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Occupational therapist: Job description and activities

Job description

Occupational therapists aim to help people who face everyday challenges due to mental, physical or social disabilities. They help these people to engage in purposeful activities or occupations to promote, regain or maintain health and well-being. They work with children and adults of all ages, whose difficulties have been present since birth, or the result of an accident, illness, ageing or lifestyle.

Occupational therapists devise treatment programmes to increase their clients’ ability to carry out activities or occupations independently, and with more confidence. Treatment programmes vary greatly according to individual needs and may involve environmental modifications or special equipment. Occupational therapists review treatment periodically, evaluate progress and modify the treatment as appropriate.

Typical work activities

Occupational therapists encounter a diverse range of people with varying requirements and seek to understand each individual's needs and lifestyle in order to devise appropriate treatment. For example, an occupational therapist may:

• advise on specialist equipment to assist with daily activities;
• develop a rehabilitation programme to help re-build lost skills and restore lost confidence;
• advise on home and workplace environmental modifications, such as adaptations for wheelchair access;
• teach anxiety management techniques;
• assist people to return to work;
• coach people with learning difficulties or poor social skills, e.g. in handling money and social interaction;
• mentor people on how to control their own behaviour;
• liaise with a wide variety of other professionals, such as doctors, physiotherapists, social workers, equipment suppliers and architects, as well as patients’ families, carers and employers;
• write reports and attend multidisciplinary case meetings to plan and review ongoing treatment;
• organise support and rehabilitation groups for carers and clients;
• train students and supervise the work of occupational therapy assistants;
• manage a caseload, prioritising needs, and completing administrative tasks such as patient and budgetary records.
   

AGCAS

Written by Kirsten Roche, Newcastle University

Last updated:

February 2010

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