Occupational Therapy Essay

Occupational Therapy Essay
Occupational Therapy Definition. Occupational therapists work with clients within a variety of environments and contexts that influence participation
in purposeful activities. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2016a), the practice of OT can be defined as "the therapeutic
use of purposeful and meaningful occupations (goal–directed activities) to evaluate and treat individuals who have a disease or disorder, impairment,
activity limitation, or participation restriction that interferes with their ability to function independently in daily life roles and to promote health and
wellness" (p. 608). Unlike other professions, OTs use occupations in helping people across the entire lifespan by promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors
...show more content...
When working with clients in a built environment, the focus is on adapting the environment to fit the client. Person–Environment–Occupation Model.
Occupational therapists use multiple frames of reference, theories, and models to guide their practice. The Person–Environment–Occupation (PEO)
Model was developed to be used as a framework for guiding clinical reasoning in the analysis and understanding of the interaction between a client
and their environment (Law et al., 1996). Occupational therapists are interested in the transactional relationship between the person, environment, and
occupation, and pay particular attention to the interplay between these elements (Law et al., 1996). The person assumes dynamic roles in everyday
life, which can vary across the lifespan as the person ages, acquires disability, or moves in and out of different contexts (Law et al., 1996). The skills
or attributes of a person can influence the type of occupations that individual may participate in. For example, a blind person may choose to listen to
an audiobook about nature instead of going for a walk in the woods. The environment also influences the way in
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Essay On Occupational Therapy Application
The normality of movement is often taken for granted, but without motor control I cannot be capable of effortlessly blending the pigments in a chalk
pastel piece, fingering a tune on the piano, stitching together a stuffed animal, waltzing the box step, or giving my pets a belly rub. In the future, being
an occupational therapist will allow me to help others rebuild their version of a well–rounded life so they can partake in activities that they find
meaningful.
Giving back is a rewarding experience; making an impact in my community gives a blissful sense of accomplishment and shapes me into a better
person. Circle K International, a community service organization, showed me how gratifying it is to beautify the environment or to offer the less
fortunate with a hearty meal. Fully embracing the club's motto, "live to serve, love to serve," I pursued a leadership position and led a team of
volunteers to create an affordable, but festive and educational Halloween night for the children of Davis. Undoubtedly, the best part of that night was
the joy emanating from the children and parents....show more content...
I admired the therapists for treating their patients with immense care and compassion while being tenacious and motivational. Consequently, I sought a
clinical internship with VNCARES, an organization that spreads awareness about prevalent diseases and provides free health checkups. My main duty
was to translate between the Vietnamese–speaking patients and the English–speaking medical staff, but I also concerned myself with making the
patients feel comfortable during their visit. Personally, the best part about working at the clinic was the opportunities to converse with patients.
Building connections with the patients made them more forthcoming about their ailments, thus improving the medical care they

Physical Therapy Vs Occupational Therapy Essay
When people come upon a difficulty in life, they search for somewhere to turn to. More specifically, when their body doesn't work quite the way that it
should, it is likely that their doctor will refer them to a physical or occupation therapist. Both physical therapy and occupational therapy can help
individuals regain strength and skills and drastically improve their quality of life, while physical therapy deals with larger movements and range of
motion, and occupational therapy focuses more on fine motor skills.
A person might go to a physical therapist for multiple reasons. Anyone of any age group could go tophysical therapy, from a child to a senior. While
older people often go when they age to help with things like weakness and muscle loss, a younger person might go because of an orthopedic injury.
Then there are patients with more tragic stories, like perhaps they were involved in a car accident. At a physical therapy session, you could find anyone
from someone with an amputated limb to someone recovering from a surgery, and each patient has their own story to tell. Depending on their
condition, the treatment they would receive in a physical therapy session would differ.
One of the main goals of a physical therapist is to help their patients recover. To do this, they have to pay close attention...show more content...
Physical therapy focuses in more on larger movement, increasing mobility and strength, and physically preparing a patient as best as they can to move
around in the world. While an occupational therapist also helps a patient dealing with movement, occupational therapy focuses more on fine motor
skills and teaching a patient skills necessary for increased independence so they don't have to rely on others as

