our recommendations on any safety improvements you should consider doing to your home.
Convenient and Flexible
In-home occupational therapy can provide more convenience and save time for patients⎯especially those who have limited availability because our therapists can work around your schedule whether it’s during the day, evening, or on weekends. What’s great is you don’t have to travel to your appointment because we come to you.
Collaborative Approach
With in-home occupational therapy it can involve the patient’s family, and even healthcare providers, creating a collaborative approach to treatment. Therapists often work with other healthcare providers to ensure the patient is receiving a comprehensive approach to care and seeing progress.
Improved Outcomes
In-home occupational therapy has been found to improve the rehabilitation outcomes of patients. Patients receiving therapy in the home environment have better participation and engagement in therapy, better quality of life, and reduced hospitalization. In-home therapy can also help individuals gain greater independence, allowing them to participate in more activities that they would like to.
When In-Home Occupational Therapy is Recommended
In-home occupational therapy is for a wide range of people, including those with physical limitations, neurological disorders, or chronic illnesses. If traveling to an occupational therapy clinic is challenging or not possible, or if the patient would benefit from a home-based treatment program, in-home occupational therapy could be an excellent option. Your healthcare provider can evaluate your circumstances and make recommendations based on your individual needs.
In-home occupational therapy can provide numerous benefits and can be especially convenient for individuals who are recovering from an injury or living with a chronic condition. Our therapists can personalize your care to match your needs and fit with your schedule. If you or a loved one would benefit from in-home occupational therapy, contact us to learn more about how we can help.