Vocational Skills for People in Recovery

Recovering from a major illness or injury takes rehabilitation in areas of life we often take for granted. Vocational skill exercises are needed in doing your former occupation, but it starts with relearning everyday living skills. People recovering from a stroke, brain injury or loss of limb may need to learn to walk, talk and adjust to social situations all over again. Vocational skills prepare you to live in your own home and regain independence.

Mobility Skills

• A patient recovering from an injury or a stroke may need to learn to use a wheelchair, an artificial limb, a walker or braces. Vocational skills will include using these items in his home, to go to work or to get in and out of a car. Lack of or new mobility challenges may change what an employee can do at work. An occupational therapist can help exercise a person's muscles and teach the ability to use any needed apparatus. The therapist can also determine what changes need to take place to allow the individual's job to continue; such as the height of a workspace or the position of a chair.

Social Skills

• People in recovery from TBI, Traumatic Brain Injury, or a crippling injury will need to relearn many social skills. Depending on the area and extent of the injury, they may need to practice feeding themselves, answering the phone or interacting with others and recognizing signs of stress in daily living. The patient may need to learn how to get in and out of a building or up and down a sidewalk full of people in a wheelchair. Learning to deal with society at large will be a focal recovery point in going back to the workforce.

Communication Skills

• To regain independence, a patient will need to learn to communicate. Some vocational therapy skills begin with restoring a diminished vocabulary. A speech therapist will teach a patient to recognize and pronounce words correctly. He may help with stuttering or other difficult speech problems related to a physical problem such as swallowing, a gag reflex or muscle tension in the jaw.

Home Living Skills

• To gain independence from a stroke, TBI or injury, recovering patients will learn or practice skills that allow him to live at home. He will practice being able to cook and do basic chores such as washing dishes and doing laundry. An occupational therapist can recognize the skills the patient is lacking and will form a program customized for his particular needs.The therapist can also assess a patient's home to remove obstacles that would hinder the patient from being able to safely live there. Wheelchair ramps can be added, doorways widen and other modifications will be suggested. A recovering patient will learn daily living skills that allow him to bathe, brush his teeth and perform other independent skills before he is able to return to work.