Becoming An Occupational Therapy Assistant Essay
1. Introduction
Throughout this course, my mind was opened to several healthcare careers which I was unaware of before. For the careers that I did know about, this
course still did a great job at informing me of the professions on a deeper level. After reviewing the lectures and careers, I feel strongly about pursuing
a career in Occupational Therapy. More specifically, I want to become an Occupational Therapy Assistant. This was a career that I had in mind when
I began the course and I have been interested in it for about two years now. Occupational Therapy Assistants need to be sociable, compassionate,
flexible, and enjoy problem solving. I believe I will enjoy this profession because my personality matches with all of these things.
2. About the Profession
As an Occupational Therapy Assistant, I will work alongside an Occupational Therapist and work directly with patients. The difference between an OT
and an OTA is that OT's set up treatment plans and perform medical assessments while OTA's carry out the treatment plans with the patients. In
volunteering at rehab clinics, I've learned that Occupational Therapists often spend much of their time dealing with paperwork while OTA's are
performing more hands on work with people. Their day includes helping patients in performing rehabilitative exercises within a treatment plan.
Occupational Therapy Assistants help people to regain their ability to perform activities of daily living, or ADL's. These are the core aspects which

An occupational therapist is a trained and licensed health care professional who can make a complete evaluation of the impact of disease on the
activities of the patient at home and in work situations. Hobbies and recreational activities are considered when an assessment is made. The most
generally accepted definition of occupational therapy is that it is an activity, physical or mental, that aids in a patient's recovery from disease or injury.
The Occupational therapist takes a history from the patient by conducting a thorough interview. Questions are asked about hygiene, eating, dressing,
getting in and out of bed, driving, cleaning, working and the patients sex life. A physical examination is conducted...show more content...
As technical writers, we will use evaluation reports, daily progress notes, summary reports and discharge plans. Accuracy and attention to detail in the
content of these reports is essential in treating and determining the progress of our patients.
Documentation is the means by which we communicate our treatment to other health professionals and third party payers. In most cases, it is
necessary to communicate effectively to others, orally and in writing the status of the patient. In addition, documentation is an important aspect of our
field because it conveys the status and condition of the patient and our plan and evaluation of said condition to other caregivers. Medical records will
be read by the doctors, nurses and in some cases by those submitting payment to the insurance companies. It is important that as occupational therapy
students we develop documentation skills early and continue to refine these skills throughout our careers.
In order to implement the guidelines for excellent technical communication, we need to remember the three major reasons to be honest as a
communicator. First, we must keep in mind that technical communication is not about using words and pictures to mislead or lie to people. It is about
helping people understand how to make wise choices. "If you lie or mislead, people can be hurt" (Markell 12). Secondly, a patient can worsen in
condition if

Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational therapy (OT) promotes health and well being by offering people the opportunity to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. OT's
work with various individuals who may be limited by physical injury or illness, psychosocial dysfunction, developmental or learning disabilities,
cultural or poverty differences or the ageing process.The role of the OT in such cases serves the purpose of maximising independence, preventing
disability and maintaining health (Turner A, Foster M, Johnson S E 1996). OT interventions cover key elements such as occupational performance,
occupational choice and occupational identity. Identity is key to human functioning in that it is how a people identify themselves, their future
aspirations, their roles...show more content...
This assignment has described and explored the role of the occupational therapist and how they view occupation. It has also explored the impact of the
interventions to human functioning and wellbeing. Occupational Therapy is a profession guided by models and theories in order to make
interventions effective and tailored to individual needs. Models of practice provide a language to help individual occupational therapist articulate to
others the perspective that is unique to the profession. Models make explicit the concepts upon which the profession is based and how these are
grouped or organized together. Thus, theories and models are important for strengthening the professional identities of OT's by providing a language
with which to express to others their habitual ways of making sense of the world as well as the value of their professional perspective (Turpin & Iwama

