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( Occupational therapy)
Occupational therapy, often abbreviated OT, is the "use of productive or creative activity in the treatment or rehabilitation of physically or emotionally disabled people" (American Heritage Dictionary).[1] A more technical definition is that OT is the use of meaningful occupation to assist people who have difficulty in achieving a healthy and balanced lifestyle and to enable an inclusive society so that all people can participate to their potential in daily occupations of life.[2] Occupational therapists work with a variety of individuals who have difficulty accessing or performing meaningful occupations. Most commonly, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants work with people with disabilities to enable them to maximize their skills and abilities. Occupational therapy gives people the "skills for the job of living" necessary for "living life to its fullest."[3] Services typically include The early use of occupation to support, treat and rehabilitate people in Aotearoa New Zealand is evident in services for returned soldiers after World War 1 ((Hobcroft 1949)). There are glimpses in mental health services during the 1930's too (Skilton 1981). However the first qualified occupational therapist Margaret Buchanan arrived in New Zealand in 1941 (Buchanan 1941). Initially employed in the then Auckland Mental Hospital she was rapidly involved not only in the development of occupational therapy services there, but also the development of the first training programmes and advice to government. Initially those trained had previous health or education backgrounds (Skilton 1981). A formal two year training programme was established by 1940 (NZNJ 1940), and state registration provided for in the Occupational Therapy Act 1949 with the New Zealand Occupational Therapy Registration Board 1950 but since replaced by the Occupational Therapy Board of NZ through the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. From its early services in mental health and returned serviceman settings occupational therapy expanded into general rehabilitation, work with children with disabilities and services for the elderly (Wilson 2004) p88.
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Occupational therapy Subcategories
Occupational therapy Articles
So You Not A Psychologist Then What Are You? by Karen Hastings
Whilst most people have heard of psychologists and psychiatrists (although people often confuse the two!) and understand them to be professionals qualified to work within the field of mental-health, many are not so sure about the professional skills ...
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