What is Occupational Therapy??
From one individual to the next, the meaning of occupational therapy (OT) can have many interpretations. The most common assumption being helping someone get a job. Generally speaking, occupational therapists can assist an individual in their day to day job. But that is a very small piece of the puzzle. Simply put, occupational therapists are health care professionals that have a unique role in combining the art of creativity, holistic healing, and science to help treat a client as a whole.
Beneath the surface of simple assumptions, occupational therapists can help individuals of any age and with any disability or injury by engaging and encouraging them to enhance their participation in activities of daily living for overall quality of life. Think about this; What if you weren’t able to button up your dress shirt? Take a shower? Cook a simple meal for yourself? Or visually experience the world around you? OT’s will help you to overcome these obstacles by creating techniques and/or using evidence-based interventions to simply make life easier!
So, what are everyday tasks that are most important to you? AKA. what is your occupation?
Well, according to the Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process 3rd ed. (2014), “occupations are various kinds of life activities in which individuals, groups, or populations engage, including activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation” (AOTA, 2014, p. S19).
And what exactly are ADLs vs. IADLs?!
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s):
Care of others/pets
Communication management
Driving and community mobility
Financial management
Health management and maintenance
Home establishment & management
Meal Prep and cleanup
Religious and spiritual activities
Shopping
Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s):
Bathing, showering
Toileting
Dressing
Swallowing/eating
Feeding
Functional mobility
Personal device care
Personal hygiene & grooming
Sexual activity
Lastly, OT’s can be found just about anywhere; hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, workplaces etc., and include many different specialties, such as:
Environmental Modification
Driving and Community Mobility
Feeding, Eating, and Swallowing
School systems
Gerontology
Pediatrics
Autism
Mental Health
Physical Rehabilitation
Low Vision
I hope this provides some understanding on who occupational therapists are, what we do, and who we can help!!
Thanks for reading!
Cassandra
Reference:
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2014). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Suppl. 1), S1–S48. http://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.682006