Whether you're working to recover from a major accident or you have a child or loved one who was born with a condition which limits their independence, occupational therapy can have significant benefits. Dignity and independence are at the foundation of what most people consider to be a high quality of life, and it's important that you work to maximize them.

Below, you'll find a guide to some of the skills that your occupational therapist will work to improve. By having a more complete understanding of an occupational therapist's goals, your comfort in and commitment to the process will significantly increase, .

Fine Motor Skills

An inability to fully and freely use your hands and fingers to manipulate small objects can create a significant disadvantage in terms of dealing with everyday life. Most technological and functional aspects of society require a great deal of fine motor control, and that control tends to be one of the first things dulled following major trauma or due to a congenital health issue.

Your occupational therapist will work to rebuild that fine motor control through a series of exercises and repetitive activities. Typically, this will include stretches and exercises as well as practice with practical situations that are designed to make the patient feel more comfortable with daily challenges.

Oral Motor Skills

For people who have recently suffered a traumatic brain injury, the effects on speech patterns and lip and tongue control can be devastating. Finding yourself able to comprehend the world around you but unable to talk or eat can make a person feel trapped in their own body, and can cause depression and resentment to set in.

Occupational therapy seeks to mitigate these factors by designing exercises which will rebuild your muscle control and strength in your lips, tongue, and jaw. This will allow you to return to your previous state of control and should significantly improve your communication and feeding skills.

Self-Care Skills

Preserving dignity means not having to be reliant on other people to perform the most intimate daily care tasks. For patients with acute physical and mental disabilities, this can be very difficult. Occupational therapists, however, can assist with building the skills necessary to perform all necessary hygiene tasks as well as other daily self-care requirements. This will allow the affected person to feel more comfortable in their environment and take pride in what they've done to improve their lives.

Work with a specialist such as Bayonet Point Health & Rehabilitation Center for your rehabilitation and occupational therapy needs.