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Occupational therapy and career exploration
Exercise and mental health
Career goals for occupational therapist
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My father is a man who just turned 75 years old last month. He has had a very active life with a schedule that did not allowed him to have much free time. Throughout his life he was always divided his time between work responsibilities, family obligations and leisure time. Five years ago, he decided it was time to rest and not work any more. From the moment my father became a retired person I have seen how he transformed into a sad and very boring person. I can see how every day he loses more skills. Before he enjoyed driving in a safe manner, now he does not like to drive because he does not feel like a safe driver. He used to enjoy just weekends with no obligations and used to go to bed early because he was tired and he needed sleep. He says that life changed completely since his retirement. He believes that he was better before when he was a working man than now he has no obligations outside the house.
Promoting healthy aging in the community should be with participatory and mobility throughout society. Elders should use their free time with activities promoted in our community in which they are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle at the same time that is keeping them occupied. Geriatrics is a good point to focus my interest in the area of geriatrics.
I always thought that occupational therapy in geriatrics simply meant the delivery of a ball for men and a pair of knitting needles for woman. It is a fallacy that many still believe, just because someone is moving their hands does not mean they are exercising nor using their brain. For example, one of the main causes of my father’s sadness is because he in not occupying his time properly. ...
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... wellness. (Jengliang, 2010). Achieve healthy aging is associated with beneficial effects of regular exercise. Regular physical exercise in the elderly may be equivalent to 10 to 20 years of rejuvenation (Andrews, 2001)
In conclusion, it is necessary to plan effective interventions in order to support the participation of our elders in our community. Occupational therapists can get involved in our community and help this age group in improving their lifestyle. The main target always being to promote involvement in activities that not only promotes physical activity but also activities that encourages them to use their ideas and knowledge to attend their needs. This will make is easier for our elders to leap into retirement as is the case of my father. This is a good starting point to focus my interest in the area of geriatrics in the field of occupational therapy.
Occupation is defined as “activites of everyday life, names, organized and given meaning by individuals and a culture” (Association, 2006). This article also discusses the historical aspects of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy was founded by many different professionals with different backgrounds, that came together to share the same idea about how occupational therapy should be and the importance of activites for a person. This article also talks about different types of services that occupational therapy offers. Occupational therapists and assistances can work in many different settings. 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
Townsend & Polatajko (2007) state that “Occupational therapy is the art and science of enabling engagement in everyday living, through occupation; of enabling people to perform the occupations that foster health and well-being; and of enabling a just and inclusive society so that all people may participate to their potential in the daily occupations of life”.
To deal with the issue of an aging population, an awareness campaign about the health issues that commonly affect aged people should be run by the government and non-governmental agencies. In addition, awareness should be created among the young to accommodate the elderly; at home as well as at work places...
My results for my high school career quiz displayed many careers that I did not believe were for me, however there was one that I had never heard of that sparked my interest, Occupational Therapy. At the time, I had no idea what this career consisted of, but as time went by and I participated in various volunteering opportunities and shadowed several therapists, I began to realize that this career really intrigued me. Occupational therapists assist individuals across the entire lifespan in participating in daily living activities. They work with individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, those who have previously sustained an injury and need to regain their abilities, and the elderly population who may lose the abilities to perform certain tasks. This profession contains many important responsibilities that involve aspects of social psychology including evaluating the abilities of the patient, increasing independence of patients with
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
The focus of this paper is to compare and contrast a well elder and a frail elder while using Occupational Therapy Practice Framework language. For this assignment I chose to conduct a semi structured interview using the Canadian Occupational performance Measure (COPM) to gather information about my chosen elders perceived problems and priorities. For this assignment I will be using pseudonyms in order to protect the privacy of both individuals.
Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Settings for the Elderly In an ever-changing society, occupational therapy (OT) is becoming more popular among people of all ages. Sturkenboom et al. (2012) explains that OT aims to optimize a person’s functional performance and achieve a more independent lifestyle during everyday activities. The services occupational therapists typically offer is a personalized treatment plan to improve a person's ability to perform daily activities while maintaining an independent lifestyle.
A., de Rijk, A., Van Hoof, E., & Donceel, P. 2011). The therapist has to assess the patient to see if they have a need for splints or supports which may benefit the patient and then step in to help design the specific assistive devices needed. It is the job of the occupational therapist to come up with plans to overcome the inconvenient limitations while still helping the patient to reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching them techniques that will conserve their energy. There are a variety of different ways to make daily living much easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient's environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient's behavior is greatly affected when they are mismatched with their environment. A person's environment match is present when the person's level of competence matches the demands of the environment. Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. “The science and practice of occupational therapy are well suited to develop, refine, and test approaches to translate therapeutic gains into
OT was founded in 1917(Barker Schwartz, 2003). Since then, the paradigm has shifted twice, resulting in three different paradigms. Kielhofner (2009) describes the first paradigm as paradigm of occupation that prevailed within occupational therapy from its founding until the 1940s. This paradigm views occupation as an essential part of life and health and focuses on the environment and mind rather than body and impairment. Occupation was seen as a therapeutic tool and a way of achieving dignity for the individual. These values arose due to the influences of social and health care movements of pragmatism, Arts and Crafts movement, and moral...
From 1917 to 2017 make 100 years of occupation treatment. The Centennial Vision of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) previously known as National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy defined as followed "We envision that occupational therapy is a powerful, widely recognized, science-driven, and evidence-based profession with a globally connected and diverse workforce meeting society's occupational needs." (AOTA website, 2017). The Centennial Vision was created by taking feedback from both members and non-members of the association based on strategies that will continue to value the treatment of the occupational and promote better leader for the 21st century. The goal of the Centennial Vision is to promote the occupational therapy profession with better strategies.
witnessed first-hand the impact occupational therapy can make in people’s lives, watching the delight of a
Health and Aging Often we take our health, or the absence of illness, disease, or injury for granted until we become sick. It is then that we recognize the worth of being without ailments. It is then that we appreciate feeling strong, robust and healthy. Being healthy and, being physically and mentally sound, is associated with one's satisfaction with life.
I volunteered at a nursing home facility, Meadow View Nursing Home. At Meadow View a vast majority of these individuals are there for short and long-term care. The population was mostly elder patients. Patients are admitted to the nursing home usually after injury, surgery, or they need a place to stay at. While I volunteered, I was able to observe the physical therapist and occupational therapist and assist during therapy sessions. I assisted with some exercises and transporting the patient within the gym. Every therapy session was different because each session was specialized for each specific patient. Some patients needed weight bearing and non-weight bearing activities. Usually the therapist would continue the plan she had set for the
My current belief about aging is that as I age my health will start to deteriorate. I am healthy 31-year-old woman, but I am apprehensive that I am not going to live a healthy life due to my family history. As a young adult, I have noticed that my older relative's health and mobility have declined. For instance, a simple task such as walking to the mailbox to retrieve their mail is a strenuous task. My relatives have made me fearful of aging; however, I do know it is crucial to take care of my health while I am young. For example, exercising, eating nutritious meals, and having social relationships with people are great ways to improve your health. From what I observed, there are elders who depend on programs like Meals on Wheels. Meals on
Health Care and medical treatments help elder people to life a longer and more active life.