Define Occupational Therapy Essay
Defining Occupational Therapy to a friend Occupational Therapy is a profession in the healthcare that focus on people of all ages from birth to
adulthood. It is a profession that is set for individuals to improve their quality of life through the use of play and meaningful activities that allows them
to achieve their goals and independence. For example, if you are a tennis player and you hurt your shoulder, you are less likely to perform that activity
which you enjoy the most. Occupational Therapy can work on goal oriented tasks that are specifically designed for that individual to regain the level of
independence that they lost. All the activities that are designed and performed should increase the performance level of the person's broken shoulder.
Defining Occupational Therapy to a family member Occupational Therapy is a treatment that is practiced on everyone with a disability that permits
the person from doing what they enjoy the most. It refers to occupations or everyday activities that a person engages in, to occupy time and bring
purpose to life. As simple as cooking, driving, doing laundry, shopping, or gardening, occupational therapy can help those who are not capable of
It is a career that is designed for all the individuals that wants to make a change in a person's life. While working with your client in achieving their
independence, it's important to treat the diagnosis and not the person. Occupational Therapy is the door that gives an opportunity for everyone to
collaborate and discover the importance of hope for those who believes that their world has come to an end due to health problems or a disability.
Being in this field allows you to learn something new every day as you communicate and performs therapeutic activity with your

Occupational Therapy Paper
Therapy is given on a pyschological and phycical level. Help is not directly offered from the faciltity but from outside sources. Therapy is believed to
a great way for clients to deal with issues. They vary from helping them adapt to this new lifestyle, they suggest ways to adjust from independent to
partial assistance with ADLs. Occupational therapy is used for clients who may have trouble with swallowing, chewing and coughing. A common sign
of aging is problems with unsteady feet which is why residents may need some physical therapy. Physical therapy assists residents who have trouble
with walking, balance, and standing.
Assisted living communities are a becoming a more fiable choice among seniors and the aging population. Many senior

Occupational Therapy Career Essay
In order to experience and get more exposure of an Occupational Therapy career, I have volunteered and worked in a variety of health care facilities. I
have shadowed professionals and volunteered at a hand therapy specialty center and at an inpatient rehabilitation center. Additionally, I work as a
therapy aide at an outpatient rehabilitation center. I have been exposed to different aspects of the profession by seeking out multiple rehabilitation
settings. I have realized that a benefit of this profession is that there are many different employment options and a variety of settings for Occupational
Therapists to work. My experiences have allowed me to learn about the industry and about the profession. I have learned about the variety of therapy
techniques, equipment, and practices used. I have been able to experience the different techniques that therapists use to communicate, motivate, and
interact with a diverse population. These experiences have allowed me to gain knowledge that I will be able to use in my career. Additionally, seeing
clients connect with their therapists, set goals, and build their self–confidence to improve as they progress with therapy has been motivating for me.
My first hand experience and positive interactions with Occupational Therapists and healthcare workers in a variety of rehabilitation facilities has
been influential for me to know that I want to become an Occupational Therapist. This is a profession that will expose my strengths that I have
developed throughout my life so far and is a profession that will challenge me and allow me to learn more about myself and about others. I am
excited to become an Occupational Therapist because it is a career that is unique, challenging, and secure. I have worked hard in my journey to
become an Occupational Therapist thus far and I am excited to keep moving

Occupational therapy (OT) treatment focuses on helping people with a sensory, physical, or cognitive disability be as independent as possible in all
areas of their lives. OT can help kids with various needs improve their cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills and enhance their self–esteem and
sense of accomplishment. Some people may think that occupational therapy is only for adults as kids, after all, do not have occupations; but a child's
main job is playing and learning. Occupational therapists who have specialized in pediatric care can evaluate kids' skills for playing, school
performance, and daily activities and compare them with what is developmentally appropriate.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), in...show more content...
No matter the place of work, each OT must have basic skills, transferable skills and workplace skills be successful. Basic skills are skills that allow
you to learn other things: they're the building blocks to the skills that will help you succeed in any career. Examples of basic skills include being
able to follow written directions (reading comprehension) and being able to understand what others are saying and ask questions when necessary
(active listening). Transferable skills are skills that you use in one career that can transfer to another related career. Examples of transferable skills
used as an OT include giving health care instructions, planning health care treatments and working as a member of a health services team. Workplace
skills are general skills that will contribute to your success in the workplace. Examples of workplace skills include managing time, identifying and
solving complex problems and providing instruction. Workplace skills can often be used in different types of careers, as they help you do all kinds of
work

Occupational Therapy Concepts
1)Why do you think, key concepts associated with OT have persisted throughout its history? To answer this question, you should be able to identify a
concept and why it persists. Also consider concepts that have not persisted and why.
Throughout the history of occupational therapy, many concepts and approaches had been considered. Within these concepts, some of them become key
concepts for the field and others did not. One of the key concepts that persisted is the focus improve patient's abilities to perform occupation in the daily
leaving. Throughout the history of the occupational therapy, the values on rehabilitation and occupational on daily activities are very highlighted.
Kielhofner (2009) describes the various ways that occupational

