What is Occupational Therapy?

Ever wondered how it would feel if you suddenly woke up from bed one morning and you cannot perform all your usual everyday routine of bathing, grooming etc…  by yourself and it has to be done for you? Life is made up of meaningful everyday activities or occupations such as preparing a meal, playing games, socializing with friends, grooming one’s self, attending work or school and many others. Occupations are part of life; they describe who we are and how we feel about ourselves. Occupations fall under a wide range of categories such as Activities of Daily Living (bathing, dressing etc), Leisure, Vocational, Community Participation etc

Occupations help bring meaning to life. When our participation in our occupations is hindered due to physical injuries, illnesses (physical or mental), disabilities or social and environmental circumstances, occupational therapists help to find solutions to address the meaningful everyday activities of life.

Occupational therapy is the therapeutic use of everyday activities with individuals or groups to enable their participation in their homes, communities, workplaces and schools.

Most people suffering from mental illness have problems engaging in activities that are meaningful to them. Their problems with engagement in activities may include loss of interest to perform, lack of confidence, inability to decide or take initiative, inability to plan and organize themselves or task materials, low self-esteem, lack of skills or competency, poor social support.

What we do

Here in Accra Psychiatric Hospital, the Occupational Therapy department offer services to adults living with all manner of manner of psychiatric conditions like depression, bipolar disorders, personality disorders, psychosis, schizophrenia and many others.

We offer client centered individualized and group interventions tailed to help our clients live independent and meaningful lives by:

• assessing our clients’ skills, interests, values, and strengths and help maintain or modify these qualities to suit our clients’ current situation.
• collaborating with our clients and their families to plan, initiate and track short- and long-term goals that enable participation in everyday activities that our patients fall short or have problems with when they are being discharged or placed on parole.
• teaching our clients practical ways to cope with the effects of mental illness and have a better understanding of the impacts of mental illness.
• exploring and engaging our clients’ in activities that teach valuable skills such as vocational activities (beadmaking, dressmaking, cane weaving etc.), group recovery therapy programs targeting the various everyday categories of activities, group social skills training activities etc… according to the clients’ interests.
• Helping our clients to organize and structure their daily activities so that they can balance their everyday lives according to what they need or are expected to do.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO PERFORM ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU KINDLY CONTACT THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT.