Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy
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Occupational Therapy: A Contemporary Career in Psychology
Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapy: A Contemporary Career in Psychology U.S. News recently reported that occupational therapy is ranked as one of the 50 best careers of 2010 and ranked at 19 out of the top 100 careers expected to be the most secure and best paying in the next decade (U.S. News Staff, 2009). The American Occupational Therapy Association defines
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occupational therapy as a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, with the primary goal of enabling patients to participate in the activities of everyday life in order to help them lead more independent, productive, and satisfying lives (2008). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, occupational therapists may work with individuals, of all ages, suffering from various severity degrees of mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disablement (2009). However, some occupational therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular age group or with a particular disability. For example, occupational therapists may provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk of having, developmental delays, while other occupational therapists may work with elderly patients to help them lead more productive, active, and independent lives (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008). H. Meltzer (1937), discussed that through modification of an individual and the individual’s environment; occupational therapist are able to improve patients’ ability to perform tasks in home, community, and work environments; thus, increasing their independence and productivity. Occupational therapists use use therapy strategies to develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of patients; and improve basic motor functions, reasoning abilities, or compensate for permanent loss of function including physical and sensory (The
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Occupational Therapy: A Contemporary Career in Psychology
Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapy: A Contemporary Career in Psychology U.S. News recently reported that occupational therapy is ranked as one of the 50 best careers of 2010 and ranked at 19 out of the top 100 careers expected to be the most secure and best paying in the next decade (U.S. News Staff, 2009). The American Occupational Therapy Association defines
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occupational therapy as a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, with the primary goal of enabling patients to participate in the activities of everyday life in order to help them lead more independent, productive, and satisfying lives (2008). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, occupational therapists may work with individuals, of all ages, suffering from various severity degrees of mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disablement (2009). However, some occupational therapists may work exclusively with individuals in a particular age group or with a particular disability. For example, occupational therapists may provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk of having, developmental delays, while other occupational therapists may work with elderly patients to help them lead more productive, active, and independent lives (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2008). H. Meltzer (1937), discussed that through modification of an individual and the individual’s environment; occupational therapist are able to improve patients’ ability to perform tasks in home, community, and work environments; thus, increasing their independence and productivity. Occupational therapists use use therapy strategies to develop, recover, or maintain the daily living and work skills of patients; and improve basic motor functions, reasoning abilities, or compensate for permanent loss of function including physical and sensory (The
References: Accreditation standards for a doctoral-degree-level educational program for the occupational therapist. (2007). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(6), 641-651. Retrieved from PsycINFO database. Meltzer, H. (1937). Review of "Principles and Practice of Recreational Therapy for the Mentally Ill". Journal of Educational Psychology, 28(7), 557-558. doi:10.1037/h0052711. The American Occupational Therapy Association, Initials. (2008). Life on the job as an occupational therapist. Your Career in Occupational Therapy, 1(1), 1-4. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009). Occupational therapists:Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition. Retrieved from http:// www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078. 6 U.S. News Staff, Initials. (2009, December 28). Occupational therapist as one of the 50 best careers of 2010, this should have strong growth over the next decade. U.S. News, p. 1.