Snowflakes and Spoons

Occupational therapy strives to use a holistic treatment approach to improve a person's day to day functioning. Balancing life and engaging in work, leisure and personal management by teaching new skills or adapting task or environment is a high priority for OTs. By using meaningful activities we encourage clients to live their life to their personal best. This can be done in a group setting or on an individual either on hospital or on an outpatient basis. So what services can an Occupational Therapist offer an adult client with a chronic illness? “As much as 90% of the management of a chronic condition must be performed, not by health care providers, but by the person who has the condition.” ‐ California Healthcare Foundation, 2008 whether it's managing your medication, putting on your own socks or remembering where you left the keys OT is the profession to help you. Here are 10 other topics that an OT can include in your treatment:       1)  ...

Why is work important? As occupational therapists, we regard individuals as occupational beings that benefit from active engagement in meaningful occupation  1 . A meaningful occupation does not need to be paid or formal employment. The key here is that it needs to be meaningful. You have to enjoy, value, be inspired and look forward to doing it. If we are able to engage in this type of work it is noted that you have a higher chance to not just live successfully, but thrive 1 . Advantage of meaningful occupation:           Beneficial health ‘spin-offs’ 2,3          Achieve individual and social change 1         Freedom of choice = ability to experience well-being 4           Allow you to become more self-directed 5          Develop a sense of agency 5          Develop a more positive self-view 6      ...