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The OT Process

What do OTs do?

Occupational therapists work with individuals of all ages and throughout all stages of life. The AOTA (2021) explains, “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 consist of three main components:

(AOTA, 2017; AOTA, 2021)

Evaluation

an individualized evaluation takes place where the therapist gains a better understanding of the individual

Includes information such as...

  • Why the client is seeking services

  • Prior and current levels of functioning

  • Interest and values

  • Wants and needs

  • Routines, roles, habits, rituals

  • Environments - home, work, and community

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The evaluation session ultimately ends with the individual and therapist working together to determine the individual’s priorities and set appropriate goals for future therapy sessions.

Intervention

all therapeutic interventions are customized to the individual to ensure the appropriate level of difficulty, to improve the individual’s ability to perform daily activities, and to progress toward agreed-upon goals

Interventions are typically divided into 5 main categories:

  • Occupations and Activities

    • Self-care tasks, meal prep, community events, etc.

  • Preparatory Methods and Tasks

    • Strengthening and range of motion, splints, assistive technology, etc.

  • Education and Training

    • Learning about prosthetic wear schedules, proper prosthetic device care, home modifications, etc.

  • Advocacy

    • Collaboration for improved services, learning to request reasonable accommodations, etc.

  • Group Interventions

    • Social skills groups, community groups, mental health groups, etc.

Outcomes

The goal all along is to increase the individual’s success in completing the necessary and meaningful occupations of life. Throughout the therapy process, screenings, assessments, and re-evaluations occur to ensure proper progress toward goals is being achieved – appropriate changes are made to intervention plans based on findings. 

“Occupational therapy practitioners have a holistic perspective, in which the focus is on adapting the environment and/or task to fit the person, and the person is an integral part of the therapy team. It is an evidence-based practice deeply rooted in science”

(AOTA, 2021).

REFERENCES

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2017). Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and process (3rd ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(Supplement_1), S1–S48. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.682006

 

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2021). What is occupational therapy? https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/OTMonth/what-is-OT.aspx

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