What is Occupational Therapy?
Not quite sure what Occupational Therapy is, or if it is right for you? Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn more. To simply put it; Occupational Therapy, also known as ‘OT’ is a form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness, that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life. But let’s break it down…
Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
Self-care - getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
Being productive - going to work or school, participating in the community, and
Leisure activities - sports, gardening, social activities.
Who are occupational therapists and where do they work?
Occupational therapists, often called OTs, are the primary providers of occupational therapy services. OTs are:
university educated professionals that apply their specialized knowledge and skills to recommend a course of preventive or corrective action that will help people lead more productive and satisfying lives,
trained to understand not only the medical and physical limitations of a disability or injury, but also the psychosocial factors that affect the functioning of the whole person – their health and their wellness, and
a regulated medical profession; occupational therapists must be registered with their provincial regulator in order to practice legally in Canada.
Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings including:
Home and Community: Home care, private practices, health boards, community mental health centres, clinics, halfway houses, groups homes, vocational programs, community action groups, and workers compensation boards.
Institutions: Hospitals, intermediate and long term care facilities, rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, mental health centres, correctional institutions, recreation centres, schools, universities and colleges, research centers.
Industry and business: Corporations, rehabilitation companies, insurance companies, and architectural firms.
Government: All levels of government advising in the areas of health promotion, disability prevention/management, accessibility, vocational/health planning and international rehabilitation program development.
Do you still have questions about what Occupational Therapy or ‘OT’ is? If so, please reach out to the Pivot Team. We are happy to answer ANY questions you might have. CONTACT PIVOT.
