Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation provide care for patients with a wide range of life-altering conditions, including neurological, musculoskeletal, and congenital disorders, that can significantly affect their ability to perform daily activities. Our team develops individualized treatment plans for each patient, focusing on maximizing independence. This can be done through:
- therapeutic exercise
- neuromuscular re-education
- task-specific training—such as dressing and bathing
- splinting
- sensory re-education
- assistive technologies and adaptive equipment
Our team also provides specialized inpatient and outpatient care for patients adjusting to life with a disability resulting from an illness or accident.
The following services are available to patients receiving care while in the hospital and those coming to certain Rusk Rehabilitation sites for outpatient therapy appointments. Physician referrals are required for all programs listed below:
Occupational Therapy in Acute Care Settings
Occupational therapists with Rusk Rehabilitation help patients in acute care settings at Tisch Hospital, Kimmel Pavilion, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, and NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk to safely transition to the next level of care. This includes patients recovering from general medical conditions as well as those with post-surgical, neurological, orthopedic, oncological, cardiac, and other medically complex diagnoses.
Occupational Therapy in Inpatient Rehabilitation Settings
In some cases, patients may need more intensive rehabilitation following their hospitalization. In these instances, occupational therapists provide care for patients who are recovering from conditions such as brain injuries, strokes, and other neurological, cardiac, orthopedic, or medically complex cases and that have been moved to one of our inpatient rehabilitation units.
Occupational Therapy for Limb Loss
Rusk Rehabilitation offers specialized inpatient and outpatient services for patients dealing with the loss of one or more limbs. Our occupational therapists play a central role in both the pre-prosthetic and prosthetic training phases of this rehabilitation process.
Seating and Mobility
Occupational therapists provide specialized seating, mobility, and wheelchair services to help patients requiring the use of a wheelchair to live independently, participate in the workforce and recreation activities, and manage their healthcare needs.
Assistive Technology
Our team specializes in helping patients navigate the use of assistive technology to improve independence and quality of life. This includes devices that facilitate home automation, adaptive computer hardware and software, and use of the telephone and other forms of communication.
Functional Upper Limb Training
Occupational therapists provide functional upper extremity training for individuals experiencing weakness on one side of the body due to a stroke or other neurological condition. They may also use electrical stimulation to help improve movement and function in the arms.
Vision Rehabilitation
Our occupational therapists provide vision rehabilitation therapies, which may be needed for patients recovering from a stroke or other cerebrovascular accident, brain injury, concussion, or other neurologic incidents. These therapies may include visual training as well as the use of assistive tools and technology.
Driver Rehabilitation Program
The driver rehabilitation program provides a pre-driving evaluation to assess your vision, cognition, perceptual skills, physical status, and use of a driving simulator. Following the successful completion of the clinical evaluation, you are referred to a local driving school for an on-the-road evaluation. We can also make recommendations for equipment to adapt your car to your physical needs and alternatives to driving, if needed.
In this outpatient program, we can only work with people who have been seen by a Rusk Rehabilitation physiatrist. Please call 212-263-6037 to make an appointment with a doctor. People interested in participating must have a valid driver’s license or permit.
Barrier-Free Design
Barrier-free design focuses on individualized design solutions for safe, accessible, and comfortable home environments. Structural design and specialized durable medical equipment and products can optimize the ability to perform daily tasks. If you are having trouble using stairs in your home or accessing the bathroom, or if you are planning for home construction due to an injury, disability, or aging in place, please schedule an appointment at 212-263-6033.
An occupational therapist with expertise in rehabilitation and design will conduct a comprehensive functional evaluation and home environment assessment. Recommendations may include ramps, wheelchair lifts, accessible bathroom and kitchen designs, custom equipment for bathing and toileting, transfer devices (i.e., ceiling lifts or floor lifts), electric beds, strategies for improving safety in the home, and guidelines and preliminary drawings for construction.
Virtual Occupational Therapy Services
To best meet our patients’ needs, we also offer virtual visits for those who prefer not to travel or who would benefit from receiving treatment in their home or work environments. These visits provide our team with valuable insight into your daily routines and surroundings, allowing them to guide you through exercises using items available at home, conduct virtual walkthroughs to identify safety risks, recommend ergonomic adjustments, and evaluate the need for assistive devices.
For more information on occupational therapy at Rusk Rehabilitation, please call 212-263-6033.
Occupational Therapy for Children
Pediatric occupational therapists understand how orthopedic and neurological conditions affect a child’s fine-motor skills, vision, sensory knowledge, and ability to process ideas and communicate effectively. Rusk Rehabilitation pediatric occupational therapists provide services for children at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital.