Occupational Therapy

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Occupational Therapy

• A Rewarding Career Choice

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Occupational Therapy

• Occupational Therapy (OT) is a profession
  dedicated to helping people of all ages live
  their life to the fullest. OTs promote health
  and well being in a wide variety of settings
  including schools, clinics, and hospitals.

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Occupational Therapy

• OTs identify why people have problems performing
  routine tasks.
• Such tasks, or activities of daily living,
  include bathing, dressing, feeding, managing
  money and medications. These tasks help
  individuals lead full and independent lives.

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Occupational Therapy

• In order to help people maintain independence,
  OTs evaluate peoples skills and also consider
  the environment. They make recommendations
  regarding home modifications and the use of
  adaptive equipment.

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Occupational Therapy - Specialties

• Some occupational therapists have specialized
  training that allows them to evaluate driving
  skills and make recommendations for adaptive
  equipment.

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Occupational Therapy - Specialties

• Other OTs specialize in hand therapy, which
  focuses on treating orthopedic conditions of the
  arm and hand. OTs identify what clients want to
  be able to do in daily life and help rehabilitate
  diagnoses such as fractures of the hand or arm,
  amputations, surgical repairs, arthritis, burns
  and carpal tunnel syndrome.

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Occupational Therapy - Specialties

• Lymphedema is an area of specialized practice.
  OTs assist with individuals who have swelling
  related to lymph node impairments, many of these
  are women who are undergoing treatment for breast
  cancer. Therapists find this unique area quite
  rewarding because they have the opportunity to
  develop close relationships with their clients
  and provide encouragement and hope.

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Occupational Therapy - Specialties

• OTs who work in the inpatient hospital setting
  play an important role in assisting patients who
  have experienced an illness or injury.
  Therapists help with early mobilization,
  restoring function and preventing further
  difficulties. They help coordinate care and plan
  for discharge from the hospital.

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Occupational Therapy Specialties

• Other areas of specialty practice include
• Low Vision
• Pediatrics/School based practice
• Neonatal
• Home modifications
• Emergency Response
• Psychiatric care
• Wheelchair evaluations
• Assistive Technology
• Burns

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Why did I decide to become an Occupational
Therapist?
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• I knew I wanted to work with people in some
  type of therapy fieldthere was something about
  OT that caught my attention - it just seemed to
  be more personable. A profession where I could
  work with people and help them to overcome and
  regain/maintain their independence in their
  everyday lives. Helping them to do the things we
  do everyday without a thought as to how we are
  going to do it such as , bathing, dressing,
  feeding etc. Wow, that sounded so cool.
• Carmen Roberts, OTR
• Certified Hand Therapist

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• I became interested in OT when I was 12...I had
  an aunt who was 30 at the time who had several
  major strokes was undergoing rehabilitation at
  Loma Linda Hospital in California.  I spent the
  summer in California with my mom and went to most
  of my aunt's therapies with her.  Even as a young
  girl, I gained an appreciation for the quality of
  life my aunt gained back during her rehab
  experience.
• Kristen Claybrooke, OTR
• Certified Brain Injury Specialist
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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• I had never heard of OT but the more I looked
  into it the more I liked the sound of it.  What
  interested me most was that the essence of OT
  involved using functional activities to increase
  strength, endurance, and coordination rather than
  simply using repetitive (read dull) exercise
  programs.  In addition to this it was clear to me
  that I would have the opportunity to specialize
  in a large variety of different areas if I wanted
  to.
• Matthew Hart, OTR Certified Driver
  Rehabilitation Specialist
• Assistive Technology Practitioner
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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Why I find OT to be a rewarding career
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• Through my 25 years as an OT aide, COTA and now
  a OTR - Certified Hand Therapist I have worked
  with all ages of people who have been faced with
  all sorts of challenges. Everyday I feel blessed
  that I have found a career in which I am truly
  passionate about! I have seen miracles and
  witnessed human perseverance and strength at its
  best through my patients. Not only has the
  profession of OT introduced me to interesting
  people through my patients but I have also met
  the most compassionate and caring people as my
  colleagues who I am fortunate to work with to
  help others.
• Carmen Roberts, OTR
• Certified Hand Therapist
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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I love seeing patients of all ages and being
able to maximize their quality of life in
functional ways. Stephanie Stortzum,
OTR Acute Care Carle Foundation Hospital
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One of the great things about working as an OT
is the tremendous amount of variety that is
available.  In my sixteen years as an OT I have
worked in about every area imaginable including
hospital inpatient and outpatient care, inpatient
psych, school consulting, hands, driving
evaluations, teaching, management, teaching,
nursing home work, and Ive also acted as a
trainer for the hospital electronic medical
record system.  The opportunities are
limitless! Rachel Spaide, OTR,
Certified Lymphedema Therapist Lympholog
y Association of North America Carle
Foundation Hospital
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• I really enjoy the work that I do especially
  with wheelchairs and the experience that I have
  obtained over the years will allow me to seek
  employment anywhere that I want to.
• Matthew Hart, OTR
• Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist
  Assistive Technology Practitioner
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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• I love my job working on an inpatient
  rehabilitation unit as an OT.  I get a chance to
  work with a great team, and it's very rewarding
  to watch the persons I work with rebuild skills
  they need to function in day to day life.  It's a
  great feeling to have a former patient come back
  and show off all they've regained or to know that
  you've helped a person get home with family that
  may not have made it home without your
  intervention.
• Kristen Claybrooke, OTR
• Certified Brain Injury Specialist
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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• I love being an OT because it is so rewarding.
  It feels so good to be able to help people regain
  independence and return to the life they knew
  before they came into the hospital.
• Sonya Dewitt, OTR
• Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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• Occupational Therapy provided for me a
  fantastic framework for problem solving,
  motivating others and for dealing with change.  
  My education and experience in OT has helped me
  to be a better leader and partner to others.  
  Having a career that develops you as you develop
  your career is a true win win.
• Lynne Barnes, OTR
• Vice President, Clinical Operations
• Carle Foundation Hospital

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For more information on the field of Occupational
Therapy, you can contact American Occupational
Therapy Association at www.aota.com