Occupational & Physical Therapy Levels of Assistance

Levels of Assistance Table

Note: The following are ‘traditional’ values for levels of assistance in percentages. This shouldn’t be a problem if you are say, working in acute care. However, in settings such as acute rehab (ARU), as the FIM was phased out and replaced by the CARE Tool/Section GG, the language and percentages were simplified to basically less than or more than half the effort (50%). See this article for a brief explanation and this article for detailed section GG definitions.

Term

Abbreviation

Effort OT Provides

Effort Patient Provides

Notes

Independent

“I”

0%

100%

Therapist does not need to be in the room.

Supervised

“S”

0%

100%

e.g. OT within the room of the client.

Standby Assist

“SBA”

0%

100%

Standing next to the client, but no client contact.

Contact Guard Assist

“CGA”

0%

100%

“Hover hands”, maintains contact

Minimal Assistance

“Min A”

1-25%

75-99%

Sometimes referred to as “partial assistance”

Moderate Assistance

“Mod A”

26-50%

50-74%

OT and client each put in about half of the effort

Maximal Assistance

“Max A”

51-75%

25-49%

Consider having a “spotter” standing by.

Total Assistance (Dependent)

“D” “Total A”

76-100%

0-24%

More risk for injury of OT due to high physical demand, consider additional assistance and not performing yourself.

2 Person Assistance 3 Person Assistance

“x2” “x3”

Varies

Varies

x2 means 2 assistants, x3 means 3 assistants.

Mechanical Lift

0%

0%

Therapists help to setup and operate the lift. Clients are dependent.