Occupational Therapy
What do occupational therapists do?
Occupational therapists (OTs) are qualified health professionals, trained to assist people
to overcome limitations caused by injury or illness, psychological or emotional difficulties,
developmental delay or the effects of ageing. They assist people seeking change to move
from dependence to independence, maximising their personal productivity, well-being
and quality of life.
Occupational therapists work with:
- Children
- Older people
- Mental health
- Disability/NDIS
- Driving
- Rehabilitation
- Other areas
Regardless of the area, occupational therapists work with people to enable effective participation in the chosen occupations of everyday life, including:
Activities of daily living: Showering, dressing, grooming and eating
Household and community functioning:
Home maintenance, driving,
budgeting, shopping and community mobility
Education:
Activities which allow a person to participate effectively in a
learning environment
Leisure and play:
Reading, knitting and playing sport
Social participation:
Interacting positively with others in the community
Work:
Participating in employment and volunteer activities
Occupational therapists also assess and recommend assistive technology/environmental
modifications that assist individuals to engage in the occupations of everyday life.
Occupational therapists working in mental health help people to achieve the everyday activities that people engage in and find meaningful. They draw on a range of psychological and occupational therapy strategies to help people understand and cope with their daily function, productivity and capacity through the prescription of graded tasks and activities.
Occupational therapists in mental health use individual and group programs/activities to
enhance independence in everyday activities. An occupational therapist may help to
develop coping strategies for people overcoming their mental health issues or improving
confidence and self esteem in social situations.
Occupational therapists assist individuals to:
- Develop skills to live more independently
- Manage with stress and emotions
- Link in with the community
- Cope with grief and loss
- Manage self esteem
- Develop communication skills
- Structure daily life
- Manage Pain
- Manage fatigue and energy
- Manage sleep
- Learn strategies for sensory /emotional regulation – dampening neurological arousal
- Improve functional capacity
- Manage or modify their interactions with their environment
