Occupational therapy

 Occupational therapy 

Occupational therapy

                                              is an educational-rehabilitative profession, aimed at providing a person with the tools and skills that will enable him to cope with life's demands. The profession focuses on a variety of occupations carried out by people of all ages and promoting occupational involvement to enable participation in the fabric of life. This includes: basic daily activities (such as clothing, eating and bathing), instrumental daily activities (such as budget management and public transport use) studies, work, play, leisure and social participation.

The occupational therapy profession;

        perceives occupational function and participation as an interaction between human skills, occupational characteristics and environmental characteristics. Occupational therapists currently play key roles in the diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation processes of diverse populations, and are active in a variety of settings in health, education, and social care systems in accordance with their areas of expertise.

One of the areas in which occupational therapists operate is the mental health field. The beginning of occupational therapy in the field of mental health is usually attributed to the period when the occupational therapy profession was founded, in the early 19th century. In fact, the occupational therapy profession grew out of mental health, from the human treatment revolution in psychiatry. The profession has evolved with the understanding that participating in meaningful occupations contributes to human health and quality of life.

Mental illness

 

                               is a major cause of disability worldwide and there is evidence that intervention in occupational therapy improves community functioning for those dealing with severe mental illness. Occupational therapists treat patients who deal with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses: schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, effective disorders, anxiety disorders (including obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder), personality and developmental disorders such as autism, attention deficit disorder and disorders.

Contents

 

Occupational therapy in an inpatient edit

The unique contribution of the occupational therapy profession during inpatient care is the provision of occupational therapy based on cognitive and behavioral functional approaches with the aim of promoting participation in a wide range of occupations and thus promoting health and recovery.

Occupational therapy services are provided in all outpatient settings in Israel, throughout the life cycle, from child and psychiatric wards to psychiatric geriatric wards. At the Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, the service is also provided at a Holocaust survivor's residence.

 

Therapeutically, the primary role of the occupational therapy profession in psychiatric hospitals is to assist individuals in identifying and defining occupational - functional difficulties, in identifying the disruptive factors in attending meaningful occupations, and in finding customized solutions. The treatment includes environmental support near release with the aim of promoting daily functioning while providing information on available services and resources in the community. This is done through individualized evaluation and treatment, through targeted treatment groups and through the construction of a customized release plan. Because the patient's stay period is limited, assessment and treatment occur in parallel and usually in a group setting, the group allows the transfer of information and a structured discussion between the participants, thereby helping them to implement information and learn from each other.

 

In addition, occupational therapists are an integral part of the multidisciplinary work of psychiatric teams and contribute knowledge about functioning and occupations, inhibiting or enabling factors, ways to promote participation in occupations and the consequences of reducing occupations. All this in order to promote treatment and rehabilitation processes for people with psychiatric disorders.

 

 

 

 

Occupational therapy inthe editorial community

 

Since the early 1980s, there has been a significant change in the care policy provided to people living with mental illness, and the focus of care has gradually shifted from hospitalization to community. Today, in addition to services provided by occupational therapists to outpatient settings, they also provide services to community outpatients, such as community mental health centers, battered and homeless shelters, and nursing homes.

The philosophical foundations of the occupational therapy profession aim to improve the person's participation in occupations on all their components in a way that allows him to be involved in the fabric of life. This concept is in line with the principles of rehabilitation and recovery that have

 

evolved in the last forty years in the world, which are also engaged in the search and creation of a significant role for man.

As part of the concept of rehabilitation and recovery in mental health, occupational therapists are now an integral part of the mental health rehabilitation system and are defined in accordance with the Regulations and Practices of the Rehabilitation Act (2000). In all areas: housing, employment, family support and leisure. Positions that also include management, training and supervision.