What is occupational therapy? In order to answer this question, first one must understand what an occupation is. It is often assumed that the word occupation simply means a job. Because of this belief, many occupational therapists hear statements such as “Are you here to help me find a job?” or “I already have a career. I don’t need occupational therapy.” This is a common misunderstanding regarding the profession. In reality, an occupation is any activity or task that one does during the day. This includes tasks such as bathing, eating, cooking, spending time with family and friends, gardening, sleeping, exercising, shopping, and any other activity one can think of. In fact, there are nine major categories of occupations that the profession addresses: activities of daily living (ADLs), Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. ADLs are the daily self-care activities such as bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, and grooming. IADLs are the home and community daily support activities such as home establishment and management, meal preparation, driving, and financial management (AOTA, 2020).
Having said that, occupational therapy works to get individuals back to doing the occupations or activities that are important and meaningful to them. Occupational therapy provides services for all age ranges and populations including those with physical and mental disabilities, mental health disorders, illnesses, and injuries. Occupational therapists can work in a variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient and inpatient facilities, schools, mental health settings, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, and community resource centers. When working with clients, it is important to remain client-centered, putting them first. Therefore, it is crucial to consider all aspects of the person and their surroundings. Therapy sessions can involve promoting health, educating clients, restoring/establishing abilities, preserving abilities, preventing illness and disabilities, and adapting to different ways for completing occupations and activities. These interventions are tailored to the occupations and activities that the clients wish to address (AOTA, 2020). An example is provided to tie everything together. A client who is experiencing weakness following a stroke is referred to occupational therapy; the client enjoys gardening but is now having trouble doing so. The occupational therapist will work with the client to improve function as well as provide adapted tools and equipment to help them get back to gardening in their current state. An adaptation for this client could be thicker handle supports that go around the handles of the gardening tools for ease of use and holding. Overall, the goal of occupational therapy is for clients to attain health, wellbeing, and participation in daily life by partaking in activities and tasks that are meaningful to them (AOTA, 2020). For more information pertaining to occupational therapy, visit www.AOTA.org.
Reference
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 7412410010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
