Occupational Therapist

As an Occupational Therapist, you will work with people who have difficulties carrying out activities because of disability, illness, trauma, ageing, and a range of long term conditions.

You will find solutions to everyday problems such as:

• advising on how to approach a task differently
• using equipment or assistive technology
• adapting the living or working environment
• finding strategies to meet an individual’s goals

Illness, injury, disability or ageing can make basic tasks like washing, dressing, eating and thing such as work or education and leisure more difficult than most. Your role will be to help people find ways to continue with activities that are important to them. This might involve learning new ways to do things or making changes to their environment to make life easier.

You will assess and treat people of all ages and situations with a range of conditions. For example, you will help:

• someone adapt to life after major surgery such as a hip replacement
• children with disabilities take part in school and play activities
• dementia sufferers develop strategies
• stroke patients
• people suffering from mental illness get back into everyday activities such as work or volunteering
• elderly people stay in their own homes by providing adaptation such as level access showers or stair lifts

This role could require you to work in:

• charities or voluntary organisations
• prisons
• companies and businesses
• social services departments
• special schools
• private practice
• Hospitals
• GP Practices

As well as working with individual patients and their families, occupational therapists work with groups. They work in teams with other health professionals. They may also supervise the work of occupational therapy support workers.