Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy accompanies and supports patients who are restricted in their ability to act due to their neurological disease. The loss of function caused by illness, disability or age and the associated awareness are physically and often mentally stressful for patients. Occupational therapy takes a holistic approach to help patients regain their ability to act in the best possible way. Occupational therapy distinguishes between three different focuses of therapy: motor skills & coordination, cognitive skills and coping with everyday life.

What can patients expect in occupational therapy?

The occupational therapists at the Kliniken Schmieder develop an individual therapy plan for each patient, in which artistic, manual and mental skills are specifically encouraged and practised. The individual occupational therapy measures are defined and determined together with our patients, considering their limitations. In the individual therapy sessions, the patient practises the same exercises regularly, which allows the patient easy access to relearning everyday skills. The occupational therapy methods are applied in individual and group therapies, as well as in supervised self-training.
Particular attention is paid to activities of daily living (ADL), such as morning hygiene with washing and brushing teeth or getting dressed and eating breakfast. Because if patients are limited in the independent exercise of their everyday skills, this often reduces their quality of life.

Our occupational therapists provide the following support in the therapy units:

• Accompanying and supporting our patients in relearning/learning activities of daily living in the areas of self-care (such as personal hygiene, mobility, organising personal affairs), productivity (such as work, household, school) and leisure time (such as hobbies, social life, recreation)
• Regular evaluation of our patient’s ability to act in the three areas of self-care, productivity and leisure time
• Guidance and support in training our patients in physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills relevant to everyday life
• Selection and production, together with orthopaedic technicians, of individual splints or aids for our patients, testing and practising them, as well as possible adaptations for personal use at home

What are the goals of occupational therapy?

In rehabilitating neurological patients at the Kliniken Schmieder, occupational therapy aims to enable those affected to participate again in daily life and in society. Occupational therapy aims to help patients carry out their everyday tasks with as much independence as possible and thus regain joy in life. When our patients can carry out their activities of daily living independently again, an important goal is achieved because the physical recovery progress, also supported by aids, is accompanied by regained self-confidence and greater emotional stability in our patients.

At Kliniken Schmieder, we have diverse occupational therapy options to choose from in the rehabilitation process, depending on the neurological disease. Find out more about the individual occupational measures.