What is the aim of occupational therapy for ALS?

Occupational therapy is a form of medical treatment with the support of specially qualified therapists who help patients to carry out complex activities. Occupational therapy is used for various neurological diseases in which brain and neurological bodily functions are impaired. In ALS, the brain’s memory and planning functions, which are necessary for carrying out specific activities and everyday tasks, are usually unimpaired (restriction in frontotemporal dementia, FTD). Despite the preservation of “mental” functions, motor body function is reduced in ALS due to paresis (paralysis) and spasticity (stiffness).

In ALS, occupational therapy focuses on the treatment of motor function deficits. In contrast to physiotherapy (which serves to strengthen the motor function of the patient’s own body), occupational therapy trains the interaction between the patient and the environment. The term “environment” refers to the entirety of people and objects that are in contact with the patient. In this sense, the patient receives advice, training, instruction and practice to compensate for existing motor deficits or to use new motor action sequences. Typical occupational therapy applications include handling cutlery, serving food, moving around in a kitchen, dressing, personal hygiene and moving around the home and in public spaces – despite existing motor deficits.

Occupational therapy focuses on the upper extremities, but targeted therapy of other body regions (trunk and lower extremities) is also important. In addition to physiotherapy (gait training), occupational therapy can also be used to compensate for running, walking and standing deficits. Occupational therapy interacts with physiotherapy and speech therapy. It is an essential therapeutic element in strengthening the everyday skills of people with ALS.