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Occupational Therapy


Occupational therapy is rehabilitation that focuses on promoting the ability to live independently. Goals are related to enhancing the ability to safely complete daily tasks related to living or occupation. Each person is assessed to address physical, environmental, mental, or social challenges that impact function and quality of life.


Here are a few examples:


A 60-year-old female had recently fallen at home and suffered a wrist fracture to her dominant hand. After the bone had healed, her hand remained stiff and weak. She was referred to OT to restore strength and movement. OT asked about what activities were affected, such as self-dressing, bathing, cooking, and grocery shopping. OT also asked about the fall; what happened, where, when, why. After evaluation, OT worked together with her to figure out how to dress herself more easily, discussed how to treat the healing wound and keep it clean, and ways to temporarily adapt cooking and grocery shopping, such as using pre-cut vegetables, making simplified one-pot/rice cooker meals, and ordering groceries online to pickup or be delivered. OT also used manual techniques to help increase range of movement and promote healing, and engaged her in exercises to increase flexibility and strength to restore hand function. Lastly, OT also addressed the fall and reviewed potential causes, how to reduce risk of another, how to reduce risk of a fracture in the event of another fall, and how to use the environment to help get up from a fall.


A 75-year-old male had recently suffered a stroke resulting in left-sided weakness and spasticity, with the arm stuck in a flexion synergy pattern. He was referred to outpatient OT after being discharged home. He attended the session with his wife and son. He was seated in a wheelchair and able to walk short distances with a front-wheeled walker and support for safety. At OT, they reviewed home set-up, such as ensuring the home is accessible with wide doorways, rails in the bathroom, a shower bench for safe transfers and support during bathing, and transferring in and out of bed. OT discussed with family about how to provide assistance and cues in a way to promote client engagement and rehabilitation during daily tasks so that client is able to relearn movement and cognition, and increase strength and voluntary movement. They discussed how to safely incorporate stretching and exercising into daily routines to reduce risk of muscle contractures in the left arm, and different activities where client can incorporate functional use of his left arm to promote neuroplasticity and re-education.


A 40-year-old female was recently diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. She was an office worker and experiencing right hand pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness. She wore a wrist splint during work, which brought some relief, but even after a few weeks, her hand remained weak and she had difficulty grasping items. She was referred to OT. At OT, they assessed sensation in her hand and grip strength. They then discussed her desk set-up and modifications to improve the work space, such as using a vertical mouse to reduce wrist pressure. OT also performed manual techniques to help reduce swelling and pressure on the median nerve and trained the client on exercises to help glide the nerve and promote healing. Subsequent sessions focused on healing and strengthening until client recovered functional grip strength and was able to manage it on her own.

Most OT sessions are between 30-45 minutes, 1-3 times a week, for at least 4 weeks and up to 12 weeks depending on client's needs.

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CCACC Pan Asian Volunteer Health Clinic (PAVHC)

9298 Gaither Road

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

panasianclinic@ccacc-dc.org

Doctor visits by appointment only.
Patient eligibility screenings by appointment.


For more information, call 240-393-5950 or email us.

Monday-Friday 9 AM-5 PM
*Extended Hours: 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 9:00 AM-7:30 PM (by appointment ONLY)

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