How Occupational Therapy Can Enhance Daily Life For Older Adults

As we age, we strive to be as independent as possible and enjoy the best quality of life that we can. Aging can often present multiple challenges affecting physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning of older adults and their ability to perform daily tasks. Occupational Therapy (OT) is an essential intervention that assists older adults to manage these changes and improve their health, quality of life, and mobility. In this blog, we will discuss the role of occupational therapy in our lives as we age and the positive impact it can have on one’s life.

Understanding Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a health care profession that helps people engage in meaningful activities or “occupations” that matter to them.  Occupational Therapists assist clients overcome physical, emotional, and social challenges, enabling them to improve their ability to perform daily tasks.

By helping individuals identify their needs, OTs create intervention plans and design methods that can help clients carry out daily tasks. OTs take into account the physical, emotional, cognitive, and environmental aspects that may influence a person’s functioning.

OT Services are provided in various settings, including in individual’s homes, within the community, in a hospital setting, residential aged care facilities or outpatient clinics.

Occupational Therapy for Older Adults

1. Enhancing Physical Abilities

As we age, we may suffer from physical limitations as a result of conditions such as arthritis, stroke, or age related decline. Occupational therapists use specific exercises and activities that are beneficial for older adults to increase their muscle strength, coordination and flexibility. For instance, an occupational therapist could design an exercise regime for an older adult to follow at home to enhance their stability and therefore decrease their chances of falling.

2. Enabling the Client to Perform Daily Activities

Another important aim of occupational therapy is to enable older people to continue to live as independently as possible. By providing information and education, along with the latest assistive technologies and equipment, the OT can enable the client to carry out their daily tasks in a more efficient and safe manner. For example, an occupational therapist may recommend using adaptive equipment such as grab rails or shower chairs in the bathroom, reaching devices, or altered utensils to help with activities such as feeding.

3. Supporting Cognitive Health

Deterioration of cognitive function is a common and frustrating problem for older adults.  Occupational therapists approach the areas of memory loss, decreased focus, and reduced reasoning by adopting techniques relating to cognitive training and memory activities to enhance and preserve the cognitive ability. They may employ memory games or puzzles, or computerised activities aimed at enhancing cognitive functions. OTs can provide ways of dealing with memory loss, for example, setting a daily schedules or utilising assistive technologies for auto-reminders.

4. Addressing Emotional Well-being

Aging can present many emotional challenges such as loneliness, depression, or anxiety. OTs can help by assisting in the engagement of meaningful activities that foster social contact and positive emotions. They could assist older individuals pursuing interests, making friends, or volunteering, thus giving them a sense of belonging and engagement.

5. Adapting the Home Environment

The physical environment of the home is an important factor that affects the safety of an older adult when performing daily activities. Home assessments are an important aspect of the role of an occupational therapists in order to establish areas of risk and advise of any changes required to the home to make it safer. This may involve fitting ramps, modifying doorways, or moving furniture to enhance accessibility. Thus, occupational therapists assist older adults in modifying their homes to allow them to stay in their homes for longer and in a safer manner.

Real Life Application of Occupational Therapy

Case Study : Lifestyle Changes after a Stroke: Getting Back to Normal

Mrs. Smith, a 72 year old woman, had a stroke which affected her right-sided mobility.

She had difficulty dressing, cooking meals, or using the bathroom on her own with reduced mobility when walking.

An occupational therapist evaluated Mrs. Smith and provided her with an intervention plan to enhance her strength and coordination.

The OT also used adaptive equipment such as dressing aids, grab-rails in the bathroom, shower chairs and over-seat toilet aids. Mrs. Smith was also assessed for a 4 Wheeled Walker that enabled her to move freely around her garden.  Ramps were installed at the back of her home which enabled her to tend to her beloved roses.

 The OT also assisted Mrs. Smith in adaptive cooking utensils and easy-twist jar and can openers, helping Mrs Smith to begin cooking more independently.

Gradually, Mrs. Smith gained more confidence in her abilities after her stroke and could go about her daily activities with reduced assistance and increased independence.

Occupational therapy services can be accessed in the following ways:

Occupational therapy services are readily available in Australia and can be obtained through several means. Some of the places where older adults can get occupational therapy include the public health services, private practitioners, and My Aged Care Home Care Package funding.

Medicare, private health insurance or a client’s Home Care Package may provide some or all of the costs relating to occupational therapy.

For more information on accessing occupational therapy services in Australia, please contact Rivergum Allied Therapies.

You can also visit these resources for more information.

Australian Government Department of Health: https://health.gov.au  

Occupational Therapy Australia: https://www.otaus.com.au

My Aged Care: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au