Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists at Doctors Hospital of Laredo are dedicated to helping patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, joint replacement, amputations and other conditions achieve their highest level of function and independence so they can return to the community.

The licensed professional staff includes occupational therapists and a certified occupational therapy assistant. The staff provides outpatient care at the North Laredo Diagnostic and Therapy Center and work closely with all medical disciplines at the hospital, including neurosciences, orthopedics, gerontology and general medicine, to best help patients recover.

Occupational therapists use therapeutic approaches to restore and enhance each patient's living skills. Patients are trained to resume their daily routines, including: toileting, grooming, bathing, dressing, cooking and working. Specific services include:

• Evaluation and treatment of cognitive function, visual perception and ocular motor function
• Assessment and treatment of lymphedema (swelling in an extremity that is caused by abnormal accumulation of protein rich fluid in the soft tissues)
• Community reintegration skills, including money management, shopping and the use of public transportation
• Training for activities of daily living like self-care and homemaking
• Assessing safety for independent living
• Hand therapy for hand and upper extremity injuries, reconstructive surgery and burns that include splinting, controlled range of motion exercises and edema (excess fluid) control
• Work conditioning to prepare for returning to a daily work regimen
• Pre-vocational evaluation focusing on hand function, work skills and simple work tasks
• Home evaluations to determine home accessibility, modifications and supportive equipment needs