Working with Occupational Therapy at Home after Stroke or Brain Injury

Why might you want to receive occupational therapy (OT) after you have returned home after experiencing a stroke or brain injury? It’s common for individuals to receive OT services in the hospital after experiencing a stroke, brain injury, or other injuries. But not everyone talks about the benefits of receiving OT at home. 

Let’s start by talking about what occupational therapists do. Occupational therapy helps people participate in what they want or need to do in their everyday lives (AOTA, 2024). These meaningful activities are unique to every person receiving treatment since we all have different backgrounds, experiences, and future goals. Some of these activities can include self-care, caregiving, volunteering, working, going to school, household chores, and participating in hobbies. OTs work with their clients to create goals, making it easier to return to daily activities. 

Common Occupational Therapy Goals:

  1. Increase participation in daily activities. 

  2. Maintain or improve skills.

  3. Increase independence in daily tasks.

  4. Improve well-being and quality of life.

Occupational Therapy Services at Home

OT services are unique to the client and the client’s home environment. Listed below are some common strategies that can be provided:

  • Adapting activities that you want or need to do to increase independence.

  • Using familiar household objects for therapy sessions 

  • Provide recommendations for adaptive equipment that can help with daily activities.

  • Provide training on adaptive equipment.

  • Therapeutic exercises to improve skills and retrain the brain.

  • Assistance with medication management

  • Seating and positioning retraining

  • Family and caregiver training

  • Community re-entry skills (transportation, shopping, going to work or school, etc.)

Occupational therapy at home is helpful for those who have experienced a stroke or brain injury because we focus on improving function through practice. After injury, it is difficult for the brain to adapt to changes in the environment. OT works to restore the brain’s ability to adapt by focusing on daily tasks and using repetition. Our brains love practice and routine! Experiencing OT services at home provides comfort and allows clients to apply what they learn to real life situations. 

To learn more about how occupational therapy can help with returning to life at home, contact us today!

Guest Blogger: Amanda Merin, OTS

Resources:

AOTA. (2024). What is Occupational Therapy?. Aota.org. https://www.aota.org/about/what-is-ot 

Empowering Home Health Occupational therapy. Amedisys. (2024). https://www.amedisys.com/services/home-health-care/services/occupational-therapy/ 

Flint Rehab. (2021, June 17). Occupational therapy and brain injury: Goals and Benefits. Flint Rehab: Tools to Spark Recovery. https://www.flintrehab.com/occupational-therapy-and-brain-injury/