Many possibilities and job opportunities exist, when it comes to the field of Occupational Therapy. After graduation and getting practice license, one may start working at Government or Private hospitals/clinics/community health centres.
Teaching jobs are also available in front of Post graduates. MOT may work as instructors at OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY colleges/training institutes. For building a rewarding teaching career, pursuing a PG course is recommended. After completing PG course, one may work as a Lecturer/Assistant Professor at Government or Private OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Colleges/institutes.
PhD in Occupational therapy is also available at Santosh Deemed to be University
The ‘work abroad’ scope associated with this course is very promising! When it comes to developed countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, New Zealand etc, healthcare system is very well developed. Governments there hire talented and skilled medical professionals from countries like India. Occupational Therapists are also in huge demand there.
International welfare associations as well as NGOs are also known to hire Occupational Therapists to help out needy people. Services offered by an OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY professional is needed by people hailing from diverse age groups- from kids to old aged people. The demand for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY professionals is on rise. This trend has been the result of modern lifestyle.
Areas of Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapists work in a vast array of settings, these include:
Physical Dysfunctions:
• Orthopedics (fractures/falls), Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis.
• Physical capacity evaluation.
• Hand rehabilitation.
• Burns, Nerve injuries, Amputations
• Road Traffic Accidents etc.
• Prosthetic and Orthosois training.
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living) & Assistive Device Training.
Pediatrics/Developmental Disorders:
• Cerebral Palsy, Congenital Deformities, Downs Syndrome
• Mental Retardation, Autism, Learning disorder, ADHD
• Sensory Integration Dysfunction
• School Based Occupational Therapy
• Other Developmental Disabilities etc.
Cardio- Pulmonary Disordes:
• Work simplification and energy conversation techniques Cardiac Patients
• Myocardial Infarction, COPD, etc.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders:
• Work simplification and energy conversation techniques.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Low Back Pain. Work related Disorder
Community: Community based practice involves working with people in their own environment rather than in a hospital setting. It can also involve working with atypical populations such as the homeless or at-risk populations. Examples of community-based practice settings:
• Health promotion and lifestyle change
• Intermediate care
• Access to work place, Home and community modification
• People’s own homes, carrying out therapy and providing equipment and adaptations
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Architectural adaptations.
Neurological Disorder:
• Stroke rehabilitation (Paralysis).
• Head injuries& Brain Tumor rehabilitation
• Movement disorder (Parkinson disease)
• Spinal cord injury rehabilitation
• Neuropathies and Myopathies etc.
• Multiple Sclerosis.
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living) & Assistive Device Training
• Adaptive device training
• Wheel chair training.
Geriatric:
• Alzheimers disease, Dementia etc.
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living) Training to elderly
• Adaptive device training
• Wheel chair training.
• Hospices (Old age Home)
Mental Health:
• Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
• Schizophrenia, Phobias, Mood, Anxiety Neurosis, Psychosomatic and Personality disorder
• Alcoholism and Substance abuse
• Functional capacity evaluation
• Mental health clinics (day care centre, half way home and sheltered workshops)
• Psychiatric rehabilitation programs
• Mental Hospital
• ADL (Activities of Daily Living) Training to Mentally ill Patients
• Forensic psychiatry.
Occupational Therapy Approaches:Services typically include:
• Teaching new ways of approaching tasks
• How to break down activities into achievable components e.g. sequencing a complex task like cooking a complex meal.
• Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations.
• Performance skills assessments and treatment
• Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training.
• Environmental adaptation including provision of equipment or designing adaptations to remove obstacles or make them manageable
• Guidance to family members and caregivers.
Purpose of Occupational Therapy:
• The purpose of Occupational Therapy is functional restoration to help each patient, find him and function again as a complete man physically, socially, educationally and economically.
• To enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life.
• As specific treatment for restoration of physical functions, to increase joint motion, muscle strength and co-ordination
• To teach self-help activities, those of daily living such as eating, dressing, writing, the use of adapted equipment
• As a supportive measure to help the patient to utilize constructively a prolonged period of hospitalization and convalescence
• To develop work tolerance and maintenance of special skills as required by the patient’s job
• To structure opportunities for the development of more satisfying relationships in psychiatric patients
• For re-direction of recreational and a vocational interests
• To provide pre-vocational exploration to determine the patients physical and mental capacities, social adjustment, interests, work habits, skills and potential employment
• To convert functionally dependent patient into functionally independent
• To help the disabled homemaker readjust to home routines with advice and instructions as to the adaptation of household equipment and work simplification.
Aims of Occupational Therapy:
• Occupational therapists focus on making functional independence a reality
• To identify and evaluate barriers that may challenge the competence of individuals
• To identify and evaluate supports that facilitates Occupational Functioning
• To develop strategies to eliminate or ameliorate barriers
• To foster supports.
Job profile:
Government organizations / institutions / hospitals / projects
Military Services
Non- government organizations
Private sectors like
Acute care hospitals & nursing homes
Rehabilitation centres and clinics / centres (like developmental therapy clinics, neuro-rehabilitation facilities, de addiction centres etc.)
Special schools
Main stream Schools
Chronic care facilities
Social agencies/Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) & Disaster Management Projects
Hospice care facilities
Mental Health Setups /Institutions and Hospitals
Industries
Self employed
Very Good job opportunity in India but also in Abroad
Benefit from Occupational Therapy : A wide variety of people may benefit from Occupational Therapy, these may include people with:
• Work-related injuries including lower back problems or repetitive strain injuries
• Physical, cognitive or psychological limitations following a stroke, brain injury or heart attack
• Arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or other serious chronic conditions
• Birth injuries, learning difficulties, or developmental disabilities
• Mental health difficulties Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress
• Substance abuse problems or eating disorders
• Obsessive compulsions, or diagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Burns, spinal cord injuries, or amputations
• Fractures or other injuries from falls, sports injuries, or accidents
• Visual, perceptual or cognitive impairment
• Developmental disabilities such as autism or cerebral palsy
• Domestic abuse issues.
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