If you are considering a career as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA), you are probably someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of other people. As an OTA, you will be responsible for providing personalized care to clients who might be experiencing a variety of difficulties. Some of these difficulties might affect what is commonly referred to as Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs.
Helping clients with their ADLs is something that you may have to do as an OTA. For that reason, it is important for aspiring OTAs to be aware of the ways that a client’s environment can impact their ADLs.
Check out our blog to learn more about ADLs, client environments, and your role as an OTA!
Understanding Environmental Impact in Your Occupational Therapist Assistant Course
To understand how a client’s environment (i.e., the space around them) can impact their ADLs, it is important to understand what exactly ADLs refer to. Although some clients might be more autonomous than others in completing their ADLs, here are a few things that the term refers to:
Ambulating — is the technical term used to describe a person’s ability to walk or move from one place to another.
Feeding — is the ability of a person to independently prepare their food and feed themselves.
Dressing and grooming — refer to a person’s capacity to choose appropriate clothing for different occasions, put that clothing on, and to manage or maintain their personal appearance.
Toileting — means going to the toilet, using it appropriately, and cleaning up after themselves.
Transferring — is the ability to move from one position to another. This may include movements like transferring from a bed or a chair to a standing position, or vice-versa.
ADLs can include the ability to prepare one’s own meals
A career training program in occupational therapy assistance will teach you that when the environment of a client is adapted to their needs, it can help the client to perform their ADLs. There are many environmental changes that can be made to a client’s living space. Some of the more common ones include: ramps, modified lighting, adapted steps, adherent floors, and wider doors.
Here’s How You Can Help Clients Manage Their ADLs
When you complete your occupational therapy assistant training, you’ll find that a client’s ability to complete their ADLs is important for maintaining their overall health and quality of life. The combination of the right environmental adaptations and a qualified OTA can help give clients a feeling of independence.
As an OTA, if your client lives in a place with adapted environmental conditions, it is important that you take the time to understand everything that has been put in place for them. Learning what your client needs is essential in being able to provide the right services. When you have a good awareness of your client’s needs and how their environment is assisting them, you can help them with their ADLs, and encourage them to perform certain activities on their own.
Your client’s environment can make ADLs easier or more challenging to complete
You might meet many different clients who have difficulty completing their ADLs. These may range from people who are recovering from major surgeries to senior citizens and to people who have incapacitating illnesses. As an OTA, you must be prepared to help different clients perform different tasks.
Are you looking for an occupational therapy assistant program?
Contact KLC College today and find out more!