Occupational therapy was founded on the principle that participation in meaningful activity is important to the health of individuals. Mental health is very important to the well-being of an individual and those around them. 450 million people experience mental and neurological disorders around the world. These disorders are the leading 5-10 causes of disability worldwide. As services for individuals with mental illness have shifted from the hospital to the community, there has also been a shift in the philosophy of service delivery. In the past, there was an adherence to the medical model; now the focus is on incorporating the recovery model. (2) Occupational therapy’s focus that taking part in engaging and meaningful activities benefits the mental well-being of the individual. Throughout the ages, treatment of the mentally ill has evolved with distinct periods of progression, stagnation and regression. At various points in history, treatment of the mentally ill included cruel and inhumane acts, while at other times, consisted of compassionate and benevolent care. It was thought that mental illness was derived from organic causes and treated the same way as common health issues such as colds or constipation. The clergy of many religions took on the burden taking care of those with mental illnesses. Monastic monks found themselves attending to the care of those with mental illness. The monks prayed for them, touched them with relics and prepared potions for them to
I hope this email finds you well. I am interested in the M.S. Occupational Therapy program in Hofstra University. Unfortunately due to conflict with my work schedule I would be unable to attend the Occupational Therapy web seminar. I was wondering if it was possible to speak to you or an admissions representative for more information and possible receive advisement.
Through the Middle Ages and until the establishment of asylums, treatments for mental illness were offered by “humanistic physicians, medical astrologers, apothecaries, and folk or traditional healers” (MacDonald 175). Aside from secular exorcisms, prayers, charms, amulets, and other mystical treatments were available. Sedatives during the 17th century consisted of opium grains to “ease the torment” of mental illness (MacDonald 190).
Patricia have been in the hospital since 2015, she asked to the occupational therapy to help to be discharge from the hospital to live in the community center. The OT starting to discuss about the discharge process with the therapist team. In result, the therapist orientated the client prepare for the discharge interview, and worked in researches possible places. The occupational therapist working two times a week to get Patricia independent, and giving the client information about how attain success in the interview process.
Through the almost 100 years of occupational therapy as a profession, occupational therapy have gone from a profession focused only on the mentally ill patient to a profession that is targeting a broad range of population ranging from the special needs population, to veterans, and people with different diseases and physical disabilities or injuries. It is inspirational to know that this profession started based on the ideology that “even the most challenged are entitled to consideration and human compassion” (O'Brien, 2012). Likewise, it is fascinating that occupational therapy played such an important role in both of the world war as reconstruction aides focusing on rehabbing the soldiers and helping veterans recover during post-war period
For many centuries there has been multiple arguments about what causes mental illness. Hebrews believed that mental illness was a punishment from god for those who sinned. The way they cured one another was spiritually and through health. They believed that if you had a healthy diet that it would prevent you from any diseases. The physicians were also priests who had “special ways” to heal with higher powers. The biggest theory was that whoever had a mental illness was caused from supernatural forces. There had been many different treatments to help cure ones suffering. Dating back to 5000 BCE was the first treatment preformed on record, showing that one would chip a hole into the human skull to release evil spirits. Later on, the Ancient Egyptians
To be able to participate in one 's own life, to do the things we want to do, and to competently perform the activities that form part of our daily, weekly or monthly routines, is a common goal for most people. This not only includes taking part in the basic activities of self-care, such as grooming and dressing, but also extends to our work and leisure activities. It is through doing things that we learn and develop as human beings. The occupational therapy profession believes that being prevented or hindered in some way from participating in the activities that are important to us could adversely affect our health and wellbeing.
The opportunity to attend the Inter-OT School Legislative Workshop offered insight into the future Occupational Therapy (OT) in the United States and how I— a future therapist can advocate for change and ensure the future and strength of the profession. Within the 3-hour event, I gained a tremendous amount of understanding of OT’s future, various funding sources from the federal government, projected demands of the field in the future, and further insight to the critical work of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and its Director of Health Policy & State Affairs, Chuck Willmarth, CAE.
