There are a lot of people who don’t know what occupational therapy is, but even fewer know about the role of OT in mental health. But in fact, the profession of occupational therapy first came to be known within psychiatric hospitals. This is why the term occupational therapy contains the word occupation. Therapists who worked […]
What comes to mind when you are asked, “What are ADLs?” Some ADLs that are most likely to cross your mind at first are bathing, dressing, and toileting. Can you recall all of the others? Bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, feeding, sexual activity, ADL-related functional mobility, and personal device care are the activities that the […]
Many of us occupational therapists feel we already work in a client-centered way and promote self management when working with our clients, including stroke clients. Often we may think we do this, but do we really know what self management means and do we understand the tools and theory that underlines it? Have we done […]
As an occupational therapy student, I remember being completely overwhelmed by all the different practice settings where an OT can work. In particular, I had trouble discerning between inpatient hospitals (also known as acute care hospitals) and acute rehab hospitals. In my head, I used those words interchangeably until I finally learned more detail behind […]
YouTube is such a wonderful resource for so many topics. You can find videos that give you hours of back-to-back cat memes, you can choose a new skill to learn, and you can even get ideas for recipes, crafts, or other DIY projects around the house. But did you know you can also learn so […]
If you work with adults, especially older adults, you are almost sure to encounter someone with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disease that often begins with a tremor or subtle change in gait. PD is known for affecting each person in a unique way, meaning not everyone will experience the same […]
Clinical reasoning in occupational therapy is a term that gets thrown around a lot in OT school and beyond. Professors say it’s something that will eventually come to you with practice and experience in the field. But, oftentimes, it’s not something you get a lot of direct training on. Clinical reasoning is most frequently addressed […]
Documentation can be a pretty intimidating class in OT school. But the reality of writing an occupational therapy SOAP note, and other documentation, in the clinic is actually a lot simpler than it sounds. The main goal of any kind of documentation is to keep a record of the patient’s progress toward their goals and […]
Memes are a staple in group chats across the nation. We can probably all agree that memes are good content to scroll through and browse while we’re waiting in line or stuck in traffic. But there may be only a select few that actually make us laugh out loud. Usually these are the ones we […]
Is it possible to care for a patient when you know they really do not need occupational therapy services? Unfortunately, this is a common ethical dilemma occupational therapists face on the job. There are times where you will find yourself torn between advocating for a patient but you know they are not appropriate for therapy. Typically, […]