How to Prepare for Occupational Therapy
There really is no single way to prepare for occupational therapy or any other forms of therapy for that matter. Treatment of disease is straightforward. The tests are known and the diagnosis is definitive. If the medication is tested and the side-effects are known, then the recovery time can be approximated quite accurately.
On the other hand, psychological and physical processes that are managed through occupational therapy are not so simple. It is impossible to tell when an individual will recover from a particular injury, how long it would take before a stroke victim is able to function on their own or when a dyslexic child would be able to cope with their learning disorder.
For these reasons, preparation of occupational therapy has more to do with the process than the problem itself. Some ways to make the process smoother include:
Being prepared to involve someone else in your daily activities
Unlike most forms of therapy where the patient visits the therapist, OT works in the opposite way. It lets the therapist into the patient’s life. The degree of which the occupational therapist may involve in the patient’s life depends on the needs of the patient. However in general, a great deal of time is spent together.
If you’re thinking of going for occupational therapy to help treat your problem, you should be prepared for the therapist to spend a lot of time with you at home and accommodate them as best as you can.
Inform your friends and family
The OT process does not involve only the patient, but also those who surround them. The occupational therapist may need to speak with your close friends and family to work out a way in which they can help you too. It is better to let them know before you get to that point to prevent them from being surprised by the therapist. If they are informed beforehand, they can be ready to assist and be more cooperative.
Be willing to make changes
Therapy involves the patient taking the therapist’s advice and putting it into practice. The patient has to be willing to do as advised. OT might require you to do more changes both mentally and physically. You have to be willing to do so. For example, recovery from an injury may require the installation of rails around the house even though it may not fit into the décor. Hence you must be flexible and admit that these changes are necessary for your recovery without giving therapist a hard time.
Do not make any assumptions about the length of the occupational therapy
Psychotherapy sessions are usually timed and the number of sessions can be determined at the beginning of the therapy. The duration of OT cannot be determined. Therefore, you should not make any assumptions about that. The process will take as long as it is needed for the patient to be able to function on their own and this period will vary greatly from one patient to another.
