Occupational therapy deals with emotional, psychological and mental disorders – that is why their scope of study and functions may sometimes overlap with other common health care professions like psychiatry and physical therapy. However, occupational therapy has some specific functions that are not usually handled or dealt with in other mental health fields.

According to occupational therapy discipline, a person’s occupation has a direct effect to that person’s life, health and overall well-being. In occupational therapy, occupation does not only refer to a person’s job or profession but it refers to all kinds of activities and things that occupies a person’s time. From various activities in school or tasks in the office, occupation also refers to the person’s personal and daily activities and chores at home and in the community and even the activities during leisure time.

When a person cannot function well at home, in his or her job or in the society he or she belongs, that person may be suffering from a mental disorder that needs to be addressed properly through occupational therapy. Because occupations or people’s activities are what give them drive and purpose in life, it is important that people know how to function well and perform these tasks so they will not lose their abilities and reasons to live.

Some people who were not able to recover from these mental disorders suffer from permanent disabilities and serious health problems. With occupational therapy, the patient’s psychological and physical problems are not the only thing that is being addressed but even essential factors like occupation is also being looked into. This is what makes occupational therapy unique than other common mental health fields.

Occupational therapists are knowledgeable and skilled health care professionals who have gained sufficient education and training in order to become a licensed and certified occupational therapists. With occupational therapy, people who are suffering from disabilities and health problems caused by or related to emotional and social dysfunctions can be properly and effectively treated.

How To Become An Occupational Therapist Aide?

• The basic requirement to be on occupational therapist aide is a high school diploma or G.E.D. There is really no need to get formal education but enrolling in vocational courses will help. Most people who became an occupational therapist aide are already training on the job.
• As an occupational therapist aide, you will learn about the proper use of equipment and what equipment to use. Before applying for a job, familiarize yourself with the equipment too. This will be helpful in job interviews.
• Study a bit on what occupational therapist do and what cases they handle. You cannot simply apply for a job that you know nothing about. An occupational therapist will hesitate hiring you if you are clueless about the field of occupational therapy.
• When applying for a job, create a resume to highlight your skills. Some of the skills needed for the job are clerical skills, preparing equipment and organizing appointments. Gathering as much extracurricular activities like volunteer work or community service will be an advantage.
• You can look for a job in hospitals, nursing homes or private occupational therapy clinics. Looking online for a job as an occupational therapist aide might be fruitful too.

It is not hard to become an occupational therapist aide but you will have higher chances of being hired if you are somewhat educated and trained. There are vocational courses online that you can take to prepare you to become an occupational therapist aide. Once an employer sees that you have undergone occupational therapist aide training, you have an advantage over the others. More credits under your belt mean bigger opportunities await you.

Starting a career as an occupational therapist aide can be your stepping-stone to becoming an occupational therapist if you choose to continue your education. An unlicensed occupational therapist aide cannot administer therapy alone.

To start your career as an occupational therapist, you should plan your educational path ahead in order to obtain your goals properly without committing major mistakes like taking courses that are not relevant or prerequisite to your main degree. You should perform well in high school and then take the course in college that is prerequisite to becoming a licensed and certified occupational therapist. Some of the common courses that are related and prerequisite to occupational therapy programs are biology, sociology, psychology, anatomy, human development, anthropology, physics, and various human development and health-related subjects.

After finishing your undergraduate degree, you should then proceed to a post-graduate degree specifically in occupational therapy. Post-graduate education degrees in occupational therapy can range from four to five years of study depending on the curriculum offered by the school or university. After finishing the post-graduate education program, aspiring occupational therapist must now acquire the necessary license in order to be recognized as a professional licensed occupational therapist. Before taking any licensure exams, make sure to check the license requirements imposed in the specific state or country you want to be employed since countries and states have varying licensing requirements.

After fulfilling the license requirements, you can now start your career as an occupational therapist by accomplishing your residency program, which usually ranges from 1 to 2 years. This can be considered as additional training in order to prepare the occupational therapist for his or her private practice but residency programs are already paid jobs. This means that occupational therapists get to learn and train more, and earn sufficient experience while already earning income.

After finishing your residency program, you can apply as a licensed occupational therapist in various work settings like in hospitals, home cares, orthopedic centers, rehabilitation centers, health facilities, and even in various academic institutions. If you have the necessary experience and resources, you can also practice your profession as a private occupational therapist in your own clinic.

People with disabilities can find it difficult to perform activities at work, school or even self-grooming. Some cannot use gadgets and equipment. Some have permanent disabilities and will need to learn how to adapt to equipment like a wheel chair or hearing aid. Occupational therapy can help with this and people of all ages can seek treatment from occupational therapy.

