BJ

Occupational Therapy and Assistive Technology

Occupational Therapy and Assistive Technology

Introduction

  • Lesson two builds upon lesson one, focusing on assistive technology (AT) and the distinct value of occupational therapy (OT).
  • OT aims to improve health and quality of life by facilitating performance, engagement, and participation in meaningful, necessary, and familiar activities of everyday life (occupations).
  • OTs use client-centered approaches, focusing on function and aiming for cost-effective, positive outcomes.
  • Assistive technology can be integrated into interventions and assessments to help individuals live life to the fullest.
  • The OT profession turned 100 in February 2017.

Scope of Occupational Therapy

  • OT services span various settings, including:
    • Children and youth
    • Aging
    • Healthy living
    • Mental health
    • Disability and illness
    • Work-related injuries
  • The primary goal is to improve health and quality of life by focusing on participation and engagement in meaningful occupations.

The OT's Role in Assistive Technology

  • Occupational therapists are crucial in assistive technology assessment and intervention.
  • They collaborate within an interdisciplinary team including:
    • The client (most important)
    • Caregivers
    • Rehabilitation professionals (physical therapists, speech and language pathologists)
    • Educators
    • Vocational rehabilitation counselors
    • Nurses
    • Personal care assistants
    • AT vendors
  • OTs address access and accessibility, particularly for motor impairments, but their role extends beyond just access.
  • OTs holistically consider the client, focusing on occupation-based, client-centered, and function-oriented approaches.

Occupations: The Core of OT

  • Occupations are central to occupational therapy; assistive technology supports independence in occupational engagement and performance.
  • The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (3rd ed.) defines occupations explicitly.
  • Occupations: Activities with meaning, purpose, and value to the individual.
  • Broad range of occupations:
    • Activities of daily living (ADLs) / Basic activities of daily living (BADLs)
    • Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
    • Rest and sleep
    • Education
    • Work
    • Play
    • Leisure
    • Social participation
  • OT practitioners identify the main occupations clients engage in, alone or with others.
  • Occupations occur within a context and are influenced by client factors, performance skills, and performance patterns.

Client Factors

  • Client factors include:
    • Values, beliefs, and spirituality
    • Body functions
    • Body structures
  • These reside within the client and influence performance in occupations.
  • Values, Beliefs, and Spirituality: Perceptions, motivations, and meanings that influence engagement in occupations; directly impact motivation.
  • Body Functions: Physiological functions of body systems (mental, sensory, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, voice, etc.).
  • Body Structures: Anatomical parts of the body (organs, limbs) that support body functions.
  • The presence, absence, or limitations of these do not guarantee success or difficulty in daily occupations.

Performance Patterns

  • Performance patterns include habits, routines, roles, and rituals used when engaging in occupations.
  • They can support or hinder occupational performance and develop over time, influenced by multiple factors.
  • Understanding these patterns helps OTs understand how performance skills and occupations are integrated into a client's life.
  • Even with skilled performance, not embedding skills in productive engagement patterns can negatively impact health, participation, and well-being.
  • Habits: Specific, automatic behaviors (useful, dominating, or impoverished).
  • Routines: Established sequences that provide structure for daily life (can promote or damage health).
  • Roles: Behaviors expected by society, shaped by context and culture, defined individually, in groups, or at a population level; guide occupation selection.
  • Rituals: Symbolic actions with spiritual, cultural, or social meaning; contribute to identity and reinforce values and beliefs.

Performance Skills

  • Performance skills are goal-directed actions observed as small units of engagement in daily life occupations.
  • They are learned, developed over time, and situated in specific environments and contexts.
  • Include motor skills, process skills, and social interaction skills.
  • Performance skills are the client's demonstrated abilities.
  • Many body functions underlie each performance skill.

Conclusion

  • The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (3rd ed.) in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy is a crucial reference.
  • OTs are instrumental in accessible design and the creation of AT, involving individuals with disabilities in the process.
  • Knowledge of client factors, performance patterns, and performance skills positions OTs to identify and create AT that helps individuals with disabilities engage in meaningful occupations.
  • Reflection on designing and adapting for accessibility encouraged.
  • This video provides a foundation for the role of OT in assistive technology and introduces expectations for the signature assignment.