Occupational Therapist

OVERVIEW:

Occupational therapy practitioners focus on “achieving health, well-being, and participation in life and address training in self-care skills; training in the use of adaptive equipment, compensatory techniques, and environmental modifications; and behavioral and mental health issues.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Remediating instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) related to the patient’s discharge environment, such as         preparing a meal or managing one’s home or finances
•   Training in functional mobility, such as how to prepare a meal while using an ambulatory device
•  Preparing the client and family for community reintegration (as appropriate for the client’s discharge site) with         activities such as public dining or emergency response management
•   Assessing the need for and recommending potential home modifications and safety equipment to reduce barriers and  promote safe functioning upon discharge
•  Exploring adaptations and compensatory strategies for return to volunteer or paid employment
• Assessing current leisure skills to determine whether modifications are needed to continue participation and/or          assisting with exploring new leisure pursuits
• Teaching functional mobility, including using an ambulatory device and/or transfers to different surfaces, such as a bed,  chair, toilet, or shower in order to perform self-care and personal tasks; and training in wheelchair mobility and safety appropriate for the resident’s level of cognition and perception.
•  Remediating or enhancing IADLs, such as ability to use the telephone or the emergency staff call system
• Teaching residents with cognitive and perceptual deficits in compensatory techniques to maximize abilities in areas    such as attention span, orientation, sequencing, and/or memory.

•  Teaching residents with low vision how to maximize their remaining vision and enhance safety through                            compensatory techniques, environmental modifications, assistive technology, and adaptive equipment.

•  Modifying the environment and adapting tasks for safety (e.g., falls prevention, fatigue management)

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:

•  Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program
•   Successful completion of National Certification Examination
• 1 year of verifiable, supervised professional experience within the last 3 years

• Valid OT license in the state of practice