Innovative Therapies - Occupational Therapy

Phone: (228) 832-6221
Fax: (228) 832-4033
12296-B Ashley Drive, Gulfport, MS 39503

Innovative Therapies - Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is a common rehabilitation healthcare service, but what does it really mean?

Reaching out

The word "occupation" in occupational therapy means "the jobs of everyday living", such as:

Cooking a meal
Getting dressed
Taking a bath
Brushing one's hair or teeth
... and the list goes on

Occupational therapists work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling. They help them to develop, recover, improve or maintain daily living and work skills.

Occupational therapists work with individuals of all ages with many different conditions. Anyone who has lost the ability to function in their everyday life could benefit from OT.

Examples include:

People who have had a stroke or brain injury
Ppeople with heart and lung conditions
People with orthopedic conditions (including hip or shoulder fractures and replacements)
Mental disorders
People who have been debilitated from other illness or injury

Treatment is focused on improving function through many different modalities, including increasing upper body strength, fine motor coordination, or problem solving skills. Training individuals to use equipment to compensate for deficits is also a way to improve function. Occupational therapy professionals can help:

An individual with arthritis mobilize his/her finger joints to be able to once again button shirts.
An individual who sustained a traumatic brain injury be able to once again follow a recipe for baking a cake, safely.
An individual with COPD learn ways to conserve energy while performing household chores.
An individual recovering from a total hip replacement follow precautions while using the toilet.
An individual who has had a stroke to regain the use of his weak side of his body and be able to know that side of his body exists by being able to once again eat on both sides of his palate and shave both sides of his face.

Occupational therapy can be so beneficial, from once:

poor balance to good balance!
uncoordination to coordination!
weak muscles to strong muscles!
low endurance to high endurance!
challenging task to easy task!
disability to ability!
needing help to independence!

The Occupational Therapy Staff at Innovative Therapies consists of several caring, experienced therapists. Our staff has specialized training in evaluating and treating neurological deficits and visual deficits.

Once an initial evaluation of a person's strengths and deficits is performed, the Occupational Therapist will work with the patient and family to establish a treatment plan to work towards the goals of the patient.

Treatments may include training in:

Self care activities
Exercise
Fine and gross motor coordination activities
Cognitive activities
Visual spatial activities
Neuromuscular re-education
Adaptive equipment training
Safety training
Home evaluation
And community re-integration activities

We strive to push each individual to his highest potential so that he can once again live a fulfilling, more independent life.

Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt once said,

"The greatest opportunity in life is the ability to work well at work worth doing."

Occupational therapy changes lives for the better - it's "a work definitely worth doing!"