Here at EIRMC, Occupational Therapists focus on helping people regain skills for independent living and everyday life: toileting, hygiene and grooming, dressing, household chores, social and work skills, and leisure and community activities. They work hand-in-hand with Physical Therapists to increase strength and endurance for everyday and/or specialized work or sports activities, prevent muscle atrophy, minimize and prevent deformity, minimize pain, and/or increase pain tolerance. We also offer specialized pediatric occupational therapy services for children newborn to 18 years of age.
Our Return to Driving program is one example where Occupational Therapy helps patients regain a critical life skill. This program determines whether a patient can drive safely by testing their physical, visual, and mental abilities, including reaction time, visual acuity, and decision making. The program also identifies which adaptive equipment and vehicle modifications may be helpful.
EIRMC is also the only facility in the region to employ the NESS H200 Hand Rehabilitation System, a non-invasive, advanced neuroprosthesis for the treatment of upper limb paralysis from hemiplegic stroke, traumatic brain injury or C5-C6 spinal cord injury. The system contains a custom-fit orthosis that uses Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to activate muscle groups in the forearm to produce functional movement patterns in the hand.
Hand System Benefits
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Prevention/retardation of disuse atrophy
- Reduction of muscle spasm
- Maintenance/ increase of joint range of motion*
- Increase in local blood circulation
- Hand function*
*in hemiplegia due to stroke and C5 SCI
Occupational Therapy is covered by federal, state, and private insurance plans.
