Today is World Occupational Therapy Day. World Occupational Therapy Day was launched by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists to promote and celebrate the Occupational Therapy profession, and the global impact the profession has on society. This year for World Occupational Therapy Day, the theme is “belong, be you,” celebrating how diversity and inclusion in our communities can have a greater enrichment in our everyday lives. The big question embracing World Occupational Therapy Day is what is the Occupational Therapy profession, what is an Occupational Therapist, and how can an Occupational Therapist help me?
Occupational Therapy is a degree-based profession that works with people of all different ages in a large variety of different settings, such as a hospital, rehabilitation centre, or an aged care facility. The profession has nine areas of speciality, including, acute hospital, mental health, paediatrics, hand and upper limb, home visits and household modifications, aged care, vocational, community, and medical.
What specifically is an Occupational Therapist? An Occupational Therapist is a registered Allied Health professional that supports people who may be living with an injury, illness, or disability to participate in everyday activities, such as taking care of themselves, working, volunteering, enjoying hobbies, and joining social events. An Occupational Therapist can help you live your fullest life when adapting to a physical, cognitive, or sensory injury or illness. Performing everyday activities such as brushing your teeth, eating an apple, or grocery shopping isn’t an activity people often give a second thought to in their everyday life. However, an injury or illness can greatly affect how we perform these everyday activities that we once never gave a second thought to. With a plan in hand, an Occupational Therapist can help you re-learn how to do these everyday activities, and how to adapt to an injury or illness.
How can an Occupational Therapist help me, and why would I need one? With or without an injury, illness, or disability, anyone who may struggle to perform an everyday task may need an Occupational Therapist. An Occupational Therapist that specialises in mental health can help people who experience mental health issues identify how their mental health has affected their everyday life and support them in finding exciting and interesting activities, hobbies, and supportive recovery options. An Occupational Therapist that specialises in paediatrics can help children and adolescents to achieve everyday activities, such as school, playing, and developing social skills, cognitive abilities, or fine and gross motor skills. If you have experienced an injury or illness at work, a vocational Occupational Therapist can help your recovery journey of getting back to the workplace. There are a variety of services and specialities in Occupational Therapy to help develop, recover, and improve your everyday life.
An Occupational Therapist plays an important role in supporting and assisting people in their journey with an injury, illness, or disability. According to the Department of Health, in 2019, the Occupational Therapy profession made up for 10.8% of registered Allied Health professionals in Australia. This World Occupational Therapy Day, it’s important to recognise how Occupational Therapy makes a difference to the world through the care and health services the profession provides. Celebrate, belong, and be you this World Occupational Therapy Day by celebrating what makes you you, and share with your loved ones what an Occupational Therapist is and how they can help you.
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