In acute care settings, we can help people who are in comas or who are very low level by doing sensory stimulation - using smells, touch, motion to help stimulate them. We can give exercises to increase strength and range of motion. WE can teach someone to sit up on the side of the bed, stand up, transfer to the toilet.

In a rehab setting we can help someone who has becomes paralyzed learn to eat using adaptive equipment, transfer using a sliding board. Or teach someone who has had a stroke to dress with one hand, increase any visual deficits that may have occured from the stroke, and to increase function in the affected arm. Or to educate a patient who recently had their hip replaced to dress themselved with adaptive equipment while adhering to hip precautions.

In a hand therapy clinic, they may help someonce increase usage in their hand after cutting a tendon (or in my case once a man who cut half-way through his pinky and thumb and clear through the other 3 fingers. They were reattached and I got to help teach him to use his hand again!)

In a nursing home, you often work with people who have gotten run down from a simple illness such as a urinary tract infection. In this case, you teach them energy conservation techniques and increase overstrength and activity tolerance.

In a pediatric clinic, you can do lots of things with kids, that seems like play. After all, occupational therapists address occupations - which in a child is PLAY!!! They may play Hungry Hungry Hippos to work on fine motor skills or hand-eye coordination. They may make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to work on sequencing and a child tolerating different textures in their mouth.

There is soooo many different things OT does. That is why it is such a great field to go into. If you get burned out in one setting you can do a different area. Plus, consumer reports lists it as one of the top ten jobs this year and the need for OTs is anticipated to continue grow with the baby boomers getting older.

Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. Occupational therapy assists people in developing the "skills for the job of living" necessary for independent and satisfying lives. 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
Guidance to family members and caregivers
Some of the health conditions that benefit from occupational therapy include

Work-related injuries including lower back problems or repetitive stress injuries
Limitations following a stroke or heart attack
Arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or other serious chronic conditions
Birth injuries, learning problems, or developmental disabilities
Mental health or behavioral problems including Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress
Problems with substance use or eating disorders
Burns, spinal cord injuries, or amputations
Broken bones or other injuries from falls, sports injuries, or accidents
Vision or cognitive problems that threaten the ability to drive

A physical therapist works with people who have had an injury or a disability (usually). My son has spina bifida and he sees both kinds of therapist, and they both have helped him a lot. The occupational therapist has asked for input from the physical therapist, though, because the physcial therapist has worked more with cases like my son’s. The occupational therapist usually works with kids that are just a little behind in (physical) development and need that last little push to help them out.

Hope this helps.