Goal Oriented Health Promotion
Clients will attend weekly meetings covering client-centered goal setting including: nutrition and physical activity goals, developing routines, and healthy habits. During each session clients will create weekly goals and then mindfully engage in an activity to increase goal retention. For example, during a dining out session clients learn how to use a food nutrition guide, and then the client practices ordering and eating a meal that meets his/her diet plan.
Occupational therapy can play an important role in helping people lose weight and choose health-promoting activities. We help people engage in everyday lives, and we really encourage them to explore all of the things that they might do on a regular basis that improves their overall state of wellness. Whether that be taking a walk with a friend, learning how to cook a healthy meal, or learning how to shop for nutritious food options on a budget, occupational therapy practitioners can promote wellness for their clients.
In terms of weight loss, many activities that you have to do are instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) for example: meal preparation, cooking, grocery shopping, and trying to create habits that are healthier than their existing habits and/or routines.
Occupational therapist are able to adapt the therapeutic program instruction to help clients realize their goals step by step with the overarching goal of practically applying it in their real lives.