What is Occupational Therapy: Everything Caregivers Need to Know

OT can help your loved one overcome challenges with daily activities and regain independence

Liz Szabo,

AARP

Reviewed by

Robert Rich Jr., MD, American Academy of Family Physicians

Comments

Published December 10, 2024

an occupational therapist works with a patient on hand exercises

Occupational therapist Gwyneth Owen (left) works with a patient during a therapy session in 2006.

Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images

In this story

What is occupational therapy • Conditions helped • Aid aging in place • Assists dementia patients • Supports caregivers • Access treatment

When Alanna Monath suffered a devastating stroke at 53, doctors and nurses at a specialized stroke center saved her life.

But it was rehabilitation specialists, including occupational therapists, who helped Monath regain her independence.

The stroke, which occurred in October 2023, left Alanna unable to speak or move the right side of her body. Occupational therapists, known as OTs, have helped her regain many of the skills she needs to care for herself, such as holding a pen; brushing her teeth; using a spoon and fork; getting dressed; and folding laundry.

“She had to start from scratch, learning everything like a child,” says her husband, Eric Monath. “It was important to get her moving and get the brain to work with her arm and her hand and her leg and her feet.”

What is occupational therapy?

When someone has been impacted by illness or injury, OTs help people resume not only their jobs and careers — but any occupation or activity that’s meaningful to them, says Kristin Johnston, a senior occupational therapist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute’s International Center for Spinal Cord Injury in Baltimore.

Some may confuse them with physical therapists (PTs), who focus on moving the body. PTs helped Alanna learn to walk again. OTs, on the other hand, help people perform everyday tasks such as dressing themselves or getting in and out of a car safely. They improve clients’ fine motor skills, dexterity and range of motion – for example, enabling your loved one to type or use a smart phone.

Often described as expert problem solvers, OTs excel at finding workarounds and ways to make such tasks easier, such as recommending special grips that help people hold a pen or devices that help people button a shirt, says Scott Trudeau, director of practice engagement at the American Occupational Therapy Association.

“Occupational therapists have millions of devices,” says Daron Gersch, a family physician with CentraCare Hospital in Long Prairie, Minn., and board member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “They can give you a gadget to help you hold onto a zipper, to hold onto a utensil, or devices to help you get your shoes and socks on.”

But OTs don’t just focus on disabilities; they consider the whole person and their needs. They work to design therapy plans around their clients’ goals, Johnston says. For example, as Alana has always enjoyed painting and drawing, her OT encouraged her to work on adult coloring books.

Who is helped by occupational therapy?

In addition to stroke, occupational therapy also can help people dealing with conditions such as:

Arthritis
Balance problems
Cancer
Chronic pain
Dementia
Diabetes
Injuries
Joint replacement surgery
Multiple sclerosis
Neuropathy (pain or numbness in the hands or feet)
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairment

Occupational therapy supports aging in place

If requested, OTs may examine the environment a patient lives in. Home evaluation visits will allow OTs to spot potential safety hazards or accessibility problems that their caregivers might not notice.

During a home visit, occupational therapists address questions such as, “How do we set up your home so you can stay there longer?” and “How do we make your home safer so you don’t fall?” Gersch says.

OTs may suggest modifications such as ramps, handrails and medical alerts. Or they might suggest using a shower chair to reduce the risk of slipping, Johnston says. Instead of keeping the television remote control on a coffee table, a therapist might suggest storing the remote in a pocket attached to the armrest of a couch, so that people don’t have to lean over — and potentially fall — when reaching for it.

Occupational therapy and dementia

Home visits can be particularly helpful for people with dementia, who face risks related to balance, memory loss and deteriorating judgement. OTs can suggest removing potentially dangerous objects from the home or storing them out of reach.

But in addition to home safety, OTs can help patients with dementia continue to participate in meaningful activities and relationships. OTs will look for activities, such as puzzles, their patient can do and get fulfillment out of.

“It’s not necessarily going to be training people [with dementia] how to do new things. It’s going to be more, ‘How do we how do we take what you have and get the most of it? How do we keep you engaged?’” says Gersch.

How occupational therapists support caregivers

Caregivers of dementia patients are taught how best to help their loved one as the disease progresses, says Gersch. OTs can help point out ways to avoid angry outbursts and how caregivers can make their loved one feel safe.

OTs teach people how to safely move from one place to another, such as getting into and out of bed or to and from the bathroom. Maintaining or regaining this independence can help relieve the workload and stress of their caregivers.

OTs also address caregiver stress by reminding them not to ignore their own health, and can help them access respite care, if needed. Johnston notes that OTs can help with practical issues related to caregiving, as well. They frequently connect caregivers with hospital or health system social workers, who can provide practical help with insurance questions, transportation needs and other issues. OTs also can help clients’ families apply for grants to pay for home caregiving or medical equipment.

Addressing caregiver’s needs is critical, Johnston says. “If they can’t support themselves,” she said, “they can’t support their family member.”

How to get occupational therapy

If you’ve had an illness or an accident, hospitals and orthopedic surgeons will connect patients to occupational therapists. If your loved one is having trouble with everyday activities such as bathing, the easiest way to find an occupational therapist is by talking to their primary care doctor, says Gersch.

Most health insurance, including Medicare, will have some form of coverage for OT if a healthcare provider prescribes it.

As for Alanna, though she no longer sees an OT, she continues to perform exercises suggested by them.

Recently, a neurological nurse practitioner who took care of Alanna in intensive care recognized her and her husband while the couple were exercising at the gym. The nurse couldn’t believe Alanna’s progress, Eric says.

The nurse was “absolutely speechless,” he says. The two embraced, and “it was a crying session for 15 minutes.”

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Liz Szabo is an award-winning health writer based in Washington, D.C., who previously worked at USA Today and KFF Health News.

Robert Rich, Jr., MD, FAAFP, specializes in family medicine and pain medicine. He is medical director at Bladen Medical Associates in Elizabethtown, N.C.