An occupational therapist is a healthcare professional assisting individuals of all ages to take part in their daily activities or occupations through physical, cognitive, and emotional difficulties. A profession centered on the patient, occupational therapy revolves around promoting independence, improving quality of life and making sure that humans can take part in activities necessary for their own welfare.

Important details to learn about an occupational therapist

What an occupational therapist does at first is assess, plan, and implement individual treatment plans that cater to the particular needs of every client. They are involved with clients, families and other medical practitioners in knowing what hampers the capacity of people to carry out their day to day activities or take part in occupations that they want.

Different settings like hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, nursing homes, community-based organizations, and private practices can employ occupational therapists. Their scope includes areas such as:

• Physical rehabilitation: Occupational therapists play a significant role in assisting patients recover from injuries, illnesses, or disabilities so that they can regain their physical abilities. For instance, they may prepare exercise programs which are designed to fit into adaptive equipment and teach ways of enhancing flexibility, power and control as well as fine tuning small muscles.
• Mental health: Patients suffering from mental health conditions benefit from occupational therapist’s intervention strategies meant to enhance emotional wellbeing as well as improve participation in daily living.
• Pediatrics: Occupational therapy ot for kids perth is often beneficial for children who have growth delays, sensory processing disorders, and physical disabilities. Therapists use play-based interventions and specialized equipment for children to grow age-appropriate skills, improve cognition/motor functions, overall development, etc.
• Geriatrics: Older adults may face functional limitations or cognitive impairments related to performing daily tasks due to increased age advances. Occupational therapists facilitate independence among elderly citizens while suggesting fall preventive techniques, as well as adjusting some aspects of the home environment according to changing demands among them
• Assistive technology: The ability of individuals having a disability or restricted functioning capacity to execute routine responsibilities more autonomously can be assessed and recommended by occupational therapists in the use of assistive devices like wheelchairs, prostheses, orthotics, etc.
• Workplace ergonomics: Occupational therapists may assess workstations, job tasks, and work environments to identify possible injuries or musculoskeletal disorders that are caused by risk factors. Recommendations and training should be given to foster safe working conditions and improve productivity as well as the wellbeing of workers. Read this article to know more about occupational therapist.

Closing

To become an occupational therapist, people often need a master’s degree or higher in occupational therapy from an accredited institution.  Occupational therapists must have effective communication skills, problem solving ability and critical thinking skills.