Occupational therapy

definition,history,aims and scope of occupational therapy

1. RAVI RANJAN KUMAR ( OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST) MOT (JAMIA HAMDARD) NEW DELHI BOT (NIOH)KOLKATA

2. What is Occupation?????? O ccupation is “groups of activities and tasks of everyday life, named, organized and given value and meaning by individuals and a culture. Occupation is everything people do to occupy themselves, including looking after themselves (self-care), enjoying life (leisure), and contributing to the social and economic fabric of their communities (productivity)” (CAOT,1998) . “the activities that comprise our life experience and can be named in the culture” (Larson, Wood and Clark,2003).

3. Occupational therapy OT can be described as the art and science of directing Man’s participation in selected activities to restore, reinforce and enhance performance, facilitate learning of skills and functions essential for adaptation and productivity, to diminish or correct pathology, and to promote and maintain health (AOTA, 1972). OT is a method of treatment for which the primary area of concern is the patient’s ability to perform functions required in day to day life. This method of treatment is also concerned with the social, psychological and cognitive development of patient. OT is the use of purposeful activity or interventions to promote health and achieve functional outcomes.

4. History of OT In the early years, OT was taken as means to keep patients with chronic illness occupied, hence the name was derived as occupational therapy. Its contribution was limited to the field of chronic illness like- mental illness, TB, leprosy etc. During intermediate years OT was also practised as a means to provide mental diversion to patients suffering from physical and/or psychological trauma. Thus its contribution expanded to the fields of psychiatry and physical illness. Since the world wars, it became an important means for restoring physical and mental functioning of patients specially war veterans. In present times, OT has become a method of treating the effects of various impairments including those which affect the development of individual as in Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, Learning Disability etc. Now the term ‘Occupational’ represents the concept of ‘pursuit, participation or being engaged’ in an activity.

5. History of OT cont.. Eleanor Clark Slagle is known as the "mother of Occupational Therapy."  With a degree in social work, she went to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD in 1912 and and began directing the department of occupational therapy.  She opened the first professional school for occupational therapy. Dr. William Rush Dunton Jr. is know as the "father of OT."  He was a psychiatrist and educator who published the first account of the Occupational Therapy profession.   American Occupational Therapy Association was founded on March 17, 1917 as the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy.  It was renamed AOTA in 1923.  It is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to expanding and refining the knowledge base of Occupational Therapy.  It provides support to research and education through grants and scholarships. The first department of occupational therapy (OT) was established at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Mumbai, India in 1950. The founder of the ‘OT profession in India’ as well as the ‘first school of OT in India/Asia’ was Mrs. Kamla V. Nimbkar [Elizabeth Lundy]. All India Occupational Therapists' Association (AIOTA) was founded by Mrs. Kamala V. Nimbkar in the year 1952.

6. OT as profession WFOT  defines  occupational therapy  as "a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation. OT practice means the therapeutic use of purposeful and meaningful occupations (goal-directed activities) to evaluate and treat individuals who have a disease or disorder, impairment, activity limitation, or participation restriction that interferes with their ability to function independently in daily life roles and to promote health and wellness.

7. Aims of OT 1.To facilitate the development of performance components of the clients thus minimise the dysfunction. Performance components are:

8. 2. To enhance independence skills of person. Which are:

9. 3. To modify the environment with which a person interacts. Environment includes various factors:

10. 4. To facilitate development of proper position of the body. It provides optimal motor activity. 5. To provide sensory stimulation.- it accelerates maturation of nervous system thus increasing person’s awareness about environment. 6. To enhance hand function.- it improves the capacity of hand manipulation and hand dexterity. 7. To correct maladaptive behaviour.- improves self image, self assertiveness, reduction in socially unacceptable behaviour. 8. To prescribe extrinsic adaptation.

11. Scope of OT Occupational therapy can be a major contributors in: Hospitals : general, psychiatric, orthopaedic Centres : early interventions, rehabilitation centers Special schools : school for children with intellectual impairment Homes : geriatric homes, home for person with multiple disability Workshops: sheltered workshop, industrial set ups

12. Thank you