Occupational Therapy 101: What is Occupational Therapy?
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) is a healthcare profession that helps individuals of all ages to address physical, cognitive, sensory and psycho-social challenges. Occupational therapists assist people to participate in the activities that are essential to their daily lives, such as self-care, work, leisure, and social interactions.
The focus of occupational therapy is in those activities that matter most to you. At PT Solutions, we can craft a personalized treatment plan that addresses your needs and goals.
Request an appointment at a clinic near you!
What Are Occupations?
Occupations are the activities that people engage in throughout their daily lives. When one of these areas becomes impossible to perform, life quickly becomes less enjoyable and independence becomes significantly more difficult or even impossible.
These activities can be categorized into several areas:
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
This term refers to any and all tasks that patients deem important in their everyday lives. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process breaks these daily activities into the following categories:
- Bathing/showering
- Bowel and bladder management
- Dressing
- Eating
- Feeding
- Functional mobility
- Personal device care
- Personal hygiene and grooming
- Sexual activity
- Sleep/rest
- Toilet hygiene
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)refer to less personal tasks that can be performed by other people if the patient needs it. These tasks are identified as:
- Care of others
- Care of pets
- Child rearing
- Communication device use
- Community mobility
- Financial management
- Health management and maintenance
- Home establishment and management
- Meal preparation and cleanup
- Safety procedures and emergency responses
- Shopping
Health Management
This category includes activities related to maintaining physical and mental health, such as taking medications, practicing healthy habits, and managing chronic conditions.
Rest and Sleep
Adequate rest and sleep are essential for overall well-being. Occupational therapists may address sleep hygiene, fatigue management, and environmental modifications to promote better sleep quality.
Education
Occupational therapists support individuals in developing the skills necessary for learning. This includes attention, organization, and time management.
Work
Occupational therapy interventions can help individuals acquire or maintain the skills needed for employment. This includes job-specific tasks, work conditioning, and ergonomic assessments.
Play
Play is an important occupation for children, as it contributes to their physical, cognitive, and social development. Occupational therapists may use play-based interventions to address various developmental delays or disabilities.
Leisure
Engaging in leisure activities can promote relaxation, socialization, and overall well-being. Occupational therapists may recommend adaptive equipment or strategies to facilitate participation in leisure pursuits.
Social Participation
Social participation involves engaging in activities and interactions with others, such as family gatherings, community events, and recreational activities. Occupational therapists can assist individuals in developing the skills necessary for successful social participation.
What Do Occupational Therapists Do?
Occupational therapists help people to continue to participate in these areas of life despite their limitations. To do so, they use a patient-centered approach. This means that regardless of what the occupational therapist may feel is of importance to the patient, it is the patient who directs their own care.
Upon first meeting a patient, the occupational therapist will ask, “What is most important to you?” The therapist will then help their patient get back to doing the things they want and need to do through different types of interventions as described by the OT Practice Framework.
Types Of Occupational Therapy Interventions
- Occupations and Activities: Based on the client’s goals and needs, the occupational therapist selects occupations that are meaningful to the client and activities that support their engagement in occupations and development of important skills.
- Interventions to Support Occupations: Adaptive equipment, environmental modifications, and self-regulation tactics can all be used to support and enhance participation in desired occupations.
- Education And Training: Occupational therapists provide education and information about occupation, health, well-being, and participation to help clients understand and implement helpful behaviors, habits and routines. Training is complimentary to education and is focused on helping clients with specific skills they can use in real life situations.
- Advocacy: Occupational therapists advocate for clients’ rights and access to services, accommodations, and resources that support their ability to engage in meaningful occupations. They also support their client’s self-advocacy initiatives.
- Group Interventions: Group interventions can be beneficial for addressing social skills, peer support, and community reintegration.
- Virtual Interventions: With the advancement of technology, occupational therapists may incorporate virtual reality, telehealth, or other digital platforms into their interventions to enhance accessibility and engagement.
Who Does an Occupational Therapist Work With?
An occupational therapist may help a very wide variety of patients. Any individual can and will experience difficulty with daily living activities, which can be from aging, trauma, conditions or disorders, illnesses, and more, although not everyone will need or want a physical therapist. Specific examples include:
- Disabled children
- People who suffered accident injuries
- Elderly people who are losing physical abilities
- Employers looking to create a safer work environment
How Does an Occupational Therapy Program Work?
An occupational therapy program will begin with a thorough evaluation of the patient. This initial evaluation will consist of a discussion with the patient regarding their goals for the therapy program. Occupational therapy is patient-centered, always placing the goals of the patient first.
The occupational therapist will design a plan to help their patient manage their daily activities in a more effective way so that they can meet their goals. Patients will learn new ways of doing basic tasks, and will learn ways to alter the routines they currently have to make their lives easier.
To make sure that the occupational therapy plan is as effective as possible, the therapist will often accompany the patient to work, school, or their usual daily environment. This allows the therapist to recommend special adaptive equipment that will help the client put new routines into place more easily. If new adaptive equipment is recommended, the occupational therapist will work with the patient as they learn to use the equipment safely and effectively.
What Are the Long-Term Benefits of Occupational Therapy?
A patient working through occupational therapy will feel more in control of their life, stronger, and more confident because they have been given the tools to adapt their environment to their lives in the most effective way. By addressing both physical and psychological needs, occupational therapy helps people lead fulfilling lives despite the challenges they may face.
A disability or injury does not have to stop you from living your life. At PT Solutions, our team of occupational therapists is here to help you live the best life you possibly can. Request an appointment at a location near you.