Theories Of Occupational Therapy
A unique perspective of Occupational Therapy (OT) is defined as " A profession concerned with promoting health and well–being through
Occupation"(Charles, 2010, p.362). The difference between OT and Occupational Health (OH) is that OT is the profession and OH concerns how
occupations affect your health. This essay will first discuss the relationship between OH and well–being. Secondly it will describe alternative views of
disability models. While some doctors believe in medicine as a treatment, for disability, practitioners of OT believe that social background and
environment should be taken into consideration. Thirdly this essay will discuss the underpinning theory of OT relating to 'MOHO' and how a social
and physical questionnaire can get...show more content...
"The purpose of Goal setting is to operationally define the specific desired outcomes and describe the factors involved in achieving the outcome"
(Julia Bowman and Lise. L. Mogensen, 2010, p.100). Goals can be split up into two different types. A Short term goal "is the pathway leading up to
the long term goal" (Julia Bowman and Lise. L. Mogensen, 2010, p.100). Long term goals "have been described as the destination of therapy" (Julia
Bowman and Lise. L. Mogensen, 2010, p.100). For therapists the long term goal is how far the client wants to improve; if it is being fully
independent, being able to do the cleaning, the long term goal would be set to get them to that place. However, if the client is not reaching their goals,
this is when grading comes to place. "Grading is the modification of an activity to support the client's performance" (Bridgett,2011, OT A–Z: G is for
Grading). Grading is all about adjusting the goal to make it easier or harder for the client. If the client was about to do their goal very quickly you
would change their goal to make it harder for them; thus they can work towards a new goal. The occupation performance model looks at what makes
the person be able to do or not do the task. With this the therapist will write down what is preventing the client from reaching their

Occupational Therapy: A Case Study
Occupational therapy can implement leisure across many settings, including inpatient rehabilitation, acute, outpatient, skilled nursing facilities, and
community settings. Leisure can be used as coping strategies in various settings, such as in the community, allowing for growth after injury (Kleiber,
Reel, & Hutchinson, 2008). Art, in the form of listening to music or audiobooks and reading, can be implemented in acute care to assist in patients'
emotional adjustments after injury or illness. Depending on patients' length of stays, art engagements varied from reading to art classes to creative
writing groups (Moss & O'Neill, 2014). A home–based program carried out by occupational and recreational therapists promoted patient leisure
participation

The Role Of Occupational Therapy
Due to their inability to adjust to American culture and traditions, European Immigrants crowded Psychiatric facilities. Mental illness was looked at
from the medical perspective and was viewed as incurable, causing individuals to be directed to asylums. Revolutionizing ideas about the causes and
treatments of mental illness and deinstitutionalization revived the role of Occupational Therapist in the role of treatment of mental illness. A century
later, and though the assistance of occupational therapy in mental health and in the community remain available, still the prevalence in the
18–25–year–old group continues at double the rate of the general population (AOTA). The recovery model emphasizes independence and supports a
person's journey

Application Essay For Occupational Therapy
After considerable contemplation, I confidently decided to pursue the path of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Motivated by my past
experiences, current endeavors, and future possibilities. My life course over the last several years lead me to this pivotal moment of applying to
graduate school, and I feel honored by this opportunity to share my academic and personal journey. To start, I first gained interest and exposure in the
field of health care early in my academic life while attending Clara Barton High School of the Health Professions. During that time I participated in the
Nursing Assistant Certification Program, where I had the opportunity to train at Kings County Hospital Center in various departments and the center
for nursing and rehabilitation. Throughout the...show more content...
Simultaneously, The Decline of my grandmother's health after suffering a stroke led to a substantial need for assistance in an array of activities in
her daily living. As a Certified Nursing Assistant, I Provided her with direct care and support throughout her recovery process. Therefore leading to,
the observation of her OT sessions which eventually led to my deep interest, heightened appreciation, and new inspiration to change my course of
study and career focus in the field of Occupational Therapy. Going forward, I began gaining volunteer experience At the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation
Center, where I observed specialist in hand therapy, lymphedema, brain and spinal cord injuries. The experience was emotionally rewarding because I
followed the gradual progression of patients, I learned about their stories and what brought them to the center. Volunteering was an Enriching
Experience I had a hand in the therapy experience for the patient, and I got to observe Amazing people across all levels in the healthcare

