April is Occupational Therapy (OT) Month
Occupational Therapy: Advancing Health, Well-Being, and Quality of Life
American Occupational Therapy Association, Bethesda, MD… April is Occupational Therapy (OT) Month, a time to honor this vital profession that helps people live life to its fullest, no matter their health condition, disability, or risk factors. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is the largest OT member organization in the nation, representing more than 230,000 occupational therapy practitioners, students, and educators in the United States and beyond.
Using this year’s OT Month theme, “Occupational Therapy: Advancing Health, Well-being, and Quality of Life,” AOTA seeks to educate the public about OT – what it is, why we might need it, how to ask for it, and its impact on quality of life.
What Occupational Therapy is NOT
- Physical therapy
- Occupation meaning what you do to earn money for a living
What Occupational Therapy IS
OT is a science-driven, evidence-based healthcare profession that enables people of all ages to participate in activities of daily living or “occupations,” and to live better with injury, illness, or disability. Occupations encompass just about anything a person does or experiences that makes life meaningful, including going to work, driving, sexual function, eating, drinking, playing, cooking, recovering from injury, addressing disability, living with disease, mental health, personal hygiene, women’s health, coping with violence, veteran’s health, sports, addiction, and aging. When there is injury, illness, or disability, these activities can be disrupted.
OT is often called “the ultimate problem-solving profession” because of the creative approach occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) can take to help people be as functionally independent as possible. From a child with autism to a wounded warrior with a double amputation to an older adult aging in place, the stories in this video highlight occupational therapy’s impact on children and adults living with a range of challenges.
By taking the full picture into account—a person's psychological, physical, emotional, and social make-up - OT services typically include:
- an evaluation made just for you that lets us know your history, life experiences, and your interests. We call this your occupational profile, and it tells us what values and activities are important to you during this conversation.
- an intervention plan that is unique to you to improve your ability to perform daily activities and reach your goals,
- and an outcomes evaluation to make sure that the goals you set with your occupational therapy practitioner are being met.
What can occupational therapy do for people?
OT can help you participate in life activities (occupations) and provide recommendations for:
- Activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing, and eating)
- Adaptive equipment (such as shower chairs, or equipment designed to make daily tasks easier)
- Caregiver and family training
- Planning and making the most of daily routines
- Returning to work, school, and leisure activities
- Techniques to aid in memory, concentration, and executive functioning (e.g., planning and prioritizing, functional cognition)
- Falls prevention and home safety and accessibility
Where do Occupational Therapy Practitioners Work?
OT services are provided by licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, to people of all ages. Services may be provided in a client's home, community settings (e.g., community centers, shelters, free clinics), hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, primary care offices, schools, and many other locations.
OTPs may also work as consultants and experts in health information technology, human centered design, addressing the health of communities, education (e.g. schools, higher education), health promotion programs, driving and community mobility, and many others. Read the story of Esther Bae, a Los Angeles-based occupational therapist, accessibility professional, and makeup artist, who combined her passions to launch a successful consultancy that works with renowned brands like Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty, to ensure accessible and inclusive self-care products.
Media
To interview one of AOTA's media experts or to speak with an occupational therapy practitioner or AOTA staff member about what occupational therapy practitioners do, why that matters, and how it could help readers, contact Jennifer Rignani at praota@aota.org or 412-977-5795.
About AOTA
Founded in 1917, AOTA represents the professional interests and concerns of occupational therapists, assistants, and students nationwide. The Association educates the public and advances the profession of occupational therapy by providing resources, setting standards including accreditations, and serving as an advocate to improve health care. Based in North Bethesda, Md., AOTA’s major programs and activities are directed toward promoting the professional development of its members and assuring consumer access to quality services so patients can maximize their individual potential.