People who will benefit from occupational therapy are those who suffer from spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, repetitive stress injuries, stroke, heart attack, muscular dystrophy, learning disabilities, hearing disabilities, developmental delays, psychological disorders and emotional problems. People who have suffered burns, amputations and permanent disabilities will be helped too. If you know anyone who is suffering from this condition, occupational therapy will be a big help.

Where Do You Find Quality Occupational Therapy?

When searching for something, people will tell you to simply Google but when it comes to occupational therapy, you have to rely on references. Ask friends and family if they know any good occupational therapist around. Ask doctors if they can recommend any good occupational therapist for you. If your child needs to be treated, you can consult a pediatrician to help you look for an occupational therapist. Choosing a reputable, qualified, certified and experienced occupational therapist is important in the recovery of a patient.

How Do You Choose A Good Occupational Therapist?

It will be wise to choose an occupational therapist that is located near your area. This way, the traveling distance will not be a problem. Second, choose an occupational therapist with a specialization. Most occupational therapists pursue a specific specialization and this makes them more knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with a certain condition. Third, does he or she offer quality services? There are occupational therapists that are genuinely passionate about their job and helping patients and there are those who are just after the money. Knowing patient feedback will be very helpful. Lastly, a good occupational therapist will be recommended. Anyone in the health care industry that is known to be great will be recommended by word of mouth.

Before enjoying the comfortable life of an occupational therapist, you should be willing to finish a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree.  It is necessary also to pass a licensure exam to be able to practice the work of an occupational therapist.  From there if you are contended with your job you can be involved in such position for a long time.  Through the technological advances and continuing medical research, as an occupational therapist you have to keep updated.  There are seminar, conferences and other workshops that are provided to keep you well informed on any occupational therapy updates.

Even with an entry-level occupational therapist job, you can expect to have a good paying job.  The starting salary is seen to average at $66,780.  The average mean can be higher in large medical facilities and can be lower in small healthcare businesses.  With the increase of the demand for occupational therapists, you are certain that there will be a high-paying work for you.  Medical professions are seen to rise in need because of the increase in the aging population.  One of the fields of specialization that you can work on is being able to help the elderly in dealing with their circumstance.  Through sessions with an occupational therapist, the elderly can still do their normal activities given their fragile physical condition.

Overall, the life of the occupational therapist is providing guidance to those that cannot lead normal lives.  It is through their expertise that they allow others to be able to learn how to become independent no matter their situation.  So if you like to work in the medical field, have the compassion to serve others and look forward to a well paying employment then the occupational therapy profession is one good option to have.

Do you want to know how to get your occupational therapy assistant certification? There are two ways for you to do this. The first one is to get an associate degree in occupational therapy and the other way is to finish a 1-year certificate program from an accredited school. The courses you need to take will include gerontology, psychology, anatomy, and rehabilitation. Aside from the classroom courses, you will need to complete clinical and fieldwork training. Fieldwork training involves working with the community, in the hospital or clinic. It will greatly depend on the degree program you are enrolled in.

After the certification courses, like field training and schooling it is time to search for a job in the field of occupational therapy. As an occupational therapist assistant, you can apply directly to clinics, residential care homes, nursing homes, hospitals, private OT clinics and other health care facilities. Aside from the formal education and training, an occupational therapy assistant should have personality traits like compassion, empathy and patience. These are all very important traits when dealing with distraught patients. The role of an assistant can be very demanding and you should be patient enough to deal with it.

Certified occupational therapist assistants work with occupational therapists as assistants. They are called upon to assist a patient through the treatment plan and recovery program. Even if the occupational therapist is not around, he should be able to assist the patient with what he or she needs. The occupational therapy assistant will help patients stretch, strengthen muscles and keep track of the improvements. They always act under the instruction of an occupational therapist.

In order to be a certified occupational therapy assistant, start with your schooling first and complete all the necessary requirements to earn the certificate or associate degree. Your education will be huge plus in finding a job and excelling in your career. There is a high demand for occupational therapy assistants today so find a certificate course near you.

One of the popular courses projected by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics to greatly grow in the coming years is the occupational therapy profession. According to the Labor Statistics, job opportunities for professional and licensed occupational therapists are expected to grow about 26% from year 2008 until the year 2018. This growth is definitely higher compared to other growing professions in the health industry like physical therapy and nursing. The growth was brought by the increasing aging population in the country and in other countries around the world.

Aside from the aging population, the total population of disabled people is also significantly increasing nowadays resulting to the increasing demand for health care professionals like occupational therapists. Occupational therapists are becoming highly in demand because they are the main professionals who are well trained, skilled and knowledgeable in health services that can promote the physical, mental, emotional and social conditions of the people.

Licensed occupational therapists can also choose from wide varieties of work settings from hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home cares, orthopedic centers, health centers and natural therapy centers. Occupational therapy graduates with specialization in various sub fields in occupational therapy also have more job prospects and better career options because of their specialization and advanced knowledge. These sub fields can include ergonomic consulting, driver rehabilitation, and childcare. Occupational therapists with higher educational degrees and trainings like a doctorate degree can also work in academic institutions like schools and universities to teach and train future occupational therapists.

