What Does An Occupational Therapist Do
An Occupational therapy to improve daily living is a healthcare professional who uses a person’s daily activities as the basis for treatment. They work with patients who are recovering from an illness or injury, and help them to regain their daily functioning skills. This can help them to become more self-sufficient and slow down the progression of a mental or physical health condition.
OTs are highly skilled and compassionate practitioners, with a broad range of knowledge and expertise. They use a client-centered approach that is based on evidence. They are also leaders, working with complex systems to produce effective outcomes. They are culturally responsive and inclusive, providing services that are accessible to people of all backgrounds.
The core of an OT’s practice is to enable people to do the things that are important to them in life, whatever their challenges. They begin with a detailed assessment of an individual’s daily living skills and their needs and goals. This may include looking at how an activity is done and how the environment might be modified to make it easier. For example, an OT might recommend using a wheelchair, or removing rugs that could create a tripping hazard.
In addition, an OT will consider the impact of an individual’s health or disability on their relationships and quality of life. This is an important aspect of their work, especially for children with autism or developmental disabilities. OTs may also advocate for change in policies and programs to support the wellbeing of clients and their families.
OTs work in a variety of settings, including health organisations, social care services, housing, education and voluntary organisations. They may also work with community groups, asylum seekers and refugees. In addition, many OTs are also independent practitioners.
The OT profession has an extremely broad theoretical and evidence-based background, and draws from a wide variety of disciplines including physical therapy, psychology, sociology, art therapy and social work. They have a unique perspective and understanding of the importance of occupation to human beings and our sense of meaning in our lives.
OTs are not medical doctors, but they do have a doctoral degree, usually an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD). They have extensive training in anatomy, physiology, neurology and biomechanics and have a deep understanding of human movement and performance. In addition, OTs are required to pass a rigorous national certification exam. This means that they are uniquely qualified to provide home care for a variety of conditions, from minor illnesses like the flu or broken bones to more serious issues like Parkinson’s disease, amputation, stroke and traumatic brain injury. Their skills and compassion can help to prevent avoidable ER visits and hospitalizations, speeding up the recovery process. This can save families both money and time, and reduce stress for their loved ones. A home health aide who is trained in OT can also recognize early signs of trouble and assist the therapist in getting to the root cause of the problem. Occupational therapy can also improve an individual’s confidence and sense of independence, which is an important part of quality of life for all of us.