Sometimes everyday living is a chore. Most people don’t think twice about the ability to dress themselves or make a meal. For others, it’s a different story. When pain, injury or illness drag patients down, occupational therapy can bring some normalcy back.

This month, we honor the occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who help improve our patients’ day-to-day lives. Through Homecare Dimensions, WellMed employs 11 OTs and OTAs. Those individuals, along with contracted therapy companies, provided more than 22,000 visits to WellMed patients across Texas during 2020.

Our Austin OTs Jacqueline Perez and Susan Simon are working with the CAPABLE program, a project between the WellMed Charitable Foundation, Meals on Wheels of Austin and Johns Hopkins University. The holistic, customized approach to evaluations and interventions helps patients to regain skills and stay as independent as possible.

PT vs. OT: What’s the Difference?

Occupational therapists treat patients through the use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, improve and maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.

Physical therapy, also known as PT, focuses on helping improve movement, mobility and function. A physical therapist may do this by using a variety of exercises, stretches or other physical activities.

At WellMed, we practice proactive, preventive medicine to keep patients healthy. OT is one of the ways we help patients live their best lives.