Occupational therapy can teach patients to use energy conservation tips to manage fatigue symptoms and participate in leisure and social activities. These techniques include pacing and alternating tasks to conserve energy, using adaptive equipment like tub benches or shower chairs to reduce bending or reaching, and keeping a log of activity patterns.
Rest Your Batteries
OTs teach patients strategies for reducing the amount of energy that they use to complete daily tasks. This includes planning ahead, spacing out activities throughout the day and using adaptive equipment. Using less energy will decrease feelings of fatigue, pain or shortness of breath – while also improving productivity and quality of life.
These strategies can help people who suffer from chronic fatigue, pain, weakness or a long-term health condition like arthritis, ALS or COPD. An OT can show you how to plan your activities and schedule rest times, alter task speeds to save energy, or find better ways to complete common tasks like taking stairs. They can even teach you how to rest your batteries by completing simple, low-energy activities, like knitting or playing a board game, throughout the day.
Get Adaptive Equipment
OTs can help find adaptive equipment that is easy to use and saves energy for everyday tasks. Whether it’s an elevated toilet seat that reduces the need to stand up throughout the day or a tub bench that allows for easy transfers and prevents strain on the body, there are many ways to save energy during daily activities.
Occupational therapy also teaches people how to pace their daily activities by scheduling breaks, delegating tasks to family members or hired caregivers, and learning to prioritize tasks so that more pressing ones are completed first. This helps people feel more in control of their daily responsibilities, which can improve their quality of life and lead to increased confidence.
In addition to teaching these techniques, OTs can advise on equipment that is easy to get and use, such as long handled sponges for bathing; reachers for reaching over obstacles or into cupboards; a tub bench or shower chair that reduces the need for bending or standing; and adaptive kitchen tools. They can also help with home modifications like wheelchair ramps and bathroom adaptations. Getting the right equipment can significantly reduce the effort it takes to perform daily tasks and empower individuals on the NDIS with a greater sense of independence.