What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is an allied health care profession which enables skills for living. Occupational therapy focuses on enabling better health, independence and wellbeing through therapeutic use of everyday occupations (activities or tasks). Occupational therapists aim to help people improve functional skills to enhance occupational performance. Occupational therapy is recognised as an integral part of health care services and assists a wide range of people who experience problems throughout the lifespan.
What do occupational therapists do?
Occupational therapist work roles can include:
Conducting assessments of developmental, emotional, functional, physical and psychological capabilities
Planning and promoting therapeutic programmes using educational, recreational, remedial, social and vocational occupations
Designing and selecting activities that promote function or movement and assist individuals to engage in activities of daily living such as dressing and eating
Assisting children with disabilities to integrate with their peers within education and school environments
Designing and modifying environments to enable better access, independence and return home
Providing information on specialised equipment such as home modifications, kitchen utensils and wheelchairs
Conducting needs analyses, coordinating, developing and running health education and promotion programmes
Consulting for private industry and government departments
Research
Assisting in policy development for health and other related areas
Where can occupational therapists work?
Occupational therapy is growing and the profession is particularly needed in rural and remote areas of Australia. JCU graduates have demonstrated their competencies and the efficacy of the program by competing for employment in public, private and industrial organisations across Queensland and Australia. An increasing number of our graduates are now supervising our current students as they complete fieldwork placements in each year of their course. There is increasing demand for occupational therapy graduates in industry such as mining and private occupational therapy practice.
Occupational therapists can work in a wide variety of settings in:
Australia
Queensland government jobs and careers
Overseas
Australian trained occupational therapists can work overseas and JCU graduates are highly regarded. Countries occupational therapists can work in include Canada, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and many more. Useful websites include:
American Occupational Therapy Association
British Association/College of Occupational Therapists
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
New Zealand Association of Occupational Therapists
Common areas of employment for Occupational Therapists are;
Community services
Disability services
Early intervention
Government – Commonwealth, State or Local
Health promotion
Hospitals
Mental health services
Non government organisations
Nursing homes
Private practice
Rehabilitation
Schools
Universities