Image Source: aota.org

April is occupational therapy (OT) awareness month. During this time, dedicated professionals in the field are celebrated, and agencies try to educate the general public about what OT is and the significant impact it has had on the lives of millions worldwide.

The Start of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy has roots in treatments designed during the 1800s. Several founders played an integral part in this field. Eleanor Clark Slagle (1871-1942) is known as the “mother of occupational therapy,” She was voted president of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy. The psychiatrist and educator William Rush Dunton Jr. is known as the “father of occupational therapy,” and he published the first papers on OT. The occupational therapy we know today was created in the early 1900s after standardization and further research provided a more structured method for educators to teach the practice.

A few other notable names in the history of OT include the following.

• George Edward Barton
• Susan Cox Johnson
• Thomas Bessell Kidner
• Isabel G. Newton
• A. Jean Ayers

What is Occupational Therapy?

OT is similar to physical therapy, but it has a much broader scope and can include the following.

• Social work
• Nurse care
• Physical therapy
• Psychiatric care
• Orthopedics

OT assists people of all ages who may have difficulty with motor skills and basic everyday functionality due to injury, illness, or disability. Care plans are tailored to the need of the client, and they can be life-changing.

The Significance of OT Month

Occupational Therapy Month was first celebrated in 1980, and it has been a time when professionals and clients can share their experiences and honor this vital service. You can find out more by visiting the official site for the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Contact