Occupational Therapy: A Case Study

This assignment is divided into part A and Part B. In part A, I will discuss the developed values and beliefs of Occupational Therapy (OT) profession, describing the paradigms in OT, the importance of purposeful and meaningful occupations for health and wellbeing the conceptual models used in the OT profession.
OT is a client-centred health profession which involves individuals with physical or mental disabilities to reach maximum potential in performing functions of daily living. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2012) defines occupation as the daily activities that people do individually, with friends and family or in the community to occupy time and bring meaning and a purpose to their life (WFOT 2012). The occupations include
The moral treatment (MT) became an influence on occupational therapy during the 18th century and was a way to respect and improve lives of individuals with mental illnesses. The MT developed during the late 18th century and early the 19th century in France by Philippe Pinel, which spread to England within several years (O'Brien and Hussey 2018). An English Quaker named William Tuke developed the York Retreat in 1813, as a reaction against the harsh, inhuman treatment of common mental health problems in that era (O'Brien and Hussey 2018). Brigham and Bockoven publicised practitioners who worked within the MT era believed that individuals, who were mentally deranged could recover their health and wellbeing, through engagement in activities such as bookbinding, cord knotting, basket weaving, bunny stuffing, fabric printing and pottery (Brigham 1847; Bockoven 1971). There was respect of human individuality, recognition, rights and an acknowledgement for the mentally ill, as well as realising a necessity to engage in creative and recreational activities as part of the community (Bockoven 1971; Whiteley 2004). The moral treatment ideals were reapplied in the first paradigm of occupational therapy when caring for the ill and disabled people (Kielhofner 2009). The core beliefs of the first paradigm focused on
The mechanistic paradigm (MP) focused on systems in the body such as the neuromotor control and musculoskeletal performance, which could be quantitatively and scientifically measured (Kielhofner 2009). During the mechanistic paradigm, OT practice shifted attention away from the central role of occupation as the profession was under pressure to provide scientific evidence of effectiveness. To become more consistent with the medical model, practitioners adopted a biomedical perspective that valued researched evidence. The medical model restricted the OT profession and was inadequate in meeting the needs of patients with complex mental health and physical conditions (Kielfhofner and Burke 1977). The mechanistic paradigm lost sight of the origins of OT; that occupation was central to the profession and that engagement in occupation can be beneficial to health and wellbeing (Kielhofner 2009). Mary Reilly, a fundamental figure in the profession in 1962, gave a seminal lecture and definition that was to change the outlook of the profession once again. The quote states an individual can stimulate the mind through the use of their hands, which can influence the state of their health and wellbeing (Reilly 1962). This quote by Mary Reilly summarises