Occupational Therapy

Make your daily activities less taxing

For many people diagnosed with cancer, symptoms like fatigue, pain and mild cognitive problems can make it difficult to participate in daily life activities. Our team of occupational therapists help people navigate these challenges through skill-building, collaborative problem solving and offering ways to adapt to everyday activities.

We are trained to treat the whole person, which can help with everything from physical concerns to mental, emotional, and cognitive issues. For people with cancer, seeing an occupational therapist is often a valuable first step toward feeling “normal” again.

Play the accessible version of the “Cancer Rehabilitation – The Role of an Occupational Therapist” video

What to expect

Your occupational therapist will work alongside you and the rest of the cancer care team to create a care plan based on your specific functional status and goals. During the first visit, your therapist will examine you, listen to your story and assess your needs to develop a plan that’s right for you. Treatments focus on improving quality of life and may include: 

• Activities of daily living exercises to help foster independent bathing, dressing and toilet hygiene
• Cognitive strategies to improve memory, concentration and executive functioning (high-level thinking and decision making)
• Exercises to improve range of motion, functional mobility and strength to allow for safe participation in daily life activities
• Techniques for energy conservation, relaxation methods as well as coping skills
• Soft Tissue Mobilization (STM), which allows for greater movement. This is accomplished through stretching and deep pressure to break up rigid muscle tissue, relax muscle tension and move fluids trapped in the tissues from chemotherapy or other cancer treatments.