Occupational Therapy Specialist

Constance Volpe, MS, OTR/L
Director of Occupational Therapy located in Farmingdale, Great Neck, Woodbury, Floral Park & Deer Park, NY

Practicing for over 20 years, Connie graduated from Touro College in 1998 with an MS in Occupational Therapy. She's worked mainly with the adult and geriatric population in hospitals and nursing homes. Her focus began to switch to home therapy about 15 years ago when her own parents became elderly and needed her help at home.

Occupational Therapy Q & A

What is occupational therapy?

Occupational therapy is a highly-skilled, and valuable discipline providing treatments that:

• Help people to regain physical skills following an injury or surgery
• Help children (Pediatric Occupational Therapy) with disabilities participate in school and other activities
• Help seniors (Geriatric Rehabilitation) improve cognitive and physical skills
• Improve Fine Motor skills
• Improve Gross Motor Skills
• Treat Upper Extremity Injuries
• Work on Balance
• Treat stroke patients
• Educate on Patient Safety
• Managing Arthritis

How is occupational therapy different from physical therapy?

The two specialties are closely aligned, however, physical therapy treatments focus on improving function and reducing pain, while occupational therapy focuses on helping patients carry out specific tasks and finding ways to minimize and manage their condition at their current state.

Occupational Therapists can help make life easier! If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you are likely a candidate for occupational therapy. The following questions address someone’s activities of daily living (ADLs) and any difficulty managing them.

• Do you have trouble doing self-care tasks such as getting dressed?
• Do you have difficulty getting in and out of bed? Tub? Car?
• Do you need recommendations for home safety equipment, such as grab bars, or a seat for your tub?
• Do you have difficulty getting out for your appointments? Occupational therapists can help patients learn to get out of the house safely
• Are you having trouble with fine motor skills like handling pills or coins? Occupational therapists can help with fine motor skills, numbness in fingers, arthritis, etc.
• Are you having trouble with balance? The Occupational therapist can continue working on balance for reaching, etc.
• Are you experiencing a decline in function or getting weaker? Occupational therapists can do exercises for strength and endurance.
• Are you having difficulty with cooking and other household duties? Occupational therapists can teach strategies for safely completing everyday tasks while using less energy.

Reddy Care currently offers occupational therapy in our Great Neck facility and is a service in your home with our Reddy Care In Home therapy program which services Long Island & the 5 boroughs.