U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recognizes occupational therapy in recent report

The AOTA Quality team took the opportunity to comment on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report: Implementation Strategies for Older Adults draft in early 2023. We are happy to share the impact of this advocacy with our members:

• Occupational therapy, along with physical therapy, are the only explicitly mentioned health professions recommended to provide tailored physical activity guidance through physical activity counseling. Before our feedback, occupational therapy practitioners were not explicitly mentioned.
• Direct recommendations that policymakers and decision-makers expand insurance coverage for recurring wellness assessments of older adults’ medical and mobility needs and for ongoing interventions that support improvements in physical activity, activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Prior to AOTAs response to the draft report, ADLs and IADLs were not included in this recommendation.
• Occupational therapy practitioners are highlighted for our frequent work with older adults, along with geriatricians and physical therapists. Initially, the profession of occupational therapy was only mentioned in the glossary definition of allied health professionals.

The AOTA Quality Team works to ensure occupational therapy is a part of the national conversation about healthcare quality. For more information, reach out to quality@aota.org.