Home Based Therapy:
Home-based Occupational Therapy is when the therapist provides services in the comfort of the families own home. Having a familiar environment to work in can be beneficial for you as a parent, as well as the child. What can be better than someone coming to your house to play with your child every week with a bunch of toys?
Implementing interventions/strategies into your daily routines:
Having an Occupational Therapist come to your home helps caregivers implement strategies into their daily routines and activities. Sometimes it is hard for caregivers to carry over strategies provided to them by their therapist, so having the therapist in their home allows them to observe the routines and show the caregiver how to implement strategies within the daily routines and provide any additional tips. Being in the home is also a great way to work on activities of daily living such as feeding, grooming, toileting, and dressing since the home is the child’s natural environment for which they regularly complete those tasks.
Utilising toys and equipment at home to improve skills:
The great benefit to having an Occupational Therapist come to your home is that they can see what toys/items you already have that can be beneficial to help improve your child’s skills and development. If families already have the toys/items at home, they are more likely to implement suggestions and strategies provided by the therapist.
Parent education:
Being in the home provides a great opportunity for parent education. Having the therapist in your home allows for the therapist to demonstrate intervention strategies for you. As a parent, you can also observe the therapist’s session with your child and practice strategies with the therapist so you feel more comfortable providing the strategies when the therapist isn’t there. You can also ask any questions you may have since the therapist is in your home working with your child.
Convenience:
Having an Occupational Therapist come to your home makes it very convenient for your family since you don’t have to travel anywhere. When a therapist comes to a home, this can help with consistency of therapy.
Privacy:
Providing therapy within the home environment allows for full privacy for your family. Families tend to feel more comfortable and open to talking about any difficult topics related to their child within the privacy of their home.
Home-based Occupational Therapy can be very beneficial for both the children and their families, but having services within a clinic and school setting can also be very helpful for improving your child’s skills and independence with activities. The clinic will often have more equipment available for the therapist to use during therapy, such as swings. Be sure to speak with your therapist on which setting can be most beneficial for your child as each child’s needs are different.