The OTPF

The Occupation Therapy Practice Framework is a document guiding the profession of OT. It lists and describes the concepts the are the framework of the profession. It lists the values and guidelines for the field of OT. It is important to learn about because it guides our profession! It categorizes areas like client factors, performance skills, performance patterns and environment to help make a clear picture of a person's occupation. It can be followed as a guide when assessing a client or helping them discern what exactly they need help improving. It helps describe the distinct profession of OT and promotes health through engagement in occupation.

Role, Occupation, Activity and Task

I am a first year graduate student at UTHSC. My role is an occupational therapy student. My occupations in that role include driving to school, studying, and taking tests. The activities that make up my occupations are organizational skills with my notes and materials. I have to color code information and provide myself with those materials. The task related to this activity can be typing (using finger flexion and extension, fine motor skills), reading, carrying my books to and from my desk, using a pencil and coloring my anatomy notes. I stand for long periods of time in anatomy lab and have to have good posture to prevent muscle aches, and a good range of motion.

Occupational Therapy over time has been about one thing- restoring the important occupations of a person. No matter their situation, OT has been there to help get a client's life closer to the level it was before. OT has changed from more of a medical model to a holistic model. There are things that have never changed also. Our biological needs and occupations as humans, ADL's, are the same. We all have to eat, get dressed and shower.

Cooking trends for some have stayed the same. Typically, parents cook dinner for their children. They will enjoy a meal together around the table while discussing their day. If one looses their ability to cook their family dinner, an occupational therapist will be able to adapt their situation. We help client's complete the occupations they value.

OT over time has been widely recognized and job growth has increased tremendously. With that increase, the average salary of an Occupational Therapist increased. There was a  growing demand for competent OT's. Spirituality has been one thing that the field of OT addresses. Unlike some other professions, spirituality has been in the framework of OT!

Technology has changed. We now has adaptive assistive technology that can help us better treat our patients. A lot has a changed in this wonderful field, but our client centered approach has remained the same.