Introduction to Purposeful Activity In Occupational Therapy (OT), ideas and theories go through various modifications. Practitioners dealing with Occupational therapy use craft as therapeutic mechanisms because people do feel that they are capable of accomplishing anything when they prove to themselves that they can do an art and compete it on their own. Crafts vary in their purpose; some deal with self care such as cooking, sewing, cleaning, and mending. Other crafts are generally meant to deal with a dysfunction faced compared to other crafts. An assessment of theoretic crafts to determine if it fits the best interests of a patient is through looking at the treatment goals of OT to a specific individual. Introduction to the 3 activities Some of the therapeutic crafts presented by Ryan in his book include cooking, leatherwork, woodwork, needlecrafts, ceramics, metal works, computer operation, fiber crafts, and mosaic and minor media houses. Other scholars have also agreed with these activities as the meaningful activities that enable patients carry out various activities on their own. In the US News on “Money and Careers,” Occupational Therapists are considered to be one of the best professions of 2012 and are expected to grow in the coming years. In an article by Sinikka Pollanen, craft is seen as an important aspect in bring change within the therapeutic context. Linda Finlay in her book the practice of psychological occupational therapy looks at cookery and other crafts as the commonly used strategies in occupational therapy. Identification of objectives Assessment of Purposeful activities involves examining the occupational roles that the patient is performing as part of his normal daily routine. The therapist wor... ... middle of paper ... ...2005). Chapter 31: Arts and crafts as meaningful occupation. In K. Sladyk, & S. Ryan (Eds.), Ryan's Occupational Therapy Assistant: Principles, Practice Issues, and Techniques (4 ed., pp. 399-404). Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated. Finlay, L. (2004). The practice of psychosocial occupational therapy. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=m7SnGfSxfaYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+practice+of+psychosocial+occupational+therapy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=R9l7T6TnEpH4sga7gsjECQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=the%20practice%20of%20psychosocial%20occupational%20therapy&f=false Hellman, N. (2012). Best jobs 2012: Occupational therapist. Retrieved on March 16, 2012, from http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2012/02/27/best-jobs-2012-occupational-therapist Sinikka, P. (2009). Craft as context in therapeutic change. Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy, XLI(2), 43-46.
The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework defines an occupational profile as “the initial step in the evaluation process that provides an understanding of the client’s occupational history and experience, patterns of daily living, interests, values, and needs (2014).” During this process the client’s problems and concerns about daily occupations are identified then the client’s main concerns are determined (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). Occupational Therapists strive to be holistic and client-centered, and the occupational profile is one method to ensure treatment takes on these characteristics. During the occupational profile the clients share their priorities based on what is important to them, and the therapist
Occupational therapy is also known as the dynamic and developing healthcare profession that deals with people in ways of regaining their skills required for the every days of life. For a very long time I have always had the desire to achieve my dreams in becoming an occupational therapist. I am very well equipped with creativity, flexibility and the ability to aid people in solving their every day’s life challenges they get involved in. Occupational therapy is quite involving and needs good strategies and skills for one to be successful in the program.
Though occupation usually refers to a job, a person’s occupation is initially determined by what their everyday life consists of. When a person becomes incapable of performing the tasks that they are expected to do in their everyday life due to developmental delays, physical injury, or psychological problems they are often referred to an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists, or OTs, usually have occupational therapy assistants, often called OTAs. The OT gives the OTA a set of objectives to help the patient achieve. Since people go through numerous occupations during the course of their lives, OT’s and OTA’s prov...
Sacket et al, cited in, Duncan, E,A,S, (2006) Foundtions for practice in Occupational Therapy, 4th edition, Elsevier Ltd.
STEIN, F., SODERBACK, I., CUTLER, S., LARSON, B., 2006. Occupational therapy and ergonomics. Applying ergonomic principals to everyday occupation in the home and at work. London: Whurr Publishers.
Occupation is defined as “activites of everyday life, names, organized and given meaning by individuals and a culture” (Association, 2006). This article also discusses the historical aspects of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy was founded by many different professionals with different backgrounds, that came together to share the same idea about how occupational therapy should be and the importance of activites for a person. This article also talks about different types of services that occupational therapy offers. Occupational therapists and assistances can work in many different settings. With the variety of settings a therapist and assistance can work in, the services that are offered there are different. Some different services that can be offered at these settings can include community mobility skills, stress management, alternative routines and habits, and more. It is important for therapists and assistances to know what settings offer what type of services when they are referencing their client to a new setting. The last topic this article discussed
There are many definitions to theory. According to Akers (2009) “theories are tentative answers to the commonly asked questions about events and behavior” (Akers, (2009, p. 1). Theory is a set of interconnect statements that explain how two or more things are related in two casual fashions, based upon a confirmed hypotheses and established multiple times by disconnected groups of researchers.
