Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy improves health through rehabilitative practices that support individuals who have lasting impacts from various diagnoses. As a rehabilitative practice, occupational therapy encourages a therapeutic approach to supporting independence in daily activities and recovering and developing skills vital to each patient’s daily needs.

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital’s occupational therapy services in Manistique help individuals resume and improve daily living activities by:

• Evaluating the home, workplace, or other surroundings to identify barriers and recommend accommodations and strategies to support a patient’s goals.
• Developing a plan of care with specific goals and activities that promote skills-building.
• Helping individuals with disabilities perform daily living tasks, such as getting dressed, using eating and mobility aids, and other adaptive equipment.
• Demonstrating therapeutic exercises and activities and educating family members and caregivers on supporting a loved one’s needs.

Our occupational therapists work with individuals in:

• Home environments
• Outpatient facilities
• Inpatient facilities

Depending on the patient’s identified rehabilitative needs, an occupational therapist can help them with daily tasks, provide early interventions for infants and children, and work collaboratively with a hospital care team during recovery from illness or trauma.

Occupational therapy services can empower adults or children who struggle with everyday activities, equipping them with the necessary skills, equipment, and accessibility accommodations to live independently and flourish at home, at work, in school, and in the community.

Adults may benefit from occupational therapy services that target these conditions and barriers to independent living, including:

• Gross and fine motor deficits
• Brain or spinal cord injury
• Arthritis, juvenile arthritis, and chronic pain
• Joint replacement
• Trauma, fractures, and strains to the upper extremities
• Stroke
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cerebral palsy
• Mental health
• Spasticity and contractures
• Musculoskeletal and neurodevelopmental challenges
• Poor balance and low vision
• Injuries due to overuse, such as osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel

Children up to 18 years old may benefit from pediatric occupational therapy services to address the above conditions, along with the following conditions or challenges to independent living:

• ADHD
• Autism
• Behavioral concerns
• Difficulties with sensory processing, focus, and self-regulation
• Feeding challenges
• Dressing, toileting, or self-care challenges
• Coordination, motor, balance, or visual perceptual difficulties
• Congenital disabilities
• Developmental challenges

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is committed to helping individuals recover from injuries, develop skills for daily living, and uplift their quality of life through a holistic approach to occupational therapy services. Through a wide range of modalities, we can empower individuals with renewed strength, the ability to live independently, and accessible surroundings.

Our occupational therapy team is dedicated to supporting your or a loved one’s well-being. We follow a proven approach in recommending occupational therapy to make meaningful changes to one’s daily routine and quality of life.

Your occupational therapy journey includes:

• Evaluation. During your first visit to Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, one of our occupational therapists will discuss your needs and goals for daily living. Your occupational therapist will observe how you move and perform tasks related to a deficit area, injury, or pain. They will assess your needs and formulate recommendations, such as using assistive devices, household modifications, and completing therapeutic exercises or activities to support independence.

• Therapy Plan. Your activities will be defined in a therapy plan. Together with your occupational therapist, you will set goals for daily living, which can help you adapt movements, improve motor skills, learn new skills, and perform tasks as independently as possible.