Occupational therapists work with people of all ages, helping them to carry out the activities that they need or want to do in order to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.
There are over 26,000 qualified occupational therapists in the UK. They are highly trained professionals, performing a vital role in hospitals, social care, local communities, schools, businesses, prisons, charities, and various other settings.
Occupational therapists work with people who have physical, mental and/or social problems, either from birth or as a result of accident, illness or ageing. Their aim is to enable people to achieve as much as they can for themselves, so they get the most out of life. When people cannot do things which are important to them - such as getting dressed, having a shower, going to work, socialising or undertaking a favourite hobby - an occupational therapist can help them in many ways, based on each individual person's needs and lifestyle. Their work could involve:
- Giving advice on how the home or workplace environment can be changed (for example, ensuring wheelchair ramps are installed)
- Helping people to learn new ways of doing things (for e.g., teaching someone with reduced stamina how to conserve energy when performing daily activities)
- Adapting materials or equipment (for e.g., adjusting a knife for someone after they have lost hand dexterity)
- Consulting in schools to help children overcome writing difficulties and other learning challenges
- Assisting an ageing couple to care for one another in their own home
- Helping someone suffering from depression to return to the workplace
- Travelling to developing countries or war-torn regions to set up rehabilitation programmes
- Working with disadvantaged groups, for example the homeless, in their own community
Work settings
- NHS and independent hospitals
- Person's own home independent practice
- Hospices
- Local community services e.g. GP practices
- Social services and social work departments
- Charities and voluntary agencies
- Equipment companies
- Government agencies
- Housing departments
- Industrial and commercial organisations
- Schools and colleges
- Wheelchair services
Practice area / specialisms
- Coping with stress and anxiety
- Alcohol and substance misuse
- Assistive technology services
- Burns, plastic surgery
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Care management
- Community disability services
- Community mental health teams
- Eating disorders
- Employment rehabilitation
Practice settings include
- Mental health services
- Learning disability services
- Childrens services
- Assistive technology services
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Older people's services
- Terminal and palliative care services
Occupational therapy work in a variety of areas. Please find below further information on how occupational therapy can help you.
Occupational therapy and work related stress (215KB
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Thank you to Manchester Mental Health and Social care trust and the authors Jane Lee, John Grimshaw and Mark McCann for allowing access this information leaflet. The information in this leaflet is accurate as at January 2008. MMHSCT cannot accept responsibility for the updating of the information on this website/leaflets'
Authors can be contacted using the following link: www.mhsc.nhs.uk/
Occupational therapy and equipment (834KB*)
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