Aside from better career opportunities, one great thing about acquiring a degree in occupational therapy is that the salary for almost all types of OT jobs are high relative to other salaried jobs in other industries and even in the health industry. Entry-level occupational therapists can earn $45,000 for the first few years of their career while experienced and advanced occupational therapists can earn as much as $120,000 every year. These high salary levels are reflection of the educational investments, trainings and accomplishments obtained by the person just to become professional and licensed occupational therapist.

Occupational therapy deals with emotional, psychological and mental disorders – that is why their scope of study and functions may sometimes overlap with other common health care professions like psychiatry and physical therapy. However, occupational therapy has some specific functions that are not usually handled or dealt with in other mental health fields.

According to occupational therapy discipline, a person’s occupation has a direct effect to that person’s life, health and overall well-being. In occupational therapy, occupation does not only refer to a person’s job or profession but it refers to all kinds of activities and things that occupies a person’s time. From various activities in school or tasks in the office, occupation also refers to the person’s personal and daily activities and chores at home and in the community and even the activities during leisure time.

When a person cannot function well at home, in his or her job or in the society he or she belongs, that person may be suffering from a mental disorder that needs to be addressed properly through occupational therapy. Because occupations or people’s activities are what give them drive and purpose in life, it is important that people know how to function well and perform these tasks so they will not lose their abilities and reasons to live.

Some people who were not able to recover from these mental disorders suffer from permanent disabilities and serious health problems. With occupational therapy, the patient’s psychological and physical problems are not the only thing that is being addressed but even essential factors like occupation is also being looked into. This is what makes occupational therapy unique than other common mental health fields.

Occupational therapists are knowledgeable and skilled health care professionals who have gained sufficient education and training in order to become a licensed and certified occupational therapists. With occupational therapy, people who are suffering from disabilities and health problems caused by or related to emotional and social dysfunctions can be properly and effectively treated.

Occupational therapists are the health care professionals who treat patients with disability problems, illnesses and injuries by improving their every day functioning and performance of various activities. Their roles are quite the same with physical therapists but occupational therapists are focused on developing and improving the skills and functioning of the patients related to their basic and daily occupations or activities.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 108,000 occupational therapists in the country in the year 2010. Large percentage of the total population of occupational therapists work in hospitals, speech therapy clinics and offices, physical therapy offices and in various health facilities for the elders. Other OTs worked in nursing homes, private homes and in academic institutions as either school occupational therapists or instructors.

Just like most jobs in the health industry, occupational therapy job outlook is also expected to grow in the coming years. Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data, the employment opportunities for licensed and certified occupational therapists are expected to increase by 33% from year 2010 to 2020. This is why occupational therapy is one of the fastest growing health care professions in the health industry today. If you want a stable and well-paying career, then pursuing a career in occupational therapy will be one of the best options.

If you are thinking of getting a career as an occupational therapist, one of the important things you should consider is knowing the right educational and career path. Although this profession can be considered as one of the most lucrative and fulfilling jobs, in order to become a licensed OT, one must undergo intensive education and trainings. To become a licensed occupational therapist, you must be willing to invest enough time, money, and effort on your education since licensed OT are master’s degree holders and also need to accomplish continuing education in order to maintain their license.

Occupational therapy, as the name implies, deals with people who have problems on how they use or occupy their time. This can be caused by a physical disorder or disability. It can also be caused by a mental distress leading to loss of purpose and motivation in life. Occupation or activities of a person can be divided into three main categories. First are the daily routine and responsibilities like daily grooming, sleeping, eating and toileting. The second category includes task and responsibilities needed to do a job and the third category is the leisure time wherein people do certain activities and things they like and enjoy doing like watching TV, listening to music, partying and traveling.

These activities are what people typically do every day. However, some people may experience problems in terms of performing some of these basic tasks due to physical disorders or mental problems. If you lose your drive to do things and you seem to have no motivation and purpose in life, you should immediately look for an occupational therapist or OT in order to fix your problem.

Patients who suffered from injuries and incurred problems with their mobility are some of the most common people who seek help from occupational therapists. Although physical therapy can also be a good therapy treatment for disabled persons, occupation therapy is a more holistic approach because it does not only deal with the effect of injury to the physical abilities of the person but it also deals with the effect of the injury to the person’s emotional and mental state of mind.

Some people may lose their purpose and meaning in life because they cannot do the things they usually do anymore. Through occupational therapy, patients are provided with proper support and care in order to gain their meaning and purpose in life. Kids with development disorders can also be treated through occupational therapy treatments since this field of study promotes better functional skills and proper development so children will learn what they need to learn the right way.