October is occupational therapy month in Canada.

 

Imagine you could not do the things that are important to you in your daily life. Because of occupational therapy, people can participate in activities that are important in their everyday life.  Whether it’s walking the dog, preparing a meal, going to work, school, playing games or doing laundry, occupational therapists create solutions that let you live life to the fullest.

How you occupy your time – your daily occupations – can be challenged if injury, illness, disability, social or environmental factors restrict your participation.  Occupational therapists can design a plan to help prevent or overcome the barriers that you may face, getting you back to enjoying your life.

Occupational therapists work in a variety of places, such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, homes and in the community.  They are regulated health professionals who collaborate with people through the assessment, design and implementation phases to deliver personalized care.

Occupational therapy works.  Using a client-centred, holistic approach, occupational therapists can identify skills that enable British Columbians to do what they need and want to do.  Occupational therapy is directly linked to better value, better health and better care, through benefits such as:

• Increased quality of life that enables people with illness or disability to engage in meaningful daily activities;
• reduced number and length of hospital stays;
• reduced number of readmissions to hospital;
• reduced number of falls that require medical care;
• decreased workdays lost to absenteeism;
• decreased medication use;
• increased mobility to stay active and engaged;

Occupational therapy services are often covered by insurance (ICBC, WorksafeBC, extended medical); if it is not covered by your plan, use our template to write a letter to your insurance company to help you obtain necessary coverage http://www.caot.ca/pdfs/AskForIt_manual_FNL1.pdf

 

To find an OT in your community, access our free online search tool, FIND an OT http://www.find-an-ot.ca/

 

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists-BC Chapter (CAOT-BC) is the provincial voice of occupational therapists in BC. Resources and stories about how occupational therapy works are available at www.caot.ca/otmonth.

Questions? Contact CAOT-BC at caotbc@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268 x265.

 

Tags: month OT