Lea Occupational Therapy Services

Falls are the leading cause of injury and accidental death in adults over the age of 65.  Some people become so afraid of falling (or after an actual fall) that they stop doing activities they used to enjoy. An occupational therapy practitioner uses your daily activities as the basis of therapy to help ensure that you can safely do the things you want to do and need to do.  Our fall prevention program may include recommendations for furniture placement and lighting, a medication review,  and instruction to safely increase your physical conditioning by focusing on items you enjoy (e.g., gardening or washing the car to increase strength, walking to increase endurance, carrying shopping bags to increase strength).

Dementia results from impaired cognition, due to damage to the brain.  Occupational therapists help by enhancing function, promoting relationships and social participation, and finding ways for those with dementia to enjoy life.  By providing education and support for the family, care providers, and clients (as they are able to understand), and promoting the person’s strengths, occupational therapists help ensure that those with dementia and their care providers have the support needed to live life to its fullest.

Chronic conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, are the leading causes of death and disability—and the most preventable. Occupational therapy practitioners analyze the demands of activities and evaluate the task between abilities and obstacles.

They may make recommendations on how to conserve energy, reduce or prevent pain, simplify

the activities, and improve the safety and ease of functioning in a given environment.  Managing chronic conditions also involves learning specific health-management skills. Occupational therapy practitioners are particularly trained in helping clients manage chronic conditions in a way that fits with existing routines and patterns so changes feel less disruptive and are more likely to be consistently integrated into daily routines.

An estimated 1 in 5 adults are diagnosed annually with arthritis in the United States.

The most common arthritic conditions are osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. These conditions present with symptoms such as joint and muscle pain, morning stiffness, swelling, and fatigue.  Occupational therapists treat individuals with arthritic

conditions to increase or preserve mobility so they are able to perform activities in areas such as self-care, home management, work, and leisure and social participation.