OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY 

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a discipline of healthcare that helps individuals with physical, sensory, and cognitive challenges gain and regain independence in their daily activities. The occupational therapist on the other hand is the person in charge of providing therapeutic methods and techniques to rehabilitate, improve or maintain an individual’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Some conditions that need occupational therapy include autism and sensory processing disorders.

Day-to-day activities of an occupational therapist in Kenya

An OT is responsible for many activities but there are those activities that they often perform in their day-to-day tasks. The activities include: –

• Assessing a client’s current conditions and needs
• Designing treatment plans that help address the needs of a client most efficiently and effectively.
• Assessing the environment of the client to determine whether it is suitable for the client’s well-being or needs adjustments to fit the needs of the client.
• Training caregivers and teachers on how to handle the client and how to use any available special equipment etc.

Required Skills and Traits for an Occupational Therapist in Kenya

Occupational therapists must have some skills that will enable them to do their jobs well. It is expected that an OT should be compassionate, empathetic, and patient to handle the challenges that come along during therapy sessions. In addition to the above skills, other skills include:

• Problem-solving skills: the ability to determine the best action for each situation because each situation is unique and may need a different approach to deal with it.
• Communication skills: strong communication skills to talk to clients or caregivers to effectively understand their needs and explain to them an appropriate treatment plan. Moreover, they should be in a position to document all treatment plans and the progress of their clients.
• Imaginative: the ability to be creative by coming up with fun activities to keep the child interested while with the main aim of assessing, evaluating, and treating.
• Collaborative: it takes more than a therapist to ensure that a client is well taken of. An occupational therapist should work closely with people like parents and teachers to ensure effective therapy.
• Genuine: always stay positive around the client despite any challenges. Children usually pick up on negative emotions. Therefore, remaining sincere, kind, and compassionate will go a long way in ensuring that the therapy is successful. This trait will build trust which is vital in occupational therapy.