Occupational Therapy

In Occupational Therapy, each student participates in an interview and evaluation by one or both of our registered occupational therapists. Students discuss their goals and interests for developing increased independent living skills, education, training, and employment.  Evaluations include fine and gross motor skills, muscle strength and endurance, balance and coordination, tactile sensitivity, range of motion, reading and math comprehension, and other areas that affect a person’s ability to live independently or to find employment. Therapeutic activities, exercises, adapted techniques, strategies for maintaining family and social interaction and employment productivity are recommended and taught as necessary.  Our students find the evaluations, recommendations, and training provided by our experienced OT’s to be remarkably enabling, making Occupational Therapy truly invaluable.

Crafts

The Crafts class is always one of our most popular areas.   As in the Industrial Arts class, students in the Crafts class learn and re-learn  many leisure time activities and handcrafts. Students who have discontinued previously enjoyable  hobbies and crafts due to loss of vision learn tactual techniques and methods of adapting their skills.  Students have many opportunities to learn unique leisure activities and satisfying crafts.  From leather stitching projects to pottery to complex needlework, students learn that there are a wide variety of techniques available that enable them to enjoy both new and old activities.  Some people are looking for pleasant pastimes that they can enjoy with friends, such as leather craft or mosaics.  Other students are interested in skills like sewing or knitting that help them maintain their homes and

families.  Often students become excited when they learn that hobbies they once thought they could no longer practice, such as crocheting or macrame, are still quite possible when a different approach is taken. Whatever their interests, our students always find our talented OT’s and occasional guest instructors remarkably creative and ingenious. The only complaint we ever seem to get about our Crafts classes is that there just aren’t enough of them.