OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

occupational therapy services:

adaptive lighting

Adding lighting like a lamp, headlight, or night lights in a hallway can improve someone’s usable vision substantially. Similarly, taking away lighting by adding blackout curtains or installing dimmable light switches can provide a reprieve from glare, allowing individuals to utilize their remaining vision with less eye strain.  

high contrast features

Another simple but significant Occupational Therapy tool is contrast. By adding contrast to steps, kitchen tools, bathrooms, light switches, and more, a person with low vision can move much more confidently throughout their home.  

tactile cues

Bump dots are one example of a tactile cue that can be added to the home to support individuals with vision loss. They are affordable, and when used correctly, can be applied with minimal impact to the user experience. Our Occupational Therapists (OT) and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA) are pros at knowing just where to place them, and how to make them most useful for each patient. Other tactile cues can include markings on the ground for cane travel, like the “corduroy,” or the bumpy panels you see at cross walks. Each Occupational Therapy assessment is unique to the individual, their goals, and their current abilities.  

navigating safely

In combination with Orientation and Mobility training, Occupational Therapy can help clients become more confident in navigating their homes by teaching them to thoroughly clean up after themselves using special techniques, implementing organization tips and tricks to minimize the risk of trips and falls and time spent looking for lost items, and how to install small tools throughout the home, particularly in problem areas, to mitigate any bumps, bruises, or other injuries.