Core Skills In Occupational Therapy

3088 Words13 Pages
Assessment method: 3000 word essay

The essay title is 'Describe, explain and discuss how occupational therapists may use a range of occupational therapy core skills to support clients' health and well-being'. The essay should include:

 - three OT core skills listed by Creek (2003) Occupational therapy defined as a complex intervention. London: COT
 - either the Model of Human Occupation (Kielhofner 2008) or the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (Townsend & Polatajko, 2007)
 Occupational therapists work with a diverse range of clients in myriad settings, they are required to utilise a range of core skills in their practice to support the health and wellbeing of their clients. This essay explores the role of the…show more content…
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition of health has not changed since 1948, describing health as “a state of complete physical and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO, 1948), Huber et al (2011) criticise this description saying that it is outdated in a world with an ageing population, where “complete” health is difficult to achieve and that the description adds to the medicalisation of society. When discing the philosophical base of occupational therapy Postery and Burke (2003) say that “occupation triggers feelings of health and wellbeing,” and that this is one of the least understood areas of occupational therapy. This view is echoed by National Accounts of Wellbeing (2014) who discuss “subjective wellbeing” stating that people need to be able to take part in activities that make them feel autonomous and competent and that are meaningful to them. WHO’s (WHO 2014) describe mental well-being as being a state where a person can contribute fully to their own community and can “work productively and…show more content…
The College of Occupational Therapists (2004, cited in Duncan, 2012, pp33) uses the following description: “ Occupational therapy enables people to achieve health, wellbeing and life satisfaction through participation in occupation.” The term occupation in this context is not common layman’s language, the majority of the population associate the term with paid work they do to earn a living (Creek, 2010 and Hinojosa et al, 2003), so it needs further clarification. Kielhofner (in Hagedorn, 2000, pp21) defines occupation in terms of balanced pursuits that can be “playful or productive activity.” Hagedorn (2000) expands on this further saying that occupation can be organised into work, leisure and self-care activities and is essential to human health and wellbeing, however she is critical of the use of the word activity as it clouds the identity of the occupational therapist. Occupational therapists are not “activity therapists.” She breaks the definition of occupation down into activities that are chained together to form process or habitual

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