Occupational Therapy & OTA

What Is Occupational Therapy & OTA?

This field is often misunderstood, because the word “occupation” refers to not just a job or career, but also to all the ordinary day-to-day activities.  So, Occupational Therapists need to know about how people structure their time, how their time is divided among different activities, how important each activity is to the person’s health and happiness, and what purpose each activity serves.  In that way, the therapists can help people handle their basic activities like eating, dressing, brushing their teeth . . .  well, everything.  If you have your arm in a cast, for example, then an occupational therapist can help you learn how to move through your normal life safely and effectively as you heal.  The therapist can help you make adjustments for permanent disabilities, too.  OT helps people, including kids, maintain their independence.

People who are good observers of others, are aware of what’s needed for their own daily activities, and understand that everybody is different, can make good Occupational Therapists.  If you would say that about yourself and like to work with people one-on-one, then Occupational Therapy may be something of interest to you. The field also has OT Assistants who work under the supervision of a Licensed Occupational Therapist.  Some job titles are Occupational Therapist, Home Health Occupational Therapist, Traveling Occupational Therapist, and Occupational Therapist Assistant.