27th October to 2nd November is 2025 OT Week , as celebrated by the Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA). This year’s theme is “Occupational Therapy in Action”. Here at Patches, we love to celebrate our occupational therapists, who work within our multidisciplinary team to provide high quality therapy for our clients.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy (OT) is an allied health profession that aims to help patients across the lifespan participate in daily activities and occupations. Not to be confused with work-related treatment, ‘occupations’ are activities that people do every day to give their life meaning and purpose; the things people need to, want to or are expected to do. The eight areas of occupation that OTs are trained in are: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, sleep and rest, work, education, play, leisure, and social participation.
Key to the practice of occupational therapy is taking a client-centred and holistic approach. OTs prioritise the individual’s unique goals, values and daily routines to create a tailored treatment plan. In their evaluation, occupational therapists take into consideration the psychological, physical, emotional, social and environmental factors that can influence an individual’s wellbeing and their ability to engage in meaningful activities. Combined with evidence-based practices and interventions, occupational therapists can provide high quality care and treatment plans for their patients.
Occupational therapists work in community health centres, schools, hospitals, private practices, rehabilitation centres, aged care facilities and government organisations. At Patches, our OT services can be accessed in-clinic, in homes, schools and communities, as well as virtually via Telehealth.
Who can benefit from occupational therapy?
Occupational therapists are trained to help in a diverse range of situations, and work with people of all ages and abilities. Occupational therapy can help enhance quality of life, increase functionality and improve independence, accelerate effective rehabilitation, and prevent health issues. Key demographics are children, people with disabilities, mental illness or chronic medical conditions, people recovering from illness, injury or operation, and seniors. Occupational therapists can also work with care givers or family members to educate, empower and provide adequate training, to allow the best support for their client.
Children:
Paediatric OT helps kids reach milestones and helps them build skills for them to become as independent as possible in their daily lives. Children with developmental delays, neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism or ADHD, or sensory processing disorders can benefit from occupational therapy. This may be by helping teach them to regulate emotions, learn social skills, manage sensory sensitivities, and cope with difficult situations.
For children with delayed development or disabilities, OTs can work closely to help them take part in school and leisure activities. They may help develop fine motor skills, to improve handwriting ability or computer skills, improve gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination, used in school, sports and other everyday activities, or master basic life skills, such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing teeth or self-feeding.
People with disabilities, mental illness or chronic health conditions:
People with disabilities, whether it be physical or learning disabilities, or chronic health conditions can benefit from occupational therapy. This may involve assistive technologies, home and vehicle modifications, physical therapies, pain intervention and fatigue management, or cognitive interventions, to help support their wellbeing and to live as independently as possible. For people with mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia, OT can help in developing coping strategies, manage stress and regain life skills.
People recovering from illness, injury or operation:
Occupational therapy techniques for patients recovering from illness, injury or operation may involve physical therapeutic exercises, assistive technologies and home modifications, cognitive interventions, and emotional support. OTs help to facilitate self-care activities and support the return to work, or other identified goals, in the patient’s recovery period.
Seniors:
Occupational therapists work with older adults in nursing homes, aged-care facilities, hospitals, clinics and communities to help them maintain independence and quality of life as they age. Seniors can benefit from occupational therapy for a wide range of reasons, such as cognitive decline, fall prevention, mobility aid, and post-surgery recovery. OTs may also work with seniors to foster engagement in leisure activities and social participation.
Discover how Patches can help you or your loved one
If you or a loved one could benefit from occupational therapy services, Patches is here to support you.
For more information about occupational therapy at Patches, click here.
To make a referral, click here.