Occupational Therapy

"The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life. Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by enabling people to do things that will enhance their ability to participate or by modifying the environment to better support participation."

(World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 2004)

Occupational Therapy analyses a person’s activity and environment to evaluate the impact of an accident or illness on his or her physical, cognitive, emotional or behavioural skills. An assessment of an individual’s abilities and potential for change is essential for Occupational Therapists to facilitate the maximum level of independence and quality of life possible in all activities of daily life - self-care, productivity (domestic and vocational) and leisure along with social and community integration.

Occupational Therapy Reports

Occupational Therapists use a combination of assessment, observation and interview to evaluate the skills and deficits of a client, and use a problem solving approach and clinical reasoning to determine the present and future needs of both client and carer in order for them to be able to attain the maximum degree of life satisfaction through adaptation.

Occupational Therapy reports focus on:

• the quality of life enjoyed by the client before the accident or illness, his or her personal and domestic roles and abilities,
• the family situation and social environment as well as information on leisure and vocational pursuits,
• the impact of the accident or illness on the above situation and the current functional levels of the client,
• the care given and any expenses incurred from the time of the accident to the present day,
• recommendations and costing for appropriate rehabilitation and future care, specialised equipment and/or small adaptations that may be necessary to return the client to as near as possible the level of functioning and quality of life enjoyed before the accident.

Rehabilitation

Janice Thomson is a senior Occupational Therapist on a community team working with people who have had a traumatic brain injury. As part of a multidisciplinary team she assesses the impact of the accident on the physical and cognitive abilities, the behaviour and the emotional state of the people who are referred to the team. She works with those people to establish goals for rehabilitation to restore the balance of roles and activities and maximise functional independence.

Plans of action are drawn up with the head injured person or his or her carer if more appropriate. Work to assist a person regain confidence and self esteem and to improve cognitive and personal skills through structured activity is carried out in the person's own home, or in the wider community as part of a programme designed to promote social integration and a return to a better quality of life.

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