After a stroke, surgery or serious illness, a doctor may order one or more types of therapy. Each discipline focuses on a different part of recovery.
Physical Therapy (PT)
Focuses on movement: strength, balance, walking, getting in and out of bed, and climbing stairs. PT is central to fall prevention and to recovery after joint replacement.
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Focuses on daily activities: bathing, dressing, cooking and other tasks. OTs also recommend adaptive equipment and safer ways to set up the home.
Speech-Language Therapy (ST)
Focuses on communication, thinking and swallowing. Speech therapists help people after a stroke or with conditions like Parkinson's to speak, understand, remember and swallow safely.
Why therapy at home works
Patients practise in the exact environment where they live — their own stairs, bathroom and kitchen — which makes the skills easier to keep. Therapists can also spot and fix hazards in the home.