Home Health Occupational Therapy

If you are eligible for home health and have an illness, injury or condition that makes it difficult to do everyday activities, Amedisys home health occupational therapy (OT) may help. Losing the ability to do things that used to be easy, such as putting on shoes, holding a pencil or making a meal can be a frustrating part of aging or rehabilitation. Occupational therapy for adults may help you regain a sense of independence, safety, choice and control in the comfort of home.

WHAT IS HOME HEALTH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Through specialized activities and adaptive tools, you’ll learn to more easily complete household tasks and personal care like bathing and grooming. You may also learn ways to make your home safer or cope with loss of function due to illness or injury. The home health occupational therapist will provide education and advocate for your needs.

Occupational therapists are trained professionals who help people learn self-care skills, overcome physical challenges, and manage emotional and social issues. At Amedisys, they have specialized knowledge and education, including completion of an approved occupational therapy program with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in occupational therapy. Occupational therapy assistants have completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Both OTs and OTAs are licensed by the state as well as the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY VS. PHYSICAL THERAPY

What is the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy? While both can be provided as part of home health care, they serve different purposes and are coordinated to meet the patient’s needs. Occupational therapy at home works on strategies with the patient to safely perform needed daily activities or “occupations.” Physical therapy helps improve patients’ strength, balance and mobility by treating the physical source of the patient’s issue.

For example, if someone is recovering after hip replacement, the physical therapist works to restore mobility in the hip and leg. The occupational therapist may teach the patient to wash dishes while sitting on a stool or use a reacher or shoehorn to minimize bending over. Doctors often order both physical therapy and occupational therapy because they work together to help the patient stay safe at home while they recover or manage an illness.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY GOALS

Our occupational therapists take a holistic, patient-centered approach to care. This means we tailor the care plan to fit your needs and current level of function. In addition, you are an important part of the treatment team, and your needs and home health OT goals help mold your treatment plan. Here are a few examples of occupational therapy goals for adults:

• Ability to meaningfully participate in daily activities
• Recover from illness or injury, if possible
• Maintain or improve skills over time
• Improved quality of life
• Increased independence

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES

In-home occupational therapy for adults can include a wide range of services. At Amedisys, each patient receives a different treatment plan based on their needs and doctor’s orders. Some examples of occupational therapy services include:

• Occupational therapy evaluations to understand your needs, abilities and goals and create a treatment plan
• Home evaluations to assess fall risk and make recommendations to improve safety
• Recommendations for adaptive equipment, such as shower chairs, grab bars and reachers, and training on how to use it for activities of daily living
• Strategies to enhance your ability to adhere to your medication regimen
• Education for family members/caregivers about disease management
• Therapeutic exercise and activity to improve specific skills needed to complete activities of daily living
• Coordination activities to improve self-feeding, grooming and dressing skills
• Energy conservation techniques and/or joint protection in home activities
• Strategies for managing stress, anxiety, poor vision and other issues
• Practical suggestions for leisure activities, social interaction, meal planning and different ways to complete tasks
• Identify ways to compensate for deficits such as low vision or decreased fine motor skills or coordination (for example, teaching new ways to manipulate pills and containers)

CAN I RECEIVE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AT HOME?

Patients must meet home health eligibility criteria for Medicare to cover occupational therapy services. These include:

• A need for skilled care, such as nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy or an ongoing need for occupational therapy; and
• Being under the care of a physician who has created a home health plan of care; and
• Not being able to leave home without assistance (for example, from another person or a device like a walker or wheelchair) or having a condition that makes leaving home medically unsafe.

EXAMPLES OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ACTIVITIES BY DIAGNOSIS

Occupational therapy at home can help people with a variety of health conditions. Your healthcare team will help put together a plan that meets your individualized needs. Some examples of occupational therapy activities for adults, by diagnosis, include:

*The above are examples only, and care plans may differ between patients with the same diagnosis.

IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY RIGHT FOR ME?

Many people ask, “Why do I need occupational therapy?” Here are a few signs you may need occupational therapy services, along with common reasons for a doctor’s order:

• You’re struggling with self-care activities like bathing, dressing and grooming.
• You’re having difficulty balancing, such as leaning to one side, holding onto furniture or the wall to walk around, or taking an unusually long time to do tasks like taking off your coat
• You have weak grip strength, which makes it difficult to hold onto objects.
• You’re losing the ability to do hobbies you enjoy.
• You’ve been missing doctor’s appointments or mixing up medications.
• You’re having motor problems such as poor coordination, or difficulty writing or tying shoes.
• You’re having sensory input issues, such as overreacting to touch or sound or being unaware of sensation such as feeling the temperature of water or difficulty finding items in a pocket or purse.
• You’re finding it difficult to solve problems, pay attention or stay organized.

