--- title: "What is Occupational Therapy and How Can it Help the Elderly Recover?" description: "Occupational therapy can help seniors recover so they can perform their activities of daily living (ADL's). Therapists work with home care service providers." url: https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/home-care-resources/occupational-therapy/ publisher: HomeCare.com phone: 800-974-3458 start: https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com --- Home care resources # What is Occupational Therapy and How Can it Help the Elderly Recover? Published February 5, 20172 min readBy HomeCare.com ![Occupational Therapy](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/_astro/9529f29750be2164ca626ff7a635c965-occupational-therapy.D9PaHaMq_ZpOesT.webp) Questions about care for your family? [800-974-3458](tel:+18009743458) There are times when a senior loved one may need additional medical assistance if a fall or injury should occur. Remember, if it is an emergency and your loved is severely injured, make sure you dial 911 and elicit the help of an emergency care team. After properly assessed by a doctor, occupational therapy in a skilled nursing facility may be required to restore function and recover. When a client is admitted to a facility, they tend to require around the clock nursing care and the skills of the rehabilitation team to attempt to return them to their prior level of functioning. Through an initial evaluation determining the client and/or caregiver’s needs or wants, an intervention plan is established to assist in returning the client to their desired location, usually returning home. [HomeCare.com Senior Advisors](https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com) can refer an experienced caregiver to help loved ones return home following a hospital stay. As defined on the American Occupational therapy website: Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which their focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science (AOTA). Together with physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers, nursing staff, and doctors, occupational therapists engage the clients daily in their individual intervention plan with a focus on safe discharge planning. One important way to ensure safe discharge is to recommend, when appropriate, Home Health services to ensure the continuum of care and safe transition back home. This is done, along with caregiver and client education of the disease process, and education on safety with Activities of Daily living (ADL) to attempt to prevent re-hospitalization of the client. This article was first published on HomeCare.com on February 5, 2017. Program rules and costs change; see our [current cost data](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/cost-of-home-care/) and [guides](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/) for up-to-date figures. ## Terms in this article - [Activities of daily living (ADLs)](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/activities-of-daily-living/) - [Skilled nursing facility (SNF)](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/skilled-nursing-facility/) - [Discharge planning](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/discharge-planning/) - [Care team](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/care-team/) ## Keep reading - [**How Many Hours of Home Care Does Your Parent Need? A Simple Needs Checklist**Count what your parent cannot do alone, and when. A few tasks a week may need two to four hours of visits. Help with bathing, meals and mobility every day...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/how-many-hours-of-home-care-do-i-need/) - [**Home Care Agency, Registry or Private Caregiver: Who Employs Whom and Who Is Liable**The three models differ mainly in who employs the caregiver. With an agency, the caregiver usually works for the agency. With a registry, you usually hire...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/agency-vs-registry-vs-private-caregiver/) - [**Companion Care vs Personal Care: What Each Level Does and Does Not Do**Companion care gives company, light housekeeping, meals, rides and reminders. Personal care adds hands-on help with bathing, toileting, dressing and moving...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/companion-care-vs-personal-care/) - [**Can a Family Member Get Paid to Be a Caregiver? A State-by-State Guide**Yes, sometimes. Medicaid programs in several states let a person choose a relative as a paid caregiver, though spouses are often excluded or limited. The VA...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/get-paid-to-care-for-a-family-member/) - [**Overnight Care for Seniors: Awake or Asleep Caregivers, Cost and When It Is Time**Overnight care puts a caregiver in your parent's home at night. An awake caregiver stays up and watches. A sleep-in caregiver rests nearby and wakes when...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/overnight-care-for-seniors/) - [**Respite Care at Home: How Family Caregivers Get a Break**Respite care is short-term care that gives a family caregiver a break while their loved one stays safe. At home, a paid caregiver, volunteer, or relative...](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/guides/respite-care-at-home/) ## Talk to a care advisor today. Free consultation. No minimums, no contracts. [800-974-3458](tel:+18009743458) [Call a care advisor](tel:+18009743458)[Find a caregiver online](https://care.homecare.com/?source=homecare.com) ![A caregiver bringing a meal to an older man at home](https://homecare.preview.multisites.ai/_astro/caregiver.CIGFcZAB_PlrDw.webp)