What is Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation. In OT ‘occupation’ refers to the everyday activities that people do during their day to day lives that occupy their time and bring them meaning and purpose.

Occupations of everyday life include:

• Activities of daily living (ADLs): self-care activities such as showering, dressing, grooming and eating
• Household and community functioning: home maintenance, driving, budgeting, shopping and community mobility
• Education: activities which allow a person to participate effectively in a learning environment
• Leisure and play
• Social participation: interacting positively with others in the community
• Work (paid and unpaid): participating in employment and volunteer activities

If you are having difficulties with your occupations due to injury, illness, or environmental and situational issues, an OT can work with you to improve your knowledge and skills and/or adapt the occupations & environment, to improve your independence and wellbeing.

Occupational therapists work with individuals of any age to promote and enable effective participation in the occupations of everyday life to optimise independence and quality of life. Occupational Therapists can work across many areas and will often specialise in  specific age groups and conditions.  It is important to select an OT that has the relevant experience and can appropriately meet client needs, as OT’s vary widely in the types of services they can offer.