You may need therapy at home to manage your illness or injury. This can mean physical, occupational and/or speech therapy. Your doctor will decide what is needed for you. In addition, a home safety evaluation may be requested.

PHYSICAL THERAPY
Physical therapy assists patients to achieve optimal mobility and function when they are faced with health conditions, illnesses or injuries that impair physical performance in everyday activities. In your home, this often involves mobility training, stretching and strengthening to maximize independence with daily movement tasks like walking or changing positions.

Who provides physical therapy?
Physical therapy is provided by state-licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. 

If you require physical therapy, you can expect your physical therapist to:

• Evaluate your home’s set-up and how you normally function with mobility tasks.
• Evaluate how well you can move around in your bed, move from one seat to another and walk on level surfaces and stairs.
• Recommend physical therapy treatments in your home to address any new or worsened problems with your mobility.
• Make recommendations for continued physical therapy after discharge if you need it.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy enables patients to perform activities of daily living across the lifespan. In your home, this often involves maximizing independence with self-care tasks such as bathing and dressing.

Who provides occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is provided by state-licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.

If you require occupational therapy in an outpatient facility, you can expect your occupational therapist to:

• Evaluate your home’s set-up and how you normally perform self-care tasks.
• Evaluate how well you can bathe, groom or dress yourself.
• Recommend occupational therapy treatments to address any new or worsened problems with your self-care.
• Make recommendations for continued occupational therapy after discharge if you need it.

SPEECH THERAPY
Speech therapy identifies, evaluates and treats disorders involving speech, cognition, communication and swallowing.

Who provides speech therapy?
Speech therapy is provided by state-licensed speech-language pathologists.

If you require speech therapy in an outpatient facility, you can expect your speech therapist to:

• Ask you and/or your family about your prior ability to communicate, eat, swallow, and problem-solve.
• Evaluate how well you are able to speak, understand speech, follow instructions and swallow.
• Recommend speech therapy treatments to help you improve your communication, swallowing or problem-solving.
• Make recommendations for continued speech therapy after discharge if you need it.

For all therapies, your appointment times may vary. If you would like to request a specific time for your therapy, please ask your therapist. Not all requests can be accommodated.

If you require further therapy, you can visit an Aultman outpatient facility near your home.