OTPF Guiding OT Practice
When thinking about occupational therapy as a whole, its ideals and values center around helping clients regain their functioning in the world. Because each individual's idea of functioning looks different, it is vital that an OT first look at the motivations behind a client's life choices and interests. This is where the OTPF plays a vital role. Its defining features include focusing on the client's occupations, lifestyles, environment, beliefs, etc. Basically, the OTPF states that an OT cannot proceed with a treatment until the OT understands the client as a person. This is integral in the OT profession because it guides the therapist to initiate interventions valued by the client that will not only increase the client's ability to participate in his own lifestyle but also allows him to participate in the world.
Today we talked about Stephen Hawking, renown scientist and lecturer, and his fight with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The incredible thing about him is that while he now is completely dependent on the help of others, he is still pursuing his passion of writing, science and speaking. While he is dependent on a tracheotomy for breathing functions and cannot actually speak, he has found ways to communicate and live life to the fullest. In fact, Assistive Technology (AT) has helped him to communicate by use of cheek movements in selecting words and phrases on a computer. Even though his AT has helped, Hawking's therapy should focus on continued effort to find the most advanced AT and adaptive equipment so that his continued loss of function will not impede his ability to pursue his desires and interests. Goals for OT involve training caregivers on how to us AT, discovering new techniques and methods to incorporate in his daily life, and helping him to f...
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