Washing, brushing teeth, dressing and undressing, cooking, going to work or school - all of this involves complex movements and thought processes. These activities are learned over many years. Every child has to crawl their way to the pedestrian after years of hard work. But what happens if you can no longer carry out some or even all of these activities at once? In this case a Occupational therapist provide valuable help.
What is an occupational therapist?
Occupational therapists deal with activities that are necessary on a daily basis - and when these are difficult or impossible to carry out. In occupational therapy, you work with clients in the following areas: pediatrics, neurology, orthopedics / traumatology / rheumatology, geriatrics and psychiatry.
Self-sufficiency: eating, getting dressed, cooking, washing, as well as free time: playing, sports, meeting friends and productivity: learning, cleaning, working. These are the three major areas in which occupational therapy groups activities and which are important for a healthy life.
The occupation of occupational therapist can be learned directly through a 3-year training course at a state-certified school or through a degree. Medical expertise, recognized work models in occupational therapy and the practical development of therapy methods are just three of the many modules on which the future occupational therapist builds.
Social science is another important subject in education. The work of the occupational therapist is based on the desire to let body, mind and soul as well as the environment as a whole flow into a therapy.
Treatments & therapies
In the last few decades, occupational therapy has expanded from a mechanical to a holistic perspective. Everyday activities are not only based on healthy motor and cognitive skills.
Our actions and actions are influenced by our environment - just as everyone shapes their environment with their activities. This is why occupational therapists not only work in rehabilitation centers, clinics, schools and private practices, but also accompany clients home in order to integrate their apartment, their workplace, but also their family and friends into the process.
Depression, psychosis and eating disorders are among the clinical pictures in which occupational therapists can support a psychiatric team. Occupational therapists help reintegrate the client into society by learning new behavior patterns.
In the area of eating disorders, but also in the early detection of potentially harmful behavioral patterns, occupational therapists in the Anglo-Saxon area are increasingly playing a role in the area of prevention in schools.
Pediatrics is the area most commonly associated with occupational therapy. This field is about finding solutions to support children with motor and mental limitations, but also children with learning difficulties and concentration difficulties. Parents of children with ADHD and dyslexia are increasingly working with occupational therapists. In many cases, paediatricians refer parents with their children to appropriate Occupational therapists.
In occupational therapy, the age of the client is not important. There are many reasons why people suddenly no longer feel able to carry out daily activities. Work and car accidents, strokes, degenerative disorders of the extremities, amputations, but also older people who experience limitations in their normal lives due to dementia, are part of the work of an occupational therapist.
As soon as there is a limitation due to an accident, an illness or a genetic predisposition, an occupational therapist can offer help with learning or relearning activities.
Methods & forms of treatment
The way like a Occupational therapist always depends on the client, of course, but a few examples can bring the way of working closer.
Activities that were previously seen as a whole are relearned in small sections. Devices and aids are used which are necessary for the client. Creativity, whether through painting, drawing, manual work, as well as in connection with an art therapist or in the creative solution of everyday problems is a central area in occupational therapy work.
The occupational therapist looks for new ways to perform old activities in accordance with the new requirements, together with the client. He does this with the support of doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, speech therapists, social workers and many more.
What should a patient look out for?
When choosing the right one Occupational therapists the age of the client plays a role. In the case of adults who need help due to an accident or illness, the occupational therapist is usually part of a rehabilitation team or is referred through a doctor or physiotherapist.
Pediatricians are the first point of contact for children. Kindergartens and schools are increasingly working together with occupational therapists, and can therefore help parents make a choice.
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