Breanna Mumma, COTA/S: Functional Activities


Breanna Mumma, COTA/S
Susque-View Nursing Home


Functional Activities
Well, what exactly is a "functional activity"? A functional activity is any task that allows a resident to meet the demands of their environment or daily life. Functional activities can be bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, washing dishes/putting them away, cooking activities, household tasks, or anything that the resident wants or needs to do. Choosing to do a functional activity over other activities is the better choice because although standing and putting pegs in a peg board helps with balance and standing tolerance, it is not an activity that residents will be doing when they go home. So, choosing to do another activity such as washing the dishes while standing is the better choice because it is an activity that many of the residents will have to do when they go home. So, the next time you are doing a treatment, remember to choose functional activities because pegs aren't going to get them home.

About Breanna Mumma
Breanna is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant student who is studying at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. She recently completed her time as a COTA/S with our rehab team at Susque-View Nursing Home in Lock Haven, PA. She said she learned a lot about functional activities and wanted to share!

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