OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT) is the therapeutic use of self-care, work and play activities to increase independent function, enhance development and prevent disability. It may include adaptation of task or environment to achieve maximum independence and to enhance quality of life. Occupational therapists' use the term occupation as tasks and activities as what one does in everyday life, for instance cooking, dressing, driving, performing job duties, homemaking tasks, shopping etc.
WHAT DO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS' DO?
Occupational Therapists' help people with disabilities to fulfill their roles and responsibilities as spouse, parent, worker, and/or student. OT does this through the use of therapeutic methods, applied and assistive technology, orthotics (splints) and environmental modifications. OT helps people help themselves. Occupational Therapists' treats a person as a whole. Life circumstances are taken into account during the treatment process. The person is what is important to the therapist. The person's wants, needs and desires for recovery are what the therapist will address and the goals they together, along with family and friends, as a team will reach for.
SCOPE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?
This is a list of diagnoses that may be seen by occupational therapist. This list is NOT all-inclusive. It is meant to show that OT services are available and beneficial to many individuals with:
Mental Illness
such as Drug Addiction, Depression, Schizophrenia where occupational therapy aims at improving social, emotional, behavior and occupational performance through group therapy, family counseling and community integration.
Developmental Disorders
such as Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder where occupational therapy helps the child with treatment techniques such as NDT and Sensory integration. Therapy assists in the development of neck control, sitting, standing, and walking through the use of external aids and Preschool training to prepare the child for education.
Neurological Conditions
such as Stroke, Head injury, Parkinson's disease, etc. where therapy is aimed at retraining Cognitive-Perceptual abilities to promote independent functioning, mobility training and adaptations at home.
Geriatric Conditions
such as Alzheimer's Dementia etc where therapy aims at teaching strategies for memory problems through environmental modifications, physical exercises to maintain general body mobility.
Cardiac Disorders
such as Myocardial infarction, lung diseases-Bronchial asthma etc where therapy aims at fitness exercises, work analysis & assessment for work fitness, lifestyle modification & teaching prophylactic measures such as weight reduction.
Physical Dysfunctions
due to trauma, burns, injuries leading to amputation, nerve injuries, musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Spinal cord injuries or tumors where therapy aims at restoring the functions of the affected limbs through the use of splints, assistive devices, prosthetic training and teaching joint protection and energy conservation techniques.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders
such as Carpal tunnel syndrome, work related disorders-Low back pain etc where therapy aims at education regarding prevention of work related injuries, modification of the work set up and home environment to suit disabled individuals, prevocational testing & training and Disability evaluation.
