The primary goal of acute care is to stabilize the patient’s medical status and address any threats to his or her life and loss of function. Occupational therapy plays an important role in facilitating early mobilization, restoring function, preventing further decline, and coordinating care, including transition and discharge planning. Furthermore, occupational therapy’s role focuses on addressing deficits and barriers that limit the patient’s ability to perform activities that they need or want to do relating to independence in self-care, home management, work-related tasks, and participating in leisure and community pursuits.
Inpatient rehabilitation
- (e.g., Spinal Cord Injuries):People with disabilities have the right and the privilege to live meaningful purposeful lives.
- When a disability occurs it is sometimes possible to recover – when it is not it is important to learn the skills to adapt capacity and environmental supports to be able to participate.
- OTs use their knowledge to help both with recovery and adaptation.