Occupational Therapy

UPMC Shadyside offers a full range of occupational therapy services for hospitalized patients and outpatients. The goal of the program centers around helping patients achieve their maximum level of independence, allowing them to care for themselves at home and function on the job once again.

In addition to occupational therapists, our rehabilitation team includes occupational therapy assistants and skilled support staff.

Personalized Programs
After an initial assessment, a patient's program is individually tailored with exercises designed to strengthen extremities, increase the range of motion, improve coordination, strengthen performance of daily activities, aid in desensitization, and sharpen perceptual and cognitive responses.

Task Oriented Activities
Since a necessary part of rehabilitation centers upon practicing task-oriented activities that are normally done at home, our department contains a fully equipped kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and laundry.

Evaluation
The staff is responsible for evaluating patients and training them in adaptive skills. They are also specially trained to evaluate and fabricate splints for the patient's upper and lower extremities.

Specialized Equipment
Specialized equipment used during outpatient treatment includes the computerized BTE Work Simulator, a system for exercise and evaluation that duplicates many of the skills needed on the job and in activities of daily living.

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