How Occupational Therapists Can Help Older Adults Live at Home
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How Occupational Therapists Can Help Older Adults Live at Home
By Ella Clayton
As the normal aging process diminishes abilities in elderly adults, often changes must be made to make the home a safe environment. To help older adults maintain independence, and live safely at home, occupational therapists can be a great asset. An occupational therapist works with the patient, and the family to make recommendations to maximize safety and independence. Occupational therapists ensure their recommendations are specific to the wants, needs, skills, environment, and budget of the patient and their family.
Occupational therapists can help determine whether an older adult is safe living in their home. They can provide an evaluation of the patient’s home, and make recommendations based off of that evaluation. Occupational therapists can also assess the patient’s ability to get around their community, such as getting groceries, going to appointments, and participating in social activities. Based off of those assessments an occupational therapist can help determine if the patient is able to live at home, and what assistance is needed to keep the patient safe and well cared for.
The realization that living independently is becoming more of a struggle can be hard for some older adults to cope with. Making accommodations and suggestions in a respectful manner that won’t offend the older adult is important to provide successful aid. Occupational therapists can help approach the subject of home accommodations, and recommendations in a respectful manner. Occupational therapists can recommend home modifications, support groups, modes of transportation, and other activities that help patients achieve the highest quality of life.
In order to keep older adults safe and healthy, an occupational therapist can be a valuable aid to achieve the best results. Occupational Therapists at Vertis Therapy can help you make the best accommodations and recommendations to keep the older members of your family safe and well cared for!