What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well being through occupation. The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.
Occupational therapists have a broad education in the medical, social behavioural, psychological, psychosocial and occupational sciences which equips them with the attitudes, skills and knowledge to work collaboratively with people, individually or in groups or communities. Occupational therapists can work with all people, including those who have an impairment of body structure or function owing to a health condition, or who are restricted in their participation or who are socially excluded owing their membership of social or cultural minority groups.
Occupational therapists believe that participation can be supported or restricted by the physical, affective or cognitive abilities of the individual, the characteristics of the occupation, or the physical, social, cultural, attitudinal and legislative environments. Therefore, occupational therapy practice is focused on enabling individuals to change aspects of their person, the occupation, the environment, or some combination of these to enhance occupational participation.
Occupational therapy is practised in a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector settings, such as, the person’s home environment; schools; workplaces; health centres; supported accommodation; housing for seniors; rehabilitation centres; hospitals; and forensic services. Clients are actively involved in the occupational therapy process. The outcomes are client-driven and diverse and measured in terms of participation, satisfaction derived from occupational participation and / or improvement in occupational performance. The majority countries regulate occupational therapy as a health profession and require specific university level education.
Occupational therapy is practised in a wide range of public, private and voluntary sector settings, such as, the person’s home environment; schools; workplaces; health centres; supported accommodation; housing for seniors; rehabilitation centres; hospitals; and forensic services. Clients are actively involved in the occupational therapy process. The outcomes are client-driven and diverse and measured in terms of participation, satisfaction derived from occupational participation and / or improvement in occupational performance. The majority countries regulate occupational therapy as a health profession and require specific university level education.
WHERE DO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WORK?
Occupational therapists work with all age groups and in a wide range of physical and psychosocial areas.
Places of employment may include hospitals, clinics, day and rehabilitation centres, home care programmes, special schools, industry and private enterprise.
Many occupational therapists work in private practice and as educators and consultants.
HOW DO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS WORK?
Assessment
The occupational therapy process is based on initial and repeated assessments. The occupational therapist together with the person seeking help will focus on individual and environmental abilities and problems related to activities in the person�s daily life.
Assessment includes the use of standardised procedures, interviews, observations in a variety of settings and consultation with significant people in the person�s life.
Planning
The results of the assessment are the basis of the plan which includes short and long-term aims of treatment. The plan should be relevant to the person�s development stage, habits, roles, life-style preferences and the environment.
Intervention
Intervention focuses on programs that are person oriented and environmental. These are designed to facilitate performance of everyday tasks and adaptation of settings in which the person works, lives and socialises. Examples include teaching new techniques and providing equipment which facilitate independence in personal care, reducing environmental barriers and providing resources to lessen stress.
Cooperation
Occupational therapists recognise the importance of teamwork. Cooperation and coordination with other professionals, families, caregivers and volunteers are important in the realisation of the holistic approach.
WORLD FEDERATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
The key international representative for Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy around the world and the official international organization for the promotion of occupational therapy.
Founded in 1952
WFOT Secretariat
PO Box 30
Forrestfield
Western Australia
Australia 6058
E: admin@wfot.org.au
F: 61 8 9453 9746