Other OT-Related Information OT and Primary Care question

[geronamo26]

What roles do OT's play in primary care?

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[10ninja]

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[alg5443]

Here's some good resources from AOTA. It's an up and coming area that we have to advocate for to get our foot in the door. http://www.aota.org/practice/manage/primary-care.aspx

 

[geronamo26]

Here's some good resources from AOTA. It's an up and coming area that we have to advocate for to get our foot in the door. http://www.aota.org/practice/manage/primary-care.aspx

Great. Thank you! I'm interested in COTA and will be shadowing one soon. I am still doing research on the profession and am getting more and more confused as to what OT's actually do. The field seems soo broad that I'm wondering how OT's are able to be trained in mental health, rehabilitation, counseling to name a few...the profession is intriguing to me but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the fact that there is so much focus on so many specialty areas.

 

[alg5443]

You're welcome! To maybe help a little, OT's do work in many different areas and it can be difficult to find your niche at first. However our main focus in all of those areas is always on occupation and helping people to be as independent as possible. So for example, an OT could work in mental health with a focus on helping people improve their mental health through the use of occupation (getting dressed independently, cooking a meal, playing piano). We believe a big portion of health is being able to be as independent as possible doing the things you love, want, and need to do. When you're busy and immersed in an activity, you increase in mental and physical health, etc. Hope this helps.

 

[geronamo26]

You're welcome! To maybe help a little, OT's do work in many different areas and it can be difficult to find your niche at first. However our main focus in all of those areas is always on occupation and helping people to be as independent as possible. So for example, an OT could work in mental health with a focus on helping people improve their mental health through the use of occupation (getting dressed independently, cooking a meal, playing piano). We believe a big portion of health is being able to be as independent as possible doing the things you love, want, and need to do. When you're busy and immersed in an activity, you increase in mental and physical health, etc. Hope this helps.

What does dressing, cooking and playing piano have to do with mental health? Sure those things might help a person feel good, but what about deeper underlying issues that can't be cured by piano or dressing? I thought mental health was more about psychotherapy and counseling?

 

[alg5443]

Overall, OTs focus is on occupation in order to help people be as independent as possible. We don't necessarily do counseling or psychotherapy as we aren't trained in those areas. That's not our realm, it's more of psychology/counseling's area. However I am not a practicing OT in mental health so maybe someone who works in that area can chime in. In the mean time, here's another great source from AOTA about OTs role in mental health, I think this breaks down what I was trying to say with better examples good luck in your journey! : http://www.aota.org/about-occupational-therapy/professionals/mh/community-mental-health.aspx

 

[FloridaOT23]

What does dressing, cooking and playing piano have to do with mental health? Sure those things might help a person feel good, but what about deeper underlying issues that can't be cured by piano or dressing? I thought mental health was more about psychotherapy and counseling?

I am a first year MOT student, so definitely no expert, but I appreciate that the profession overall is starting to do a better job with researching and proving that our interventions are effective. This page contains links to some articles about OT in mental health to help you gain a better understanding: http://www.aota.org/Practice/Mental-Health/Evidence-Based.aspx

This article, in particular, is good: http://www.aota.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/Secure/Practice/CCL/Mental Illness Recovery CAT.pdf