Occupational therapy is grounded on the idea that participation and engagement in occupations improves health, wellness, and quality of life of those impaired by disease and/or injury (Arbesman & Logsdon, 2011; Gutman, Kerner, Zombek, Dulek, & Ramsey, 2009; Gutman et al., 2007; Oka et al., 2004). Unfortunately, patients’ diagnosed with a mental health condition continue to suffer from social injustice, occupational deprivation, and disparity (Krishnan, 2015). Social injustice is a form of inequality in which individuals are not granted equal access to perform in meaningful occupations and/or are forced to participate in occupations in which they do not want to partake in (Creek, 2011). Occupational deprivation occurs as a result of external …show more content…
When patients are engaged in occupations they are often also engaging in social processes (Borg & Kristiansen, 2008). Research has found that mental health patients along with other non-mental health patients benefit greatly from socialization (Davidson et al., 2005). Socialization and occupational engagement play an important role in establishing personal identity, increasing self-esteem, and providing patients with a sense of achievement (Blank, Harries, & Reynolds, 2015). Mental health patients place significant value on being able to participate and engage in occupations as they feel a sense of belonging when partaking in occupations (Blank, Harries, & Reynolds, …show more content…
Therapists use purposeful, reasonable, and goal-directed approaches to ensure that mental health patients feel connected with their surrounding community (Lohman, 2003). In terms of program development, occupational therapists must be knowledgeable about their clients’ needs, services available, and those services that can be initiated to satisfy unmet needs (Lohman, 2003). Occupational therapists use a creative, holistic approach to foster hope, value, and quality of life through the use of programs that can be developed and refined to meet an individual’s needs (Lohman,
Occupational Therapists perceive people, without discrimination, as active and creative “occupational beings” who crave engagement in activities of daily living, sequentially to maintain not merely their health but their wellbeing (COT, 2010). Occupation is a channel which directs people to better social inclusion, which in turn can result in dignity, independence, and social contribution (Waddell and Aylward, 2005) and one of the core foundations of Occupational Therapy is the necessity and value of occupations and re-engagement in occupation as an essential intervention (Ross, 2007a). Occupational Therapists who work with adults with different severities of learning disabilities experience difficulty with their everyday occupations, or activities of daily living (ADLs) and have both a clinical and a consultancy role (Lillywhite and Haines, 2010). People with a learning disability are a diverse group, and the severity of their condition can inhibit their abilities and independence (Cumella, 2013). But, how can Occupational Therapists use their professional skills to help those adults with a learning disability? How can these healthcare professionals promote their independence at home? This piece will look at the contribution of an Occupational Therapist giving an adult with a learning disability as much independence in their own locality.
With the variety of settings a therapist and assistance can work in, the services that are offered there are different. Some different services that can be offered at these settings can include community mobility skills, stress management, alternative routines and habits, and more. It is important for therapists and assistances to know what settings offer what type of services when they are referencing their client to a new setting. The last topic this article discussed It can be given to anyone who wants to learn about occupational therapy in the psychosocial aspect. When I am working in the field and someone wants to learn more about what I do and what my career includes, I can give them this article to get a basic understanding of what I do.
In addition, I also notice that instead of removing stigmas, many psychology and psychological research aggravated the problem by diagnosing people on the basis of race, gender or status. That said, I found that structural competence pushed me to take the political aspect of mental illness. For example, I envision myself, not only advocating for the rights of people with mental illness, but also stopping stigma and discrimination. In fact, especially in the US, stigmas on the mentally ill can be dangerous because the more people that suffer from stigmatization, the less likely they will find a home, a job or achieve personal good health. In particular, stigma can be worrisome to people suffering from mental health if the criminal justice system gets involved because people get incarcerated in prisons for having a mental illness instead of getting the treatment they need.
Occupational therapy has been around for a long time. There is proof of occupational therapy methods for the mentally ill found in ancient times as early as 100 BCE (Quiroga). These therapies included: therapeutic baths, massages, exercise, and music. By medieval times the humane treatment of people considered to be insane was almost non-existent. By the 1900’s, the reform of healthcare for the mentally ill was refreshed through the work of occupational therapy. During World War I, soldiers returning from the field were treated by “reconstruction aides” made up primarily of women trying to “do their part” to help the country during war time. Their treatments included many of the techniques used in modern occupational therapy. After the war many people abandoned these therapeutic practices because the emphasis became more on financial and professional gain rather than helping the war effort. To help bring people back to the profession the American Occupational...
