What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy brings together cognitive, physical and motor skills.
The aim of OT is to enable the individual to gain independence and participate more fully in life.
Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science
Goals of an OT program might include
-independent dressing
-feeding
-grooming
-use of the toilet
-improved social, fine motor and visual perceptual skills.
