Occupational Therapy

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Occupational therapists are licensed rehabilitation care professionals who work to restore or improve physical abilities, promote behavioral changes, adapt surroundings, and teach new skills; the goal is to have the individual achieve her or his best physical and/or mental functioning in daily life tasks. Occupational therapists provide these services on the referral or prescription of a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.

Occupational therapy assistants provide treatment according to a plan developed by or in collaboration with a licensed occupational therapist. They must work under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist or a licensed physician.
Occupational therapy practitioners help people adapt to a variety of challenges:

• developmental disabilities
• learning disabilities
• job-related injuries
• neurological problems
• orthopedic injuries
• birth defects
• stroke
• psychosocial disorders
• chemical dependency
• age-related disorders

They help with:

• impaired physical functioning which hampers the ability to perform daily life tasks
• psychosocial problems which hamper the ability to function in daily life
• special needs which require modification of the physical environment and/or use of specialized equipment and technologies (e.g., changes in the home or job site for a person in a wheelchair)

Read more about this profession.