Occupational therapy is less about restoring a patient's muscles and more about getting a patient re-acclimated to their everyday life. Following a serious medical issue, many patients face both physical and psychological challenges that could diminish their confidence and independence. Occupational therapy is about getting these patients back to their day-to-day routine, where they are sustaining themselves and contributing to their community again.
Occupational therapy practitioners are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the social, emotional, and physiological effects of illness and injury.
Conditions treated through outpatient therapy services at Rehabilitation Services-Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center include:
Arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other serious chronic conditions
Burns, spinal cord injuries or amputations
Industrial and work-related injuries
Neurological problems such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease
Sports-related injuries
Trauma from a motor vehicle accident, broken bones, or a fall
Vision or cognitive problems that threaten the ability to drive