What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession that focuses on promoting everyday occupations to improve health, well-being, and overall quality of life of individuals.
Occupations are meaningful activities that you participate in everyday. A few examples include:
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Dressing
Eating
Feeding
Functional mobility
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
Caring of others
Child rearing
Communication management
Financial management
Safety and emergency maintenance
Health Management
Symptom and condition management
Medication management
Physical activity
Education
Formal educational participation
Informal educational participation
Work
Employment interests and pursuits
Employment seeking and acquisition
Job performance and maintenance
Retirement preparation and adjustment
Volunteer exploration
Volunteer participation
Leisure
Leisure exploration
Leisure participation
Social Participation
Community participation
Family participation
Friendships
Intimate partner relationships
Peer group participation
*Disclaimer provided are only a few examples of occupations, refer to AOTA reference for complete list.
Occupational therapy Definitions
Occupational Role:
- A person’s expected or typical participation in everyday activities which is crucial towards their identity and well-being
Occupational Participation:
- The act of taking part in activities that are meaningful and necessary for a person’s well-being
Occupational Justice:
- A concept that refers to the right of all people to participate in meaningful occupations
What do occupational therapists provide in the workplace?
- Workplace assessments
- Modifications
- Task analysis
- Employee trainings
- Returning to work plans
- Mental health supports
- Policy recommendations
What do occupational therapists do in the workplace?
An OT supports individuals with the ability to safely and effectively perform job tasks. In emergency situations OT’s aid in engagement of occupations to support habits, routines, and roles within the workplace
OT and BLS
OTs can assist individuals by evaluating the workplace for possible safety risks, providing education to employees on appropriate safety measures, suggesting modifications to mitigate injuries, and instructing employees on basic life saving skills and emergency response procedures