After a year of blogging I’ve been approached by many colleagues who have thanked me for spotlighting the wonderful profession of occupational therapy on the web and social media. I am hoping that my efforts will bring increased awareness to the benefits Occupational Therapy. The following post from September 2013 is a favourite that gives an overview of OT and how it works to provide solutions for living.
Pin The Tail On The OT
- Helping people to maintain a positive attitude, and to have hope, despite personal circumstances.
- Overcoming the “can’t” to become the “did” – no matter what that “did” looks like.
- Showing people how to open the door of a fridge, car, microwave and building when they can’t use their arms.
- Providing equipment to facilitate driving when the traditional steering wheel, gas and break, cannot be used normally.
- Teaching people how to use a computer, and designing a conducive workstation, when their use will be unconventional.
- Designing, sourcing, and providing equipment to facilitate independence in: eating (or dressing, grooming, showering, anything), lifting and carrying personal items, washing a car, or managing in the community.
- Helping people with unique challenges to find a suitable profession, secure a job, and sustain work.
- Creatively solving problems to participation (i.e. riding a bike).
- Fostering mental health through participation, engagement and function.
- Reducing dependency on others through facilitating independence in daily activities.
These are just a few examples. Really, OT is everywhere. Many people actually “OT themselves” by finding new ways to overcome challenges. We all might do this every day even if we are not disabled. OT is a great profession – why struggle to solve problems of function, take longer than needed to complete tasks, rig up unsafe solutions, or become unnecessarily dependent on others? Consider OT. We are here to help, and love nothing more than sharing our skills and knowledge.