This papers purpose is to describe to the reader an Occupational therapy treatment plan and therapy session using the OTPF as its base to describe client’s performance. It is based off a case study of a 26 year old male racecar driver who suffered a traumatic brain injury and is now admitted into the hospitals ICU unit under a coma. The paper begins with a brief overview of the clients Injuries and occupational profile. It continues with goals that the therapist has set for the client and caregivers and concludes with the client’s treatment plan, along with a SOAP note which explains the client’s treatment and gives other healthcare workers information about the therapists goals and progress of the client
For many centuries, religious, spiritual and cultural beliefs preponderated societal actions and beliefs for those with mental illnesses. In ancient Greece, those with severe mental illnesses were abused because of the perpetuating belief that angry gods influenced them. Those suffering from mild mental illness faced disdain and humiliation. Prince (2003) even asserts “the cultural values of ancient Greece were precursors to the modern stigma that is associated with mental illness” (Kirby & Keon, 2004). In the middle ages, it was the belief that mental illness was routed to supernatural causes. It was believed that these individuals should be burned at the stake, hanged or decapitated to release their soul from being possessed by demons. The beliefs changed in the 17th and early 18th centuries to one that the physical state was impaired by those with mental illnesses because they had excessive passion they inflicted on themselves. These individuals were often physically restrained
Occupational Therapy has played a role in helping those with Mental and physical disabilities in the United States since 1917. Before that time, Occupational Therapy was used solely in mental institutions to help people that were "more normal" and able to function in a social status. These patients enjoyed things like arts and crafts. It seemed that those who engaged in such activities where perceived as "more healthy". These findings lead Drs. to encourage patients to engage is such activity to improve there overall health. (http://quoccupationaltherapy.weebly.com/history-of-occupational-therapy.htmlhistory-of-occupational-therapy.html)
Occupational therapy literature indicates various strategies for developing successful service-learning courses for students along with the benefits of the service-learning pedagogy (Bazyk, Glorioso, Gordon, Haines, & Percaciante, 2010; Butin, 2005; Cauley et al., 2001; Flecky, & Gitlow, 2010; Hansen, 2013; Hoppes, Bender, & DeGrace, 2005; Kearney, 2008; Maloney, Myers, & Bazyk, 2014; Vroman, Simmons, & Knight, 2010;Witchger, 2013). Educators challenge their students to not only be good students in the classroom but to demonstrate ideals of social and occupational justice through the service-learning experience. The experience allows students to face issues in the community such as inequities and injustices of health care (Hoppes, Bender, & Degrace, 2005).
A second reason for a client to need occupational therapy is due to an illness. Severe illnesses like cancer leaves the client with little energy for leisure, social, or work-related tasks after just doing some daily activities. Occupational therapy practitioners are experts with the knowledge of how to modify activities and environments to allow individuals to do the activities they want and need to do to maintain quality of life. The role of occupational therapy is, “to facilitate and enable an individual patient to achieve maximum functional performance, both physically and psychologically, in everyday living skills regardless of his or her life expectancy” (Newman, “The Role of Occupational Therapy in Oncology.”)
Occupational Therapist enables people to engage and participate in everyday activities trough occupation. The latter role is not only applicable for individuals but also groups or populations. Eventually, with the increase of the aging population, expensive health care services, occupational therapists will have to incorporate health promotion practices into their actual roles.To cope with this phenomenon and to better meet older adult’s needs, the occupational therapist 's role would benefit from being enlarged.Expanding their knowledge and their practices in promoting health will facilitate their work in other domains.This will help them to shift from an individual to a population approach. To achieve that transition, therapists should be more involved in decisions taken by politicians regarding health and to develop services and programs that promote well-being, health, and quality of life. Also, collaboration with other fields such as schools, workplaces, industries, deputies and organizations will help them spread strategies that promote awareness and enable the population to control and maintain an independent healthy lifestyle. Also, therapists understand that the environment can be a crucial factor on health population. Therefore ,they can put pressure on the government to make public places more accessible to disabled people such as providing the subway of a wheelchair ramp and adapt crosswalks to the blind by adding pedestrian signals that include speakers at
Occupational therapy transformed my life by allowing me to interact with my older sibling, Regina, through interactive play and a stronger bond. Growing up with a sister with severe spastic cerebral palsy included both cognitive and functional deficits. In addition to her cerebral palsy, she is developmentally delayed, due to complications at birth. For this reason, life existed on a day-to-day basis, as we were unsure of the challenges each moment would bring. This all changed the moment occupational therapy brought quality of life back to my sister, family, and myself.
Occupational therapy (OT) is a theory based therapy that supports people who have mental or