The Role of Occupational Therapy in Neurorehabilitation

Abstract

Occupational therapy (OT) can be defined as “the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of enhancing or enabling participation in roles, habits, and routines in home, school, workplace, community, and other settings” (AOTA, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Suppl. 1):S1–S48, 2014). The goal of OT is to maximize independence in all areas of occupations, including activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. This chapter discusses occupational therapy’s role in neurological rehabilitation after acquired brain injury. In this specialized setting, occupational therapists utilize remedial and compensatory approaches to address underlying physical, cognitive, and/or visual and perceptual skills to facilitate improved performance and safety during engagement in meaningful and realistic occupations. The client, caregivers, occupational therapist, and interdisciplinary team all collaborate to promote a functional and meaningful recovery during and following rehabilitation for acquired brain injury.