Occupational therapy has a multifaceted nature providing endless opportunities to serve a wide range of people within many environments, which is just one of the reasons I love this occupation. My long term goals enlist the desire to maximize my knowledge and abilities to care and supplement the lives of anyone that may cross my path in this career. I have seen occupational therapy positively impact the lives of people around me, and I strive to be a bigger role on the team helping make that happen.
My immediate goals after obtaining an Occupational Therapy degree include gaining clinical expertise through a practice of my choice and motivating as many people as I can to achieve their goals. I plan to participate in evidence-based research in order to improve patient outcomes while spreading this knowledge through community education and prevention programs. After establishing myself in the field and gaining the necessary resources, I intend to collaborate with a team of like-minded
Growing up around a nurse, I have known from a young age that I wanted to work within healthcare and after researching occupational therapy I was sure that it was the career I am suited for. Helping to improve a person’s quality of life and their independence, along with the diverse nature of the work is very exciting to me.
Occupational therapy is a career focused on helping people who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. An OT’s scope of practice may involve addressing “the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life” (Definition of Occupational Therapy Practice for the AOTA Model Practice Act, 2017). I don’t feel like occupational therapy is the right career for me because I feel like I lack certain characteristics that someone in this profession should have.
An understanding of occupation and its science dimension enables the therapist to gain knowledge about how patients orchestrate their lives through the doing of occupations in any given context. The occupational therapy proce...
Mental Health is a very important, in depth study that needs more support. Identification of mental stressors is a skill everyone should to have to live with increased mental health. New York State Healthy People 2020 has placed Mental Health as a priority, increasing awareness for mental health illness and prevention. Providing care for Healthcare workers is a small fraction of the entirety of mental health issues. Working in the hospital is stressful, caring for others takes a huge mental and emotional toll on providers. Identifying who is most at risk and understanding what is needed to prevent mental disorders is imperative as a healthcare worker. Mental Health is defined by Healthy People 2020 as having participation in productive activities,
I have thoroughly enjoyed nursing to this date, and I see nursing as more of a purpose than a career choice and feel privileged to have been able to succeed in it. However, various events and situations in my career and life have strongly persuaded me that I would be most useful to the community if I were to become a specialist in psychiatric mental health nursing. Before my current practice I would of never considered adopting mental health as a speciality although I enjoyed my psychiatric rotation during training. However, since working in my current practice I have seen that the mental health community is underserved and this is heartbreaking to me. Many patients who need assistant and care
Moreover, the labeling perspective on mental illness... was first formulated decades ago, when mental hospitals were the predominant type of care for persons with mental health problems… Patients were described as undergoing a moral career, which involved the loss of all previous roles because of the way mental health care was structured, and which finally lead to a so-called spoiled identity, the result being that reintegration in society was very difficult, if not impossible (Verhaeghe et al.
People with mental health issues are being misunderstood and can lead to stigmas and the labeling that can come along with them, in some cases hurting instead of healing. It is notable to have positive education about mental health disorders that promote recognition, prevention and finding the proper resources for treatment. Literacy of mental health is the key to reducing stigma and eliminating stereotypical beliefs either self-afflicted or from the public making a person more likely receive help when
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights mental health as an important health issue through it’s overarching definition of health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (1)." Mental health can be defined as the position in which a person is at an optimal level of psychological, social and emotional wellbeing (2). It is important to note that these definitions are framed within a health lense and it is necessary to understand that health is influenced by broader social determinants (Buse et al.
The realization of how important the value of occupation and health is in my own life inspires me to help others. I work on maintaining my own health by staying active and productive everyday. Being able to participate in occupations and activities I enjoy is what allows me to live a fulfilling and satisfying life. Occupational therapy appeals to me because it helps people overcome different obstacles, allow them to accomplish their goals, and participate in activities that are meaningful to them. Along with the physical component of Occupational Therapy, I have also observed the emotional, mental, and behavioral aspect of it. I have always been fascinated with the holistic approach Occupational Therapy takes when providing someone with individualized treatment. I believe physical and mental health is integrated, and it’s essential to look at the whole person in order to understand the needs of an