Occupational therapists

Occupational therapists provide practical support to enable people to recover and overcome barriers that prevent them from doing the occupations (activities) that matter to them. They work with people of all ages, who are experiencing difficulties through injury, illness or disability or a major life change.

Occupational therapists do this through analysing a person’s strengths, skills and needs in carrying out day to day activities. They take into account the environment (home, school, work, local community) and then work with the person to overcome barriers that are stopping them from doing what they want and need to do.

They can do this in a number of ways, for example through recommending adaptations to the service user’s home, teaching people techniques to compensate for poor memory, working with parents and teachers to help promote children’s development and independence skills, and helping to develop people’s confidence to get out and about again.

Occupational therapists deliver this through services such as reablement, stroke rehabilitation, prescribing wheelchairs, and condition management programmes to help people return to work.

Occupational therapists believe that actively participating in daily life is essential to people’s health and wellbeing.

Royal College of Occupational Therapists
106-114 Borough High Street, London SE1 1LB
Tel: 0207 357 6480
Email: RCOT.NIreland@rcot.co.uk
www.rcot.co.uk

NI region
https://www.rcot.co.uk/about-us/regional-and-local-groups/northern-ireland-region