Occupational Therapy (OT) is therapy for learning, to renew or revive those daily activities we do in everyday life.
For those activities that cannot be revived, OT’s are specialists for adapting the home, person or activity for participation in that activity again.
We do so many things automatically on a daily basis. Automatically – or without thinking, we repeat the same activities or behaviors, sometimes many times a day, sometimes seldom but always in the same way.
These behaviors are in part physical or organic, in part cognitive or in our minds (also organic), and in part emotional or involve feelings (also organic). OT’s are able to look at activity and break it down into parts, combine that with the abilities and limitations of a person, and plan therapy to increase or improve the person’s participation in activity.
Occupational therapists and ‘the profession’ – represented by the professional organization, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, www.aota.org) work all the time to get everybody to understand what OT is, what OT means, and for OT to be more commonly understood. They have operationally defined ‘occupation’ as something similar to what I wrote above. I like AOTA’s logo moniker: Skills for the Job of Living.
Yet, I’m wary of calling living 'a job' – living not necessarily being an income-producing behavior. The concept of OT is a wonderful thing, and not fully replicated anywhere else in medical care or society.
If you or someone close to you need OT or receive OT, you likely get it. What about people who don’t know they could benefit from OT? For that, I laud AOTA; especially for the perseverance of the members and the organization. I suspect that even those who benefit from OT tire of explaining it or trying to understand it. At this blog, is yet another effort from me to contribute to the public understanding of the honorable concept of OT.
What is the difference between OT and PT?
Both OT and PT seek to return the patient/client to a better/improved state of health or function. The two professions tend to use different methods to achieve the same outcome, and they tend to have different approaches to treatment (philosophical underpinnings).
Overlap between OT and PT is common, obvious if you have experienced both, and a good thing!
‘Overlap’ became questionable because insurance and third-party payers used the term ‘duplication of services’ to deny coverage for therapy that seemed the same. And then there’s the drive of ownership from within both professions to have their own unique territory. (Get over that, too!) If it helps, traditional or historical differences between OT and PT can be used to distinguish the two.
OT started (in the late 19th century) when it was discovered that mentally ill patients improved by doing craft activities (woodwork, weaving for example). PT started when technicians trained to use water, electricity and massage were formally trained under one therapy specialty for World War I veterans. Generally, OT more likely includes activities like crafts, games, or play than PT. Generally, PT more likely includes modalities like exercise in a pool, electrical stimulation of muscles, or massage before exercise than OT.
Please notice that these comparisons are not rigid black-and-white distinctions. Over-lap of these two professions happens.
Generally,OT entails work with the upper part of the body, and PT entails work with the lower part of the body (the belly-button divide). Generally, an OT would help a patient learn to bathe, while the PT will help the patient get to the bathroom. Both would likely help the patient move between a wheelchair and the bathchair/tub (called a transfer).
Generally, OTs don’t assist patients to learn to walk again or better. Generally, PTs don’t assist patients to learn to eat again or better. Generally, OT has specialty practice in mental illness, and PT does not. Generally, PT has specialty practice in sports medicine, and OT does not. Generally, you will see some of the same (looking) treatment done by both OTs and PTs. Accept it.
If you read both of my definitions for OT and PT, I may give descriptions under one, that I do not repeat in the other – all the while the overlap may exist. Decide for yourself, if it’s important to you.
Generally speaking…
Many statements on this site are generally true, but may have many exceptions. The presence of exceptions does not mean the statement is untrue.
