That’s a correct assumption if the OT was working at an Workman’s Comp/Occupational Health clinic or as an workplace ergonomics specialist.
If the retired person were to have a stroke or a major orthopaedic event, they’d want an OT to help them with relearn
or learn compensatory strategies for their ADLs (activities of daily living) such as dressing, showering, eating, toileting etc. It’s tough for anyone to learn to live with only one side of their body working properly, it’s even harder for the geriatric population.
I was in PT and OT after kneee surgery. It was ridiculous. After the first session, I had learned everything I needed. After that, it was just a $40 co-pay three times a week so I could go do my own exercises in their facility with a “range of motion” check every few sessions. They wanted me to do it for 6-8 weeks (which coincided with my limits of benefits by a strange coincidence.)
Following a neck injury, it was the same thing, different clinic.
If you have a stroke and lose half your body, I think its a worthwhile expenditure from the people’s treasury. But, most of the people I saw at the PT/OT clinic were healthy enough to do stretches at home without expensive supervision. We have to stop this “one size fits all” approach to benefits. The needs of the stroke victim do not justify $10,000 worth of PT/OT for a knee surgery.
But, by all means. Let’s keep the spending going. It will end eventually one way or the other, but if we run out of money, then your stroke victim will not get any help because we spent all the money on the 30 year old Medicaid recipient who weighs 400 pounds and had her knees collapse and is now on SSI getting treatment for everything under the sun.