April is Occupational Therapy month! Let’s take a moment to celebrate this vital occupation that helps to improve the lives of patients of all types!
Occupational Therapy Month began in 1980. It is in April to correspond with AOTA’s Annual Conference & Expo.
Occupational therapy practitioners are everyday heroes in the medical field – they are trained healthcare professionals who empower people of all ages to achieve independence and satisfaction in life, often in the face of injury, illness, disability, or old age. They work directly with patients to develop basic skills through the therapeutic use of daily activities such as eating, dressing, and self-care.
Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Occupational therapy services typically include:
- An individualized evaluation, during which the client/family and occupational therapist determine the person’s goals
- Customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals
- An outcomes evaluation to ensure that the goals are being met and/or make changes to the intervention plan.
As an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, you are part of a vitally important profession that helps people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Your holistic and customized approach to evaluations, interventions, and outcomes help a child with disabilities participate in school and in social situations, assist a person recovering from injuries to regain skills, aid an older adult to stay as independent as possible, and offer the specialized support and services to people of all ages and in all circumstances that only occupational therapy can provide. For these reasons, we are celebrating you this Occupational Therapy Month.
At Goodwin University, our OTA program teaches a variety of therapeutic modalities and activities as methods of treatment through hands-on clinical learning and vocational training. Here, all Occupational Therapy Assistant courses are offered during the evenings and on weekends for added flexibility.
Get a jumpstart on your career as an occupational therapy assistant today. Learn more about becoming an OTA in CT today!
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Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.