April is Occupational Therapy Awareness Month, and Regional One Health’s Shanaaz Khan, OT, is educating the public about how she can help them heal from a variety of conditions.

At Regional One Health’s Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, skilled occupational therapists focus on Activities of Daily Living, which are daily tasks like getting dressed, eating, and writing.

By helping patients regain their ability to perform these skills, occupational therapists can help them return to independent living and favorite activities.

Occupational therapy can help with a wide range of acute and chronic conditions – yet a lot of people don’t know what to expect from their treatment.

During Occupational Therapy Awareness Month in April, Shanaaz Khan, OT, wants to raise awareness about how she can help patients heal.

“Being an occupational therapist is a very rewarding profession as you can develop a relationship with your patients or clients to make a positive impact on their life,” Khan said. “You listen to their needs and goals and incorporate things they enjoy doing – it’s a collaborative process!”

She addressed some common questions about occupational therapy.

Is occupational therapy the same thing as physical therapy?

Occupational therapy and physical therapy focus on different skills, Khan said.

Physical therapy addresses gross motor function and mobility. This includes helping patients walk or transfer to and from a wheelchair.

Occupational therapy focuses on fine motor skills and specific activities you do daily, including self-care, work, play for kids, chores, hobbies, and other life tasks.

Khan said OT emphasizes Activities of Daily Living (ADL), which are the tasks people need to do to live independently – eating, getting dressed, using the bathroom, brushing their teeth – as well as other skills required to fulfill their life roles as a student, worker, family member, etc.

Occupational therapy predates physical therapy as a recognized discipline, Khan noted.

Prior to World War I and II, most patients in medical settings were prescribed rest for many conditions, which meant they languished in hospitals for a long time. During these wars, injured soldiers were introduced to income-generating activities like woodwork, making cane furniture, knitting, etc., and experts documented that patients recovered faster physically and emotionally. This was the start of occupational therapy as a science based profession.

What conditions does occupational therapy treat?

“We see a wide variety of patients,” Khan said. “We see a lot of orthopedic injuries, either from car wrecks or falls or another type of accident, and we also see a lot of neurological patients, like people who have had CVA (stroke), Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, etc.”

Occupational therapists treat perceptual and cognitive issues as well.

Khan also offers lymphedema therapy and functional capacity evaluations for patients looking to return to work or seek disability benefits, and is a certified stroke rehabilitation specialist.

What can I expect from therapy?

If you think you or your family member needs OT services, ask any physician to write an order.

Therapy starts with a detailed evaluation in which the therapist identifies the patient’s needs and goals, then creates a plan to address them.

Occupational therapy often includes exercises to rebuild strength, range of motion, coordination, and cognitive skills so patients can get back to normal activities. OT can also teach compensation techniques – new ways to perform an activity or use adaptive devices and technology to accomplish the goal.

Khan also develops splints to provide support, stability, mobility, and protection as needed.

What results will I see?

Typically, patients have occupational therapy two or three times a week for one or two months. Khan does a re-evaluation after about 10 visits to see if the patient needs to continue on the same schedule, start tapering off, or be released from therapy with an individualized home exercise program and caregiver training as needed.

If a patient hits a roadblock and needs additional medical intervention, the patient is referred back to their referring physician.

Improvements in functional status are remarkable. Patients can recover strength, stamina, range of motion, and their ability to complete tasks, while also reducing pain and preventing re-injury.

What if I don’t have an occupation?

“A lot of people hear occupational therapy and they say, ‘I don’t need a new occupation,’ or, ‘I don’t have an occupation,’” Khan explained. “It’s about the occupation of our daily lives and the things we do every day to take care of ourselves, our home, etc.”

Certainly, occupational therapy can help patients get back to work by focusing on the skills they need to perform that function. However, Khan said, it can also focus on the specific movements needed for self-care, hobbies or sports, chores, etc.

She likes to find therapeutic activities that are meaningful to each patient. OT as a profession is based on function, and this ensures patients can return to their daily roles faster, she said.

Regional One Health’s Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, where Khan sees patients, has a full kitchen, laundry and ADL bathroom to address patients’ needs.

“We involve our patients in goal setting. With therapy, you have to get the buy-in,” Khan said. “When people engage in meaningful activities, they experience physical and emotional benefits and have improved outcomes. We were born to do things!”

Learn more

The Center for Rehabilitative Medicine is located at our East Campus, 6555 Quince Road.

If you think you can benefit from occupational therapy, talk to your provider about a referral. To learn more, visit www.regionalonehealth.org/center-for-rehabilitative-medicine/