Laken's OT Thoughts

     The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) was released by AOTA. It helps occupational therapists guide evaluations, interventions, and outcomes. It is used to improve communication by making a common language for occupational therapists to use, and it focuses on health and wellness through occupation. It discusses what is in the scope of our practice and it summarizes occupational therapists healthcare approach. Occupational therapists use a client-centered and holistic (top-down) approach and the OTPF goes into more of what that means and how to use those approaches well.

     What do we do in OT school? Well, today was a little different. There were 40 students walking around campus dressed as if they were from different decades. We had Rosie the Riveter, poodle skirts, characters from  Hairspray  and  The Breakfast Club,   High School Musical  Fans, 101 year old women, and more. Each group talked about what was going on in the World and in occupational therapy for the era which they were assigned. The 2010s stuck out to me the most for two reasons: Annemarie Orr and Sady Paulson.      Annemarie Orr was the mover and shaker of the presentation for the decade. She is the occupational therapist of Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, a couple who both lost their left legs in the Boston Marathon bombing. Orr helped them get back to living the lives they wanted. She helped them move into a new apartment that is accessible and a fit just for them. How awesome is that? For Kensky, something that was meaningful to her and that she wanted to be able to do was

     When I arrived at UTHSC in January, I learned that Dr. Weisser-Pike has a certification in low vision and she specializes in treating people with vision loss. Before I began school, I did not even think about that being an option for an occupational therapist. I have always wanted to work with children with disabilities, so I never gave much thought to what else I could do with this degree other that the major specialties you hear about such as: gerontology, mental health, and physical rehab. Then, I learned that Professor Lancaster has a specialty certification as an Assistive Technology Profession, which I also did not realize was a specialty.      In the month I have been in OT school, one thing that I continue to learn almost every day is how much you can do in this profession. I've learned of the many different paths you can take and choose in your profession depending on what you are interested in. I have learned not only the different specialties but the way you can de