Occupational Therapy

Who needs occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy helps people of all ages participate in everyday activities such as self-care, work, and play. Whether you have had an orthopedic injury, stroke, chronic pain or a developmental condition, occupational therapy can help you live life to the fullest by addressing your functional limitations

Our occupational therapy program serves children, teens, adults, and older adults who have difficulty performing daily activities.  

Common reasons to seek occupational therapy include: 

• Birth defects 
• Chronic pain 
• Developmental delays and disorders, including autism 
• Lymphedema 
• Neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy 
• Orthopedic injuries, such as a broken bone  
• Sensory processing disorders 
• Stroke 

The purpose of all occupational therapy is to improve your quality of life. Your customized program may aim at improving one or more of the following: 

• Cognitive or thinking skills 
• Fine motor skills, which include grabbing objects and using the small muscles in your fingers, toes, and hands 
• Processing sensory data 
• Visual perception skills to understand and process what you see happening around you 

What to expect during your therapy journey 

In occupational therapy, education plays a big role in your success. Your team starts out learning about you. Then, they educate you on your condition, what to expect through therapy, and how to get the best results. They also help you set and achieve goals.  

Common goals occupational therapy can help you reach include: 

• Get back to everyday activities. Your therapist helps you learn or relearn daily tasks. You may get help getting dressed, bathing, or brushing your hair or teeth on your own. Children may train to use a computer, write clearly, or hit a ball with a bat or racquet. 
• Maintain independence. Shower chairs, walkers, grabbing devices, and more help you live independently. Therapists can recommend adaptive equipment to fit your needs and lifestyle. They then teach you how to use this equipment. 
• Prevent future injury. Occupational therapists are experts in home safety. If you’re an older adult with mobility challenges, therapists can provide tips to make your home accessible. They also help you learn skills to prevent falls at home and beyond. 

Specialty occupational therapy services 

Astera’s occupational therapists offer a full suite of treatment options. A few unique offerings include: 

• Lymphedema care. An occupational therapist helps monitor and manage lymphedema swelling. Treatment may include compression wraps, bandaging, leggings, or stockings. Massaging affected areas can also help by moving clear lymph fluid through the body. Through education and lifestyle modification, therapists work with you to reduce future swelling. 
• Parkinson’s disease therapy. LSVT BIG therapy helps those with Parkinson’s recognize when movements are slow or small. This knowledge helps retrain your brain to move the body properly. Success requires treatment four days a week for about a month. This takes place under the oversight of Astera’s LSVT-certified occupational therapist. Provider or specialist referral required. 
• Pediatric therapy. Young people with autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and neurological conditions may need special help mastering tasks of daily living. Our therapists identify what challenges a child has and create a program to address those issues. These services help improve life at home, school, and elsewhere, even during transition periods. 

Do you need help returning to activities of daily life? Let Astera Health’s occupational therapy experts help. Call 218-631-3510 to schedule an appointment today.