Home health occupational therapy with Amedisys helps with these and other changes, so you can continue to live independently at home for as long as possible.

BENEFITS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FOR THE ELDERLY

In many ways, the home is an ideal place to receive OT therapy. Home-based occupational therapists can see how you live firsthand, which helps them identify challenges you face every day. In the home setting, the therapist can get to know your needs and goals, see how your living space is set up, and make personalized recommendations. Another benefit is that family members and caregivers can be involved in treatment and learn strategies to help.

The biggest benefit is in home occupational therapy with Amedisys helps patients stay safer at home. Here are some other benefits of occupational therapy for the elderly:

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HOME VISITS

The first OT therapy visit is typically an assessment. It often takes longer than the following visits. During an occupational therapy evaluation, the therapist may review your:

• Medical history and medications
• Concerns and goals
• Ability to complete self-care tasks and light home management activities
• Cognitive abilities, such as your understanding of your condition and ability to problem-solve
• Sensory abilities, such as vision and hearing
• Physical abilities, such as balance and ability to move around safely
• Eating and sleeping patterns
• Routine for managing your medications
• Home environment for fall risks like poor lighting or loose rugs

The occupational therapy evaluation sets the foundation for your personalized care plan. Next, the therapist, in collaboration with your doctor, plans activities and strategies to help you achieve your goals and sets up a schedule for future visits. As treatment proceeds, your therapist monitors your progress.

After the first visit, the occupational therapist comes to your home to provide education and support and work on activities that will help you achieve your goals. They may take your vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature and heart rate. The OT will also watch for health improvements or declines, so the rest of the clinical team is aware of any changing needs. They adjust your care plan as needed to help you meet your goals. The frequency and length of visits depend on your needs and doctor’s orders.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY GOALS

One of the first questions you’ll hear from an Amedisys occupational therapy practitioner is, “What matters to you?” Your description of the things you want to be able to do helps mold your care plan.

Examples of home health OT goals include:

• Maintain or regain independence through daily living skills such as bathing, dressing and grooming
• Regain skills and abilities that were lost due to an injury, illness or surgery, or adapt to changes in abilities
• Prevent further loss of abilities
• Reduce the risk of injury
• Help guard against medication mistakes
• Keep you safer at home, where you feel most comfortable
• Improve your self-confidence
• Encourage communication and social interaction
• Reduce stress

DOES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY WORK?

Research shows that OT therapy can greatly improve your quality of life. Results often depend on the patient and caregiver’s openness to learning new ways of doing daily tasks. In home occupational therapy is often well-liked by patients because it helps them stay home. It is also effective because practitioners can tailor care to patients’ needs and home environment, watch to see how they are progressing, and adjust the care plan based on what they see.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational therapy services can be life-changing for patients who need help getting back to their daily routines or learning new ways of doing basic tasks. As a specialized field, many people aren’t familiar with this type of care. Here, we’ll set the facts straight around some common misconceptions about occupational therapy:

1. Occupational Therapy is the Same as Physical Therapy

Patients can receive both at the same time, depending on their needs, and they work well together. However, OT and PT are separate therapies that serve different purposes. So, what is the difference between OT and PT? Occupational therapy focuses on helping patients do daily tasks like eating, showering and dressing. Physical therapy helps improve the patient’s ability to move and builds strength, balance and range of motion.

2. Occupational Therapists Help People Get Jobs

The word “occupation” is used to describe what we want and need to do each day. In home health, this does not involve getting a job. You can think about it as what “occupies” our time, the activities we need to do to take care of ourselves and what we enjoy doing. OTs can help make meaningful activities safer and easier. Examples include grooming, dressing, bathing, medication management and making simple meals.

3. Most Occupational Therapists Work in Hospitals

OT practitioners can work in hospitals as well as a variety of other settings including schools, community centers, outpatient therapy and in-home occupational therapy.

4. Occupational Therapists Are Similar to Home Health Aides

Home health aides provide hands-on help with tasks like bathing and dressing. In contrast, occupational therapists are skilled professionals who offer tools and strategies to help patients manage their own self-care tasks. OTs do not complete the activity for the patient. Rather, they train the patient on techniques to become more independent with the task on their own. OTs also help with a wide variety of other issues including social, mental, cognitive and physical challenges.

HOW MUCH DOES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY COST?

For patients paying out-of-pocket, occupational therapy costs depend on various factors, including where the patient lives, where they receive OT visits and the type of care they need.

HOW TO GET STARTED

At Amedisys, we provide home health occupational therapy for adults, along with other home health services, in various locations nationwide. We employ hundreds of occupational therapists who help empower patients to do daily activities with greater ease and safety.