Occupational Therapy Career Essay
1.Describe the occupational therapy profession.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational therapy assistants and aides help patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed
for daily living and working." OT Career Path.com also states that, "occupational therapy assistants assist with the rehabilitation and care of patients
with mental, developmental, physical, social, and emotional disabilities" Occupational therapist may provide many different forms of service from
setting up materials, moving a patient, explaining exercises, preparing reports and implementing treatment plan as prescribed by the Occupational
Therapist. An OTA's duties vary greatly an example of their duties include helping patients acquire fine...show more content...
From that experience I went on to shadow OTA's at Plant City Rehabilitation Center and at Hillsborough County Public Schools to further explore my
interest. While shadowing I was also allowed to participate in working with the patients and discuss the role of an OTA in detail with the staff.
Through these experiences and observations my interest has led to a desire to become an OTA.
3.Identify an area of practice or patient population that you are interested in treating and why.
I am interested in working with the pediatric population between the ages of 3–8 years old. The first reason for this is my love for children and my
goal to stay with my current employer upon graduation which is Hillsborough County Public School District. The second reason is I have had
firsthand opportunity to work with special needs children both at work and at home whose needs included multiple tiered services such as
occupational, physical, and speech therapy. While working with these children I found great satisfaction and a sense of purpose in helping them obtain
life

Occupational Therapy Career Options Essay
In occupational therapy there are three options from which to choose. One can be an occupational therapist, an occupational therapist assistant, or an
occupational therapist aide. In this health profession they are responsible for helping patients in their ability to perform daily living activities like
speech, physical, and mental activities. His or her patients have generally lost these abilities because of mental, physical, or developmentally or
emotionally disabling conditions. This profession takes place in hospitals, offices of other health profession, and nursing care facilities.
First in the career ladder is the Occupational therapist aide. They prepare the equipment and materials for therapists and assistants to use to help...show
more content...
An assistant median annual salary is $52,040 with a median hourly rate of $25.02.
Third of all, an assistant going forward of the career ladder can become an occupational therapist. The occupational therapist assists clients in
performing daily basic activities. An occupational therapist is one member of a rehabilitation team that may also include physical therapist, speech
therapist, psychologist, and social work. Occupational therapists also work with particular children or the elderly, or they may work in specialized
settings including mental health. The education requirement is a master degree. The occupational therapist must be licensed in order to practice. To
obtain the licenses one must graduate from an accredited educational program and pass a national certification examination. The median annual salary
is $73,820 and a median hourly rate of $35.49.
Furthermore, in this profession there are three professional organizations. Which are the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
(ACOTE), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), and World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). Each of
these organizations has a mission and vision for this career. For example, the ACOTE vision is to evaluate standards of excellence in occupational
therapy education and their mission is to foster the

Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy can help kids with different needs to improve cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills in order to enhance their self–esteem
and sense of accomplishments. It also focuses on helping people with a physical, sensory or cognitive disability be as independent as possible in all
areas of his or her life. The body and mind are not separate functions; therefore, motor development activities are important for young children. Young
children learn through sensory–motor functions and will impact their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Children have many significant
occupations, which form a significant foundation for the roles they will take on as adults. These include: player; self–career includes the activities
In the preschool setting there are many kinds of occupational therapy interventions that can be made in the classroom. Examples of occupational
therapy interventions in school settings can include: classroom consultation, creating learning environments that eliminate visual distractions,
preferential seating, positional adaptations such as adapted seating or cushions that enable children to move while seated, individualized or
small–group therapy to improve visual–motor skills, writing alternatives, such as one–handed typing, for students with disabilities , and adaptations
such as a pencil grip or weighted spoon to improve fine motor control . These interventions are done by the early interventionist, speech therapist, and
the occupational therapist. (Khol 1984) The amount of time the occupational therapist spends with a child depends on the need of the child. A lot 3
and four year old receives occupational therapy one time a week for 30 minutes. It is an IEP team decision when deciding times for any type of
therapy. Parent, teacher, and service providers will look at the deficits and then decide the amount of time that would be beneficial to meeting the
student's

Occupational Therapy Essay

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Featured

Featured (20)

Occupational Therapy Essay