What is Occupational Therapy Neurological Rehabilitation? Occupational Therapy neurological rehabilitation is a therapeutic program designed to improve function, reduce limitations and improve the overall well-being of patients who have experienced disease, traumatic injury or disorders of the nervous system. The goal of the neurological rehabilitation program is to design a treatment program that will help the patient return to the highest level of function and independence in daily activities. What conditions can benefit from Occupational Therapy Neurological Rehabilitation? Many medical conditions can affect the function of the human nervous system. Infections, tumors, degenerative disease and disorders of the circulatory system are commonly associated with injury to the nervous system. Some examples of such diagnoses include: - Brain Injury
- Stroke
- Brain or spinal cord tumors
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy/ALS
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Myasthenia gravis
- Guillain-Barre Syndrome
- Huntington’s Chorea
Outpatient Occupational Therapy Neurological Rehabilitation Services: Your Occupational Therapist will perform neurological and musculoskeletal-based evaluations to determine baseline functional and cognitive status. The therapist then designs a course of treatment with specific interventions and attainable goals to improve function and independence in daily activities. In order to help reach these goals, your Occupational Therapist may utilize many different treatment approaches. Some examples of therapeutic activities included in an Occupational Therapy neurological rehabilitation program are: - Activities to improve mobility, coordination and balance
- Exercises and splinting to manage spasticity and pain or increase ROM
- Retraining in activities of daily living (ADLs) such as grooming, bathing, feeding, handwriting, meal preparation and basic housekeeping
- Activities to improve cognitive function, specifically problems such as perceptual deficits, loss of memory, decreased attention span, lack of concentration or altered judgment
- Measures to assure safety
- Pain management
- Recommendations for assistive devices that promote independence
Your Occupational Therapist works as part of your MUSC healthcare team to help you maximize your recovery. |
