Occupational Therapy At A Glance: What It Is and What It’s Not
Happy Occupational Therapy Month! Since 1980, April has been the month to celebrate occupational therapy (OT) nationally. Even though the profession started in the early 1900s, there are still misconceptions about the practice that remain to this day. Let’s explore what occupational therapy is, what it’s not, and what it could do for you!
Occupational Therapy Or Hand Therapy? How To Decide Which Is Best For You
Occupational Therapy
When you think of Occupational Therapy, do you think “work”? Many do! But that is too narrow. Occupational Therapy focuses on returning the student, client, or patient to daily tasks they need/want to do throughout their life. These functional tasks are labeled “occupations” and include feeding, dressing, bathing, house and yard chores, meal preparation, school work, driving, caregiving, recreation, and work too! This list is not exhaustive, and the different “occupations” importance varies with age, injury/illness, and individual goals. For example, in pediatrics, an Occupational Therapist obviously will not work on driving skills with a preschooler. Occupational Therapists evaluate and collaborate with the individual to implement a customized treatment plan and re-evaluate with functional outcome measures to assess progress toward the individual’s goals.
