Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy can be beneficial to a cancer patient who is struggling to perform daily activities after treatment. Many cancer therapies can lead to fatigue, nausea, digestive distress and other problems that can make it difficult to complete day-to-day tasks. Therapy can help a patient regain sufficient strength and energy to maintain household and work-related responsibilities, as well as engage in the activities that are most important to him or her. To assist with the cancer rehabilitation process, Moffitt Cancer Center offers a variety of programs and services, including occupational therapy in an outpatient setting.

At Moffitt, a multispecialty team assesses each patient’s specific needs, overall health, social and emotional factors and other unique circumstances. Working closely with each patient, we establish appropriate goals and then develop an individualized treatment plan designed to help the patient accomplish those goals. For instance, to minimize the effects of cancer treatments, occupational therapy can assist patients with:

• Self-care, such as bathing, dressing and eating
• Daily living activities, such as home management, driving, work functions and leisure pursuits
• Upper extremity strengthening
• Upper extremity range of motion
• Fine motor skills
• Handwriting
• Cognitive training
• Task simplification
• Energy conservation
• Fatigue management

Throughout the course of occupational therapy, the Moffitt team performs ongoing assessments of a patient’s progress toward the established goals and refines the treatment plan as necessary. We can also make equipment recommendations, as appropriate, and provide strategies and coaching to ease a patient’s return to his or her various roles (parent, spouse, employee, student, etc.). Moffitt’s occupational therapy services can provide valuable benefits to individuals at any point on the continuum of cancer diagnosis and recovery by helping them to resume valued roles more quickly, with fewer long-lasting effects of treatment.

To make an appointment or learn more about occupational therapy and other cancer rehabilitation services at Moffitt, call 1-888-663-3488 or complete a new patient registration form online. Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We do not require referrals.