Aota's Centennial Vision Analysis

The occupational therapy profession shares many objectives across the communities, clients, and families they serve. Some of these aims include: “Developing the field of occupational therapy and enhance the professions capabilities to meet the needs of the entire population, providing evidence on the efficacy of occupational therapy. This includes working with organizations and local communities, incorporating education, research, and practices as a complete whole. In addition, developing a team of professionals that innovates and adapts to the developing health needs of the population” (AOTA, 2013). This includes advocacy efforts with policymakers to ensure continued funding to provide care to individuals (AOTA, 2013). Occupational therapy is a distinctive profession that helps

Without occupational therapists, millions of people would struggle to live their everyday lives. Occupational therapists give specialized assistance to people with physical, developmental, social or emotional problems. This assistance is used to live productive and independent or semi independent lives. Occupational therapists can be used, and is effective for people of all ages. Many people have not heard of occupational therapy and are not aware of the positive impact it has on members of our society. With this paper I want to spread the knowledge that I have on occupational therapy. Many people that could benefit from occupational therapy do not even know that it exists. This career is difficult for everyone involved, but the impact it has

This link between occupation, health and well-being (i.e. the fact that people are occupational by nature and that engagement in meaningful occupation is essential to health) forms part of the core beliefs and values – the philosophy – of the occupational therapy (OT) profession (Kramer et al, 2003). OT has its foundations in both philosophy and science, but unlike other medical professions, it was the philosophy that came first

As a member of Phi Theta Epsilon, I will continue to pursue my occupational therapy degree in the presence of other highly motivated students that share the same values and the same desire to contribute to the continued growth and promotion of our profession. I will continue to seek the knowledge and experience necessary for me to become the best occupational therapist that I can be for my future clients with the support of Phi Theta Epsilon. I will demonstrate continued academic excellence and professionalism through my role in positively representing occupational therapy at Alvernia. I am excited for the opportunity to represent occupational therapy not only here at Alvernia, but also within the larger community as well.

“What if there was a job that allowed someone to have endless flexibility and creativity; a profession that is respected and is in overwhelming demand... Most importantly, wouldn’t it be nice to find a job in which you could make an impact, big or small, on the lives of each individual person you worked with? I found this job and that is why I decided to pursue a degree in occupational therapy" (Springer, J., 2015). This testimonial comes from a practicing occupational therapist who has found value in his life's work. Occupational therapy is not a job where "one size fits all"; there are many different demographics of people who need occupational therapy in different environments. Although, all occupational therapists have the same skills

Lives are changed everyday by occupational therapy assistants. I have the dedication, compassion, and ability to celebrate every miniscule improvement needed to become a successful OTA. This a quickly growing field where I can use the talents I already possess to excel. I can easily recall the differences made in my papaw’s life through occupational therapy and the way every advancement in mobility or independence was as exciting as it would be with a new

The AOTA’s societal statement (2013) on health disparities asserts that OT practitioners have a duty to “intervene with individuals and communities to limit the effects of inequities that result in health disparities.” These disparities can be a result of many factors including social discrimination, access, and quality of health care as well as socioeconomic status (2013). The statement concludes by saying that OT practitioners have necessary skills and knowledge available to help these populations and that efforts to lessen or eliminate health disparities are supported by the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics, 2010 (2013). This statement reaffirms the idea that even though it is not traditional OT, this is an area that OTs can and should be involved

An example used to illustrate my argument that the ability of leadership to impact, new procedures, policies, can be noted in the passage of the Affordable Care Act, as noted by Heifetz; Leadership Without Easy Answers (2012), “While the Affordable Care Act offers the potential to positively impact health care, we have a lot of work to do as regulations are implemented at the national and state levels. Implementation of health care reform may offer yet another test of our political system as Democrats and Republicans play out their very different health care visions. The federal health care reform law does not create a new system but does fill gaps in our existing system. It is a product of both a fragmented political process, which compels compromise, and our fragmented health care system, which limits reformers’ options to move away from the status quo. Strong leadership will be required to realize the potential and promise for health care reform“. I do believe that because of transformational and transactional leadership the passage of the Affordable Care Act was possible. Below illustrates several fundamental institutional, program, and policies changes leadership will have to

In addition to this, it is agreed upon that Occupational Therapists depart from a client-centered frame of reference when working from community based settings clients are not seen as objects which can be made to conform to and comply with treatment, but rather seen as distinctive persons who’s humanness authorizes them to make autonomous decisions (Finlay,

The entire profession of Occupational Therapy draws on the idea that occupation can be used to alter an individual 's mental and physical well-being. Occupational therapists use occupation as a tool to achieve this. Participation in occupation is believed to be a significant factor in providing a method for individuals to not only promote, but also maintain their health and well-being (Law, Steinwender and Leclair, 1998).

My journey to Occupational Therapy has been like playing in a championship basketball game. Going into the game there is a game plan that is strategic, but overtime changes and adjustments must be made to ensure success. I started out my college career game plan with the goal of helping others through Athletic Training. However, through my various classes, interactions with individuals, and personal injuries I came to realize that Occupational Therapy was where my adjusted game winning plan was.

The goals of Occupational therapy are promoting physical, mental health and well-being of individuals with disability (ref). Occupational therapists have a strong supporting role in the mental health sector, by using daily activities to help individual mental disabilities transition from institution to community living ( Burson, Fette, Orentlicher, Precin, Roush & Kannenberg, 2017). However, as medical model became the primary focus in healthcare, Occupational therapists had turn away working in the mental health sectors (ref). With the increase need of mental health care providers, the AOTA has been advocating Occupational Therapists to return to the root of psychiatry (Ikiugu, Nissen, Bellar, Maassen, & Peursem, 2017). Recommending future

The director of the rehabilitation department, Helen Dallaris, asked me if I would like to continue volunteering after finishing the 70 hours of observation. Since I had such an educational and rewarding experience, I decide to continue volunteering twice a week for five hours. I feel it is an opportunity to further explore the field by gaining real insight and building a professional network in Occupational Therapy.

In accordance with Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF), “the efforts directed toward promoting occupational justice and empowering clients to seek and obtain resources to fully participate in their daily life occupations.” (Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, 3rd Ed., p. S41). I consider occupational therapy to be a compassionate career, practitioners try to grant their clients’ wants and needs to better suit the

​At the age of 13 my grandfather experienced a series of illnesses that concluded with him having to participate in rehabilitation. I’d never heard of a profession called occupational therapy. When visiting my grandfather I realized that there were a lot of healthcare workers that made it possible to rehabilitate him. It was then that I actualized I wanted to pursue occupational therapy. I’ve always wanted to help and serve people to the best of my abilities, while doing something that I love and it compliments my natural abilities. I soon acknowledged that OT addressed the importance of people well-being as well as their psychological being, incorporated with physical needs as well. My aspiration is to improve others quality of life. This profession requires patience, benevolence, and generosity. I embrace all these characteristics with the upmost conviction. OT is a profession that dedicates all that it can to bring self-gratification to its patients. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; this is to have succeeded.”