Occupational Therapy

What is an Occupation? Occupations are all the things that people do . . . with a vast array of objects and people in the environment, to caring for others. Our occupations are the meaningful, purposeful ways we spend our time.

What is Occupational Therapy? Occupational Therapy (OT) is professional treatment that helps individuals with disabilities reach their highest potential. It is based on the concept that people get better when they are engaged in activities that have personal meaning and importance. Occupation is any activity that a person finds meaningful and that contributes to the sense of "self." OT uses an individual's occupations as both the means (therapy) and the end (goals) in achieving a higher level of health and independence.

Who are Occupational Therapists? Occupational therapy practitioners are health care professionals educated in human development, with special training on the emotional, psychological and social effects of illness, injury and disability across the lifespan. They determine the underlying, often hidden, impairments that limit an individual's success, and then develop a treatment plan to help the individual reach his or her maximum potential.

Following assessment to determine skills, deficits and goals to guide treatment, occupational therapy practitioners use a wide variety of interventions to assist clients in reaching their highest potential:

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) skills training to increase a client's ability to bathe, dress and eat independently.
• Adaptations to the environment to increase a client's ability to participate in chosen activities.
• Evaluation for and instruction in the use of adaptive equipment.
• Therapeutic activities to develop or increase physical skills, as well as mental, emotional and social skills necessary for successful living.
• Sensory Integrative Therapy to treat sensory dysfunction, increase sensory processing skills and decrease maladaptive behaviors.

For more information about the practice of Occupational Therapy, please visit the website of the American Occupational Therapy Association at www.aota.org

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