Contemporary Issues In Occupational Therapy

This book is a collection of essays on occupational therapy theory and its application in practice. They represent the reflections, on aspects of occupational therapy, of experts in their own fields who are at the cutting edge of theory development. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, occupational therapists are beginning to conceptualise occupational therapy as a complex intervention. This book provides the level of detail to support such an understanding. Two chapters discuss the profession of occupational therapy: how it has developed and what is involved in being an occupational therapist. Other chapters explore the idea of occupation from different perspectives, providing detailed analyses of the concept that is central to the profession of occupational therapy. The third type of chapter describes how theory is used in occupational therapy practice, for example, in making decisions or implementing research findings.

Ground yourself in the social issues surrounding occupational therapy practice with Social Occupational Therapy: Theoretical and Practical Designs. Written by Roseli Esquerdo Lopes and Ana Paula Serrata Malfitano, this groundbreaking text offers a global view of the role of occupational therapy and the potential contributions of occupational therapists to their societies — specifically in social services and with populations in situations of social vulnerability. Theoretical and practical chapters examine both occupational therapy and social challenges, and the text’s emphasis on human rights and social issues reflects the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists. It’s the unique perspective needed to tackle the social aspects of occupational therapy and respond to social field issues, including education, culture, justice, welfare, and work, as well as health. Worldview of social occupational therapy reinforces the importance of the field and underscores the growing practice and theoretical field for global occupational therapy. In-depth analysis of social issues is incorporated throughout the text along with a detailed analysis of the potential contributions of occupational therapists to their societies. Focus on the social role of occupational therapy highlights the role of occupational therapy as a social profession and prepares readers to respond to social issues. Theoretical and practical chapters talk about occupational therapy and social challenges. Emphasis on human rights and social issues reflects the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists.

Written in a casual, narrative style, this edition has been updated with five new chapters, new case studies, new clinical stories, and discussion questions focusing on ethical, legal, and interpersonal issues. The text introduces students to the field of occupational therapy and to career opportunities in the field. Using clinical examples and case studies, this edition provides a realistic look at the complementary roles of the registered occupational therapist (OTR) and the certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). Occupational Therapy: Principles and Practice illustrates the OT process within various practice settings, including the acute care hospital, public school, and home health practice. Other topics include current and prospective issues in the field, the U.S. health care system, influences/implications of managed care on the profession, and the international OT market. All charts/tables reflect current statistics.This edition differs significantly from the earlier edition by the addition of a second author, Professor Suzanne Peloquin, PhD, a recognized authority in her field. Dr. Peloquin recounts stories from occupational therapy history and offers unique insights into current practice.

Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Education: Past, Present, and Future outlines a path forward for occupational therapy educators, incorporating the impact of historical context, contemporary issues and trends, and international viewpoints on the development of the profession. With this mission in mind, Drs. Steven D. Taff, Lenin C. Grajo, and Barbara R. Hooper offer helpful tips, practical tools, and fresh insights to support current and future educators in developing their teaching philosophies and pedagogies.

Role Emerging Occupational Therapy: Maximising Occupation Focused Practice is written for an audience of occupational therapy practitioners, educators and students. This text offers an exploration of emerging innovative directions for the profession of occupational therapy with a focus upon the theory and application of role emerging placements. The book affords the reader an opportunity to explore how occupation focused practice can be applied to a wide variety of settings and circumstances in order to improve the health and well-being of a diverse range of people. Chapters cover relevant theory as well as offering practical guidance with examples drawn from the experiences of university educators, occupational therapists, setting/service providers and students. The book describes, explores and discusses both the potential and ramifications of role emerging practice on the occupational therapy profession and offers a vision for the future of the profession that reflects current occupational, social and health needs.

Advancing Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Practice looks at the contribution that occupational therapists make to the lives of clients living with mental illness. It examines current practice developments and the innovative research that is shaping occupational therapy within the mental health arena, nationally and internationally. The book employs a distinctive and engaging narrative approach, bringing to life key issues in practice and research. It introduces the reader to the mental health context, opening with a historical overview and then exploration of the current developments in occupational therapy before moving on to discuss the cultural context and the need for cultural sensitivity in practice. Service users and expert clinicians offer their narratives, through which the clinical utility and cultural appropriateness of existing occupational therapy concepts, assessments and outcome measures are discussed and the associated implications for practice highlighted. Advancing Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Practice introduces and explores a variety of specialised work contexts from practicing in acute inpatient settings to crisis intervention, home treatment, forensic mental health settings and the specialist role of occupational therapy in community mental health and social services. Chapters are enriched with case stories, personal narratives and guided reflection.

Practice theory provides a way of understanding everyday life, but until now its application in occupational therapy has not been much developed. Theorising Occupational Therapy Practice in Diverse Settings draws on practice theory to explore the conditions for occupational therapy practice in a variety of clinical and non-traditional settings. With examples from around the globe, the chapters of the first section unfold practice theory perspectives of occupational therapy history, the management of occupational therapists in health systems, professional roles and working contexts. A bridging chapter reviews this development and sets out some of the global social phenomena that shaped occupational therapy; including colonialism and social inequality. The authors look forward to where the profession finds itself at present, in terms of social and health needs, power structures, occupational therapy theory and emerging areas of practice. The second section of the book considers how occupational therapists are responding to the challenges facing the profession in relation to issues of access, resources and change. A final chapter reviews how occupational therapy can meet the health-related occupational needs of individuals, communities and populations throughout the 21st century. While acknowledging the complexity of occupational, health and social needs, the book enables readers to relate occupational therapy aims and objectives effectively to pragmatic strategies for dealing with the realities of working in different settings. With numerous case examples, this is an important new text for students and practitioners of occupational therapy. It is relevant both for those working in, or preparing for, placements in mainstream health and social care services, or in community interest companies, charities and social enterprises.