While growing up I had many ideas of what professional career I wanted to obtain, although until recent years, occupational therapy was not even a thought. It was not until my grandmother had a stroke that I even knew what occupational therapy was or entailed. I watched my grandmother participate in therapy leading her to learn how to tie her shoes again, and the things I thought were so simple as to dress herself again. It was during that time as high school graduation was approaching that I realized I wanted to be apart of that. I wanted to have a role helping others learn and exceed as she did because I seen how much joy it brought her. This experience opened my eye to the things we so often take for granted, that some people lose the ability of doing or lack the ability of doing. Throughout her journey of facing and overcoming these problems, it led me to a yearning to pursue this
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
A., de Rijk, A., Van Hoof, E., & Donceel, P. 2011). The therapist has to assess the patient to see if they have a need for splints or supports which may benefit the patient and then step in to help design the specific assistive devices needed. It is the job of the occupational therapist to come up with plans to overcome the inconvenient limitations while still helping the patient to reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching them techniques that will conserve their energy. There are a variety of different ways to make daily living much easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient's environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient's behavior is greatly affected when they are mismatched with their environment. A person's environment match is present when the person's level of competence matches the demands of the environment. Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. “The science and practice of occupational therapy are well suited to develop, refine, and test approaches to translate therapeutic gains into
Occupational therapy was based off of psychology; we evolved from treating mentally ill patients with isolation as an efficient treatment plan. We must never forget we are known to be “the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well being through engagement in valued occupations” (Crepeau, Cohn, & Schell, 2008). To other professional disciplines this article explains the difference between each of us, yet can also express our relation to one another. The basic goal of all therapeutic disciplines is to better our clients life, through physical, speech or occupational therapy. Every discipline targets different goals, may it be body mechanics, reducing a stutter or buttoning a shirt, at the end of the day our clients well being may it be through science, art or both is all that matters. To the occupational therapy field this article means progress for what we do. Reading this article today in the year 2015 did not seem like old information to me, it is still relevant, I am proud that our field is not only evolving with contemporary time but it is also maintaining its
An understanding of occupation and its science dimension enables the therapist to gain knowledge about how patients orchestrate their lives through the doing of occupations in any given context. The occupational therapy proce...
Cole, M. B., & Tufano, R. (2008). Applied theories in occupational therapy: A practical approach. Thorofare, New Jersey, United States of America: Slack Inc.
Art Therapy is defined by the American Art Therapy Association, as “the therapeutic use of art, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or disabilities, and are seeking personal development.” This process uses art media, images, and performances to enhance the patient’s abilities, personality, and quality of life. Patients who use art as a therapeutic device engage in creative outlets which allow them to gain emotional healing and relief from stressful and terminal diseases or disabilities (Benefits, 1). Art Therapy is practiced in mental health, rehabilitation, medical, educational and forensic institutions. This treatment also has a variety of clientele, and formats, such as: individuals, couples, family, and group therapy. Creating, viewing, and talking about art, provides a way for people to cope with emotional conflicts and increase self-awareness (History, 1). The ability to create or interpret art provides the patient the proper format to express unspoken and often unconscious concerns about their misfortunes. Coupled with medical treatment, Art Therapy provides emotional support and stability for many people throughout the world. Although it is a growing field, with 34 master’s programs approved by the American Art Therapy Association in universities throughout the United States, Art Therapy departments and therapists are continuously shown a lack of appreciation and support. Other than the actual patients and their loved ones, successes shown within this form of treatment are relatively unheard of by the general public. The significance that Art Therapy has in the medical world should be known because is completely safe, without side effects and incredibly important to many people (Ar...
It is important that the individual does not have to be brilliant in art to benefit from art therapy. The main focal point of art therapy is not the final end product but the creative process and the thinking that goes into it. The individual feels less exposed when engaged in art and this enables the individual to express his feelings that may remain verbally unexpressed otherwise. And this helps in the process of healing since the problem can be addressed only once the problem is identified (1). Art also gives voice to those individuals with speech impairment for example stroke patients (3). Some individuals find it difficult to use a verbal form of communication to describe feelings and find it easier to make sense of their experience by the use of art.