Are you an OT or COTA seeking employment?
 What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. It gives people the "skills for the job of living" necessary for independent and satisfying lives.
Services typically include:
- Customized treatment programs to improve one's ability to perform daily activities
- Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations
- Performance skills assessments and treatment
- Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training
- Guidance to family members and caregivers
About Occupational Therapy Practitioners
Occupational therapy practitioners are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the social, emotional, and physiological effects of illness and injury.
The occupational therapist enters the field with a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree. The occupational therapy assistant generally earns an associate degree.
Practitioners must complete supervised clinical internships in a variety of health care settings, and pass a national examination. Most states also regulate occupational therapy practice
Who Benefits From Occupational Therapy?
A wide variety of people can benefit from occupational therapy, including those with
- work-related injuries including lower back problems or repetitive stress injuries
- limitations following a stroke or heart attack
- arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or other serious chronic conditions
- birth injuries, learning problems, or developmental disabilities
- mental health or behavioral problems including Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress
- problems with substance use or eating disorders
- burns, spinal cord injuries, or amputations
- broken bones or other injuries from falls, sports injuries, or accidents
- vision or cognitive problems that threaten their ability to drive
 It's About Living Life To Its Fullest!
Case Studies: How Occupational Therapy Works
Every day, children and adults have or develop health conditions that significantly affect their ability to manage their daily lives. With the help of occupational therapy, many of these individuals can achieve or regain a higher level of independence. When skill and strength cannot be developed or improved, occupational therapy offers creative solutions and alternatives for carrying out daily activities.
Alzheimer's Disease
Art Anderson's family was not surprised when the doctor confirmed that his growing memory problems were caused by Alzheimer's disease. The primary concern was the effect that Art's care was having on his wife, who was dealing with health problems of her own. They found help in a day care program for people with Alzheimer's disease. Here Art enjoys social interactions, meals, and leisure activities designed for people with his condition. Art's wife Martha attends weekly group meetings led by an occupational therapist. Martha learns to help her husband to participate as much as possible in the family's routine and how to manage the many tasks that make up her "job of living."
Stroke
Helen Richards is a publishing executive, respected for her business skills and admired for her perfect grooming. Three months ago Helen had a stroke. During her recovery she had to relearn many things, but her first goal was to face the world with her hair and make up in place. Helen's occupational therapist understood. Together they found the right combination of tools and techniques so that Helen could handle her personal grooming. They also worked on the other tasks she would need to manage her home and return to work. From make up to management, occupational therapy helped Helen recover the skills she needed.
Developmental Problems
Tommy weighed just three pounds at birth. Doctors warned his parents to be on the lookout for problems that might affect his development. In the hospital nursery, an occupational therapist helped ensure that Tommy was taking in enough nourishment. As a toddler, Tommy attended a Head Start program where occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants provided activities to aid his physical and mental development. For youngsters like Tommy, the "job of living" requires basic skills such as eating, playing, and interacting successfully with family members and friends.
The Recovery of Matthew - A child with traumatic brain injury succeeds with the help of occupational therapy.
Never Say Never - After years of immobility, a stroke survivor learns to take part in life once more.
Tips for Living
AOTA's Tip Sheets for Consumers offer information to help you cope with a variety of health conditions in children and adults and explain how occupational therapy can help. The Tip Sheets can be downloaded and printed free of charge. Go to Tip Sheets.
Fact Sheets
AOTA's Fact Sheets offer the professional and consumer an overview of occupational therapy's role in a specific domain or practice environment. These are all PDF files.
Consumer Organizations
Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities
The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of about 100 national disability organizations working together to advocate for national public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.
National AMBUCS, Inc.
AMBUCS (formerly known as the American Business Clubs) is a national service organization composed of a diverse group of men and women dedicated to creating independence and opportunities for people with disabilities. They do this by performing community service, by providing AmTrykes, the therapeutic tricycle, to children with disabilities, and by providing scholarships for therapists through our AMBUCS Scholars program.
VSA arts
VSA arts is an International organization that creates learning opportunities through the arts for people with disabilities. The organization offers arts based programs in creative writing, dance, drama, music and the visual arts implemented primarily through our affiliate network in 41 states and the District of Columbia and 86 international affiliates in 83 countries. VSA arts' programs now serve 4.3 million Americans and 1.3 million people in other parts of the world.
Other Consumer Organizations
Click here for a list of organizations that support people with disabilities and their families.
Credit: information adapted from public information section of www.aota.org.
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