Page 7 - TR Senior Expo May 2016

candidates to benefit from the provision of occupational therapy.”
• What can occupational therapists do? People who live with chronic pain rely on occupational therapists in vari- ous ways. Occupational therapists may identify the cause of their patients’ pain, suggesting alternatives to activities or behaviors that aggravate that pain. Such identification may include evaluations of patients’ homes and work environments.
Siler said seniors can learn techniques from occupational therapists to help re- lieve chronic pain.
“Occupational therapists frequently offer some of the same pain-relieving treatments and modalities more often as- sociated with physical therapy, including ultrasound, phonophoresis, transcutane- ous electrical stimulation and iontopho- resis,” he said. “Occupational therapists also instruct patients in proper body me- chanics, energy conservation techniques and the use of adaptive equipment, all of which can improve a senior’s level of function while limiting or eliminating associated pain.”
Occupational therapists also teach methods for decreasing the frequency and duration of painful episodes. This may include adapting environments that tend to trigger pain. For example, if an office environment is identified as the cause of the pain or a primary trigger, occupation therapists can recommend adjustments and equipment to make that environment less conducive to pain.
Siler said occupational therapy can be a main component for a senior’s path to health and pain relief.
“Occupational therapy has the po- tential to positively impact the quality of anyone’s life,” he said. “For seniors, occupational therapy can be key in help- ing restore the physical and functional abilities that are required to enjoy safe, independent living. In many cases, it is the occupational therapist who helps guide an injured or debilitated senior back to a higher quality of independent living.”
Occupational therapists also teach clients how to use equipment so their pain decreases while they perform neces- sary tasks, such as those associated with their jobs. Many occupational therapists work in conjunction with other health care professionals who are treating the client. This cooperation can help to de- termine the ideal course of treatment and may help patients hesitant to treat their conditions with medication find other avenues to overcome their chronic pain.
Chronic pain is a potentially formi- dable foe that affects millions of peo- ple around the globe. By visiting www. aota.org, people with chronic pain can learn more about the role occupational therapists can play in combating their patients’ conditions.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative, with contributions by Spencer Griffin, special sections writer
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Through various exercises and techniques, occupational therapists are often able to improve a senior’s quality of life by relieving chronic pain.
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