When I first began telling people that I wanted to become an occupational therapist, they would often ask "What is OT?" I get asked this question a lot, so I try to explain it in my own words. Basically, OT enables people (from all walks of life) to live their lives to their fullest. They work on completing everyday activities that they need and want to do (e.g., brushing teeth, going to work, dancing, etc.) to the best of their abilities... while maintaining the most of their independence.
Some commonly asked questions:
1. Do OTs help people find employment?
2. Is OT similar to PT?
3. Do OTs focus on upper extremities (upper limbs) and PTs lower extremities (lower limbs)?
My Answers (in my own words!):
1. OTs who work in mental health settings do assist their clients in finding employment. However, OTs analyze which aspect(s) of the task that their client has difficulty with... and then they work together so the client can obtain the necessary skills to find employment.
2. OTs and PTs may do similar things during the therapy session, especially in hospital and clinical settings. The OT and PT usually work closely together with the patient to ensure that they focus on different goals... and to prevent duplication of services.
3. OTs and PTs work with both upper and lower limbs. However, treatment goals would differ. For example, the PT tends to focus more on improving a patient's ability to move (e.g., walk with a cane up and down the stairs) while the OT tends to be more focused towards improving a patient's ability to walk with a cane so he can safely travel to and from the bathroom/kitchen/bedroom at home.
Some great YouTube videos you may like to check out:
