What is occupational therapy

For more information on this career, please check out our guide to becoming an OT. From there, they must pass a national exam before practicing. Read here for a complete overview of their scope of practice. Some OT departments also employ occupational therapy aides. These are non-licensed professionals who do not deliver OT treatments, but do help with daily operations of the department.

The scope of occupational therapy is very broad. For this reason, many practitioners opt to pursue advanced certification in specific areas of interest. One way to specialize is to earn an additional certification, which is usually denoted by additional letters following the occupational therapy designation. All of these letters can begin to look like an alphabet soup, even to fellow healthcare professionals.

OTs address physical and mental health in clients across the lifespan—from newborns to older adults. To give you an idea of how the approximately , US occupational therapy jobs are distributed across settings, here are the percentages. Occupational therapists OTs and physical therapists PTs are quite similar in some ways, as both are rehabilitation professionals who strive to help patients return to their prior levels of function.

The key difference is that OT focuses more on the improvement of daily activities while PT focuses more on specific improvement of body movement s. You can think of a PT like a human body mechanic, and an OT as a guide to the reintegration into normal life. SLPs perform evaluations and treatments to address a variety of speech and language disorders. PT vs. These three rehab disciplines are part of the entire medical team, which comprises therapists, nurses, doctors, physician assistants , and other medical professionals.

The longer answer: Right now, about 1, research articles come out per year containing occupational therapy. So, there is much for your therapist to draw on. Each person is unique in their health and the challenges they face, so we always do our best to balance the science with close attention to each individual patient and their own individual needs. We call this evidence-based practice. One of the easiest ways to find out about the evidence supporting the occupational therapy resources you are receiving is to ask your occupational therapist.

There are several journals dedicated to sharing evidence about occupational therapy resources, including:. See our full list of OT journals here. Occupational therapy is a partnership. Here are some resources for getting the most out of your experience in occupational therapy. Once you experience occupational therapy, you are probably going to want a day on the calendar to celebrate it. There are multiple days when you can do so:. This page is geared toward occupational therapy within the United States, but occupational therapy is a globally strong profession.

See the other resources below for more information about occupational therapy within your country:. There are many other countries that have occupational therapy associations, but do not have websites. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists has Member Organizations and represents approximately , occupational therapists around the world!

I hope this has flung the door wide open so you can explore the wonderful world of occupational therapy! We are a unique profession filled with compassionate, dedicated men and women who devote their lives to helping you stay as engaged as possible in the activities that mean the most to you.

What is Occupational Therapy? What does OT treatment entail? I hope you enjoy reading this blog post. Join the Club. See the OT Salary Guide. How to Become an OT. The results of the assessment are the basis of the plan which includes short and long-term aims of treatment. The plan should be relevant to the person's development stage, habits, roles, life-style preferences and the environment.

Intervention focuses on programs that are person oriented and environmental. These are designed to facilitate the performance of everyday tasks and adaptation of settings in which the person works, lives and socialises.

Examples include teaching new techniques and providing equipment which facilitate independence in personal care, reducing environmental barriers and providing resources to lessen stress. Occupational therapists recognise the importance of teamwork. Cooperation and coordination with other professionals, families, caregivers and volunteers are important in the realisation of the holistic approach. Skip to main content. Definition "Occupation" In occupational therapy, occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.

Where Occupational Therapists work Occupational therapists work with all age groups and in a wide range of physical and psychosocial areas. Many occupational therapists work in private practice and as educators and consultants. How Occupational Therapists work Assessment The occupational therapy process is based on initial and repeated assessments.

Planning The results of the assessment are the basis of the plan which includes short and long-term aims of treatment.