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Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists (OTs) help people improve their ability
to perform tasks in their daily
living and working environments. They work with individuals
who have conditions that
are mentally, physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabling. They
also help them
to develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills. Occupational
therapists help clients to not only improve their basic motor
functions and reasoning abilities,
but also to compensate for permanent loss of function. Their
goal is to help clients have independent,
productive, and satisfying lives.
Occupational
therapists assist clients in performing activities of all types,
ranging from using a computer to caring for daily needs such
as dressing, cooking, and eating. Physical exercises may
be used to increase strength and dexterity, while other activities
may be chosen to improve visual acuity and the ability to discern
patterns. For example, a client with short-term memory
loss might be encouraged to make lists to aid recall, and a person
with coordination problems might be assigned exercises to improve
hand-eye coordination. Occupational therapists also use
computer programs to help clients improve decision-making, abstract reasoning,
problem-solving, and perceptual skills, as well as memory, sequencing,
and coordination—all of which are important for independent
living.
Therapists
instruct those with permanent disabilities, such as spinal cord
injuries, cerebral palsy, or muscular dystrophy in the use of
adaptive equipment, including wheelchairs, splints, and aids
for eating and dressing. They also design or make special
equipment needed at home or at work. Therapists develop
computer-aided adaptive equipment and teach clients with severe
limitations how to use that equipment in order to communicate
better and control various aspects of their environment.
Some
occupational therapists treat individuals whose ability to function
in a work environment has been impaired. These practitioners
arrange employment, evaluate the work environment, plan work
activities, and assess the client’s progress. Therapists
also may collaborate with the client and the employer to modify
the work environment so that the work can be successfully completed.
Occupational
therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular
age group or with particular disabilities. In schools,
for example, they evaluate children’s abilities, recommend
and provide therapy, modify classroom equipment, and help children
participate as fully as possible in school programs and activities. Occupational
therapy also is beneficial to the elderly population. Therapists
help the elderly lead more productive, active, and independent
lives through a variety of methods, including the use of adaptive
equipment.
Occupational
therapists in mental health settings treat individuals who have
mental illness, mental retardation, or emotional disturbances. To
treat these problems, therapists choose activities that help
people learn to engage in and cope with daily life. Activities
include teaching time management skills, budgeting, shopping, homemaking,
and the use of public transportation. Occupational therapists
also may work with individuals who are dealing with alcoholism,
drug abuse, depression, eating disorders, or stress-related disorders.
Assessing
and recording a client’s activities and progress is an
important part of an occupational therapist’s job. Accurate
records are essential for evaluating clients, for billing, and
for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers.
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