IRON MOUNTAIN – April is Occupational Therapy Month and this is a specialty within the Dickinson Rehabilitation Services Department at Dickinson Memorial Hospital.

“Occupational therapy plays an integral role in this multi-disciplinary department. Therapists work closely with professionals in physical therapy, speech therapy, sports medicine as well as cardiac rehabilitation to provide a comprehensive team approach,” a spokesperson said.

The overall goal of occupational therapy is to improve function. Occupational therapists focus on reducing impairment by restoring or improving physical ability such as motion, strength, endurance and coordination. Occupational therapy also improves function by addressing developmental delays, cognitive deficits as well as education in techniques to compensate for deficits.

Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities, helping people who are recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing support to older adults who are experiencing physical and cognitive changes.

Occupational Therapy services typically include:

– An individualized evaluation during which the patient and family along with the therapist determine the patient’s goals.

– A treatment / therapy plan designed to improve the patient’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the established goals; and

– An outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met or to make changes to the therapy plan.

– Occupational therapists enable people to live life to its fullest by helping them to prevent – or to live better with – injury, illness, or disability.

Occupational therapists at Dickinson Memorial Hospital provide services to acute care inpatients, home health patients, and outpatients. They have a holistic perspective in which the focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the needs of the patient. And they involve their patients as integral members of the therapy team.

These therapists are licensed in both Wisconsin and Michigan.