Occupational Therapists (OTs) assist their patients to live more independently after an injury, stroke, or chronic disease diagnosis. After a major health event, it can take awhile for a person’s functionality to resume, if at all. With assistance from an OT, patients learn to adjust their everyday life to their new normal.

Specifically, an OT may assist in the following areas:

• With Neuromotor Dysfunction, like recovery following a stroke, traumatic brain injury, following a spinal cord injury
• Performing cognitive evaluations with intervention to improve safety at home, and work performance or any other area of life
• In combination with orthopedic conditions like elbow tendonitis, wrist pain, hand or wrist injuries
• Assisting individuals following the diagnosis of a new or existing chronic disease to reduce its impact on meaningful daily activities, including self-care, work, and home routines
• After observing vision impairment, including chronic low vision or acute vision loss after a stroke or brain injury, occupational therapists sometimes assist with modifications, re-training, and compensation strategies to help individuals live safely at home

It shouldn’t be difficult perform routine daily tasks like dressing, bathing, household tasks, leisure activities, meals, school or work tasks because of pain, injury, disability, or illness. If it is for you, talk with your provider about a referral to receive occupational therapy to get you back to living your everyday life. OTs work with all ages, from birth to late adult years. They are effective in teaching adaptations to regain independence in patients’ lives.  

One of Southwest Health’s Occupational Therapists is Mary Gee, OTR/L, who serves patients in both Platteville and the Kieler Clinic. She is helping patients live more independently, whether that’s after an injury (like wrist pain or even a brain injury), stroke, or with a chronic disease. Mary works one-on-one with young adults and adult patients to develop a unique treatment plan to address any concerns keeping her patients from working and living safely.

If you think occupational therapy would be helpful for yourself or a family member, the first step is getting a referral from your doctor. Once a referral is processed, an Occupational Therapist will schedule your initial evaluation.

The first step? Call Southwest Health’s Rehab Services at (608) 342-4748. At Southwest Health, occupational therapists will focus on what you need and want to do to achieve your goals, stay as healthy and productive as possible, and maintain or rebuild your independence.