 Health & Nutrition
Thoughts on
Aging
Occupational Therapy
(3 minutes: 6 seconds)
 MP3 (audio
only)
Audio/Video Script:
Dr. LaVona Traywick
Assistant Professor - Gerontology
[Announcer] Welcome to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona Traywick,
Assistant Professor of Gerontology with the University of Arkansas Division of
Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
[Dr. LaVona Traywick] Are you worried about the safety of a friend, relative or older adult living
alone? Do you know people who are having an increasingly difficult time managing
daily tasks in their home? Well sometimes with disability or increasing age, it
becomes more and more challenging for people to pay bills, eat nutritious meals,
and keep up their hygiene and even their home due to physical and/or mental
changes.
With increasing dependence, both formal and informal support networks
must work to help an older person or a person with a disability obtain proper
assistance to maintain their remaining abilities and independence.
Formal
support often stems from services or agencies and or organizations that meet basic
needs such as congregate meals and activities.
Informal support is typically
provided by family, friends, significant others and pets that meet emotional or
psychosocial needs. To successfully age in place and remain as independent as
possible, individuals need a combination of formal and informal support to
properly maintain independence and quality of life.
Occupational therapy, sometimes referred to as OT, is a formal support service that provides skilled
treatment to help individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives.
Occupational therapists and assistants help people of all ages and with all
disabilities deal with the effects of illness and injury on their ability to
manage daily life. Occupational therapists help people develop the skills necessary for independent
and satisfying lives.
OT Services typically include:
Customized treatment programs to improve one's ability to perform
daily activities
Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation
recommendations
Performance skills assessments and treatment
Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training
As well as guidance to family members and caregivers
If you or a loved one is having a difficulty with a daily activity, ask your
doctor about referring you to an occupational therapist. It won't hurt and it
may help.
[Announcer] Thank you for listening to Thoughts on Aging with Dr. LaVona
Traywick. To learn more about this and other topics, contact your local county
Cooperative
Extension Service office.
Reference:
The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. "Consumers." Retrieved
1-12-09 from
http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Adults.aspx
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