What do occupational therapists do?

Occupational therapists help treat injured, disabled and sick people through therapeutic use of day-to-day activities. These professionals help such individuals to recover or develop the necessary skills for normal life and productivity.

There are other specific duties that occupational therapists may have to carry out in their professional life, such as:

• Observation and direction -  occupational therapists may observe a patient and provide guidance on how a patient should go about a given task
• Treatment plan: -  the professionals may come up with a treatment plan for the patient in question. This means that the therapist schedules a list of daily activities and sets goals for each day
• Evaluation and recommendation -  the therapists may evaluate a patient's living quarters and recommend certain changes or improvements in order to help in dealing with challenges that the patient may be experiencing
• Create awareness -  therapists may educate employers and family members on how to handle the patient in order to ensure speedy recovery or development
• Recommend special equipment -  occupational therapists may use their knowledge to evaluate the patient and recommend the use of special equipment. They may also teach the patient how to use the equipment correctly