Occupational therapy is a health profession that
focuses on helping individuals with mental or physical illness/disabilities
to achieve the highest level of functioning and wellness possible in their daily
lives. In other words occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals
with disabilities, achieve independence in all facets of their lives. This includes
performance of all daily normal activities in work, play, leisure etc.
Occupational therapists (OT's) work with those who have physically, mentally,
developmentally, or emotionally disabling conditions. They help patients identify
imbalances they may have in their lives and design activities to deal with
them. This type of therapy is patient specific, involving recreational, creative
or educational activities. The patient's specific interests, his background,
his previous experiences also form an integral part of treatment.
OT's area of work includes giving customized treatment
programs for specific disabilities, evaluating home and work environments and
giving recommendations for necessary adaptation, recommending adaptive equipment
for permanent/temporary loss of function, such as wheel chairs, splints, aids
for eating and dressing needed for the patient and training them in its use, assessing
and recording the patients progress periodically and also giving guidance to family
members and care givers how to care for the patient.
Occupational therapists
use various methods in the treatment of their patients to assist them in maximizing
their potential in the categories of occupational performance areas and occupational
performance components. The term occupational performance area refers to all activities
of daily living, such as grooming, dressing, food preparation and eating, communication,
and mobility; work activities, including home management, care of others, educational
activities, and vocational activities; and play or leisure activities. The term
occupational performance component refers to the functional abilities required
to perform the tasks of daily living. These abilities include sensory motor, cognitive,
and psychological components.
A wide variety of people can benefit from
occupational therapy, including those with
-
work-related injuries
including lower back problems or repetitive stress injuries
-
limitations
following a stroke or heart attack
-
arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
or other serious chronic conditions
-
birth injuries, learning problems,
or developmental disabilities
-
mental health or behavioral problems
including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress
-
problems
with substance use or eating disorders
-
burns, spinal cord injuries,
or amputations
-
broken bones or other injuries from falls, sports injuries,
or accidents
-
vision or cognitive problems that threaten their ability
to drive
Eligibility : Entry to the occupational therapy course
is after 10+2 with PCM (physics, chemistry and mathematics). Click
here for more information
Job Prospects and Career Options :
Therapists are in high demand in the conventional medical and fitness arenas.
OT's work with the patients of various disorders who have orthopedic, neurological
and psychological/psychiatric conditions. Click
here for more information
Remuneration : Junior occupational
therapists may initially draw salaries ranging between Rs 8,500. Click
here for more information
Institutes : Click
here for a comprehensive list of Institutes in India
