Occupational Therapy is a therapy that blankets everything people do in their lives. Such a broad field can be very difficult to define. Unlike Physical Therapy who people instantly identify as a field that get people walking. In the past the vision of the field was broader. “In 2004 The Scenario were developed” a structure created with the Occupational Therapy framework.
Abbie Rodgers Civitan Camp is a volunteer summer camp for Adults with Disabilities. I volunteered for two summers from 2007-2008. During my volunteer efforts, my duties were to assist our campers with maintaining their hygiene, assist with meals, and activity schedules. Each year I observed Occupational Therapy Assistant students that would attend and assist volunteers with camper’s daily activities. I knew, after observing the students, that Occupational Therapy would be a career that would fulfill my calling to serve others.
These values relate more to the therapist’s actions and their choices while the personal side has more to deal with the respect of the patient and their comfort. While both sides are critical to the practice of occupational therapy, both must be combined to create the perfect mixture of security for both the patient and
Assessments are a critical component of occupational therapy practice, as they provide the foundation for developing effective intervention plans tailored to meet the needs of each individual client. In this essay we shall be looking at the patient Doris Whiley and creating her assessment plan. Occupational therapists will use a variety of assessments to gather comprehensive information about a client's physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. This is so we can accurately assess Doris’s strengths, challenges, and goals. The assessment plan for Doris will include both standardised assessment and non-standardised assessments after the fall at her residence.
Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Centennial Vision “We envision that occupational therapy is powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-base profession with globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society’s occupational needs” (AOTA, 2007, p. 613). I have been given the opportunities to serve as an emergent leader by mentoring new therapists as they transition from the hospital and home health to practicing in the school system. And I learned, I do not have to be out front to lead. I am able to facilitate my lead therapists in my department by identifying ways to develop the growth of the therapists in the department.
We make up 2% of the workforce, and we accept 40% of referrals, so the numbers speak for themselves. " There are worries that as the population ages, the demand for occupational therapists will increase but that there will not be a workforce available to help people in this way. It is possible that a lack of occupational therapy services will result in a far more serious public health problem because regaining independence after an illness or accident can have a significant impact on a person's physical and mental
There are many leaders among us in occupational therapy. Some leaders are obvious such as our American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) President, Amy Lamb, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA. However, many others work diligently in the background providing critical guidance in areas of education, clinical practice, administration, legislation, public policy and other significant roles. At our annual conference, may leaders are recognized for their contributions, and they inspire me with their commitment.
and intrigued by the mind-body connection as well as the importance of human activity and occupation in maintaining mental and physical well-being. At the same time, my desire to work directly with people and be able to make a positive and lasting change to their lives by empowering them and helping discover their strengths and confidence in themselves to achieve their goals, led me to a realization that a career in occupational therapy would be a perfect fit for me. To me occupational therapy is a dynamic, rewarding, challenging, and inspiring field where I can fully realize my skills and knowledge. Having always been a firm believer in the patient-centric approach, I am passionate about providing excellent service to patients by improving their performance, preventing illness and disability and promoting adaptation to life
I have always had the intense desire to care and look after people from a very young age. I firmly believe that everyone deserves the best quality of life possible and this is what had drawn me to occupational therapy as a career path in the first place. It is so easy to take for granted all the everyday tasks we can do and we seldom consider the effect of not being able to complete them. As an occupational therapist I would be able to make a positive impact on someone’s life and make it possible for them to enjoy their life. I want the opportunity to provide support to people, help them gain independence and watch them grow more confident in their own ability.
As an occupational therapist I would like to help individuals who are differently abled gain quality of life and independence by improving upon both mental and physical challenges to function as a whole person, as this is what I understand the role of the occupational therapist from both personal and observational experience to be. I believe this is accomplished through providing encouragement and support, educating each client and their loved
Tell a therapy client that you want to work on their balance and endurance with some exercises, and you are likely to get an eye roll. People are no longer interested in doing things the old fashioned way. The United States has very much become an “instant gratification” society, and most everything we do involves computers or some form of technology. Occupational Therapy is moving right along side this trend in the way patient’s therapies are conducted. What was originally developed as a game for fun and leisure is quickly becoming a sought after tool for Occupational Therapists to get their clients moving and making forward progress.
Becoming an occupational therapist is my passion and my long-term career goal. Since a young age I have been incredibly inspired and motivated to befriend and help disabled individuals. Having grown up with a disabled mother who benefited from the services of occupational therapy I had the opportunity to see first hand how the experience gave can give individuals like her fulfilling and productive lives. With both parents working as healthcare professionals, including my mother who is now an occupational therapist herself, I see every day how rewarding the field is. Through my life I have had unique personal, professional and educational experiences that have shaped me into a strong candidate for an advanced education in occupational therapy.
When a disease, illness, or disability causes everyday jobs to become exhaustive chores, life itself becomes trying and hard to manage. Occupational therapy is vital for those people, and often for their families as well. Occupational therapy provides a service that improves a person’s quality of life. Many experiences have steered me to choose occupational therapy as my career.
My goals for the future revolve around what I believe will help both myself become successful, and also how the people around me will be positively influenced. As a caring, positive, helpful person, I have always dreamed of being an Occupational Therapist, and hopefully specializing in pediatrics in the future. At the University of Minnesota, I plan to take advantage of one of the greatest programs for Occupational Therapy in the nation. To get there, I plan on focusing on my studies in my undergraduate years by majoring in Psychology or something revolved around Rehabilitative Therapy. Since the University of Minnesota is tier one research institution, I plan on taking advantage of the many opportunities to conduct and learn from important
Disease and Occupation is about occupation throughout a lifespan, and the human disease process (University of Southern Indiana, 2023). Psychosocial and Cognitive Strategies examine theoretical framework, application of purposeful activities, and occupations used as therapeutic interventions (University of Southern Indiana, 2023). Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy helps with rehabilitation in: listening, reading, writing, and speaking for occupational therapists (University of Southern Indiana, 2023). For Occupational Therapy Theory and Clinical Reasoning, University of Southern Indiana states, “This course presents development and application of theoretical constructs, practice models, and frames of reference that relate to the profession of occupational therapy.” Physical Disabilities/Ortho is the course covering etiology, prognosis of developmental and cognitive disabilities, acute and chronic diseases, and traumatic injuries (University of Southern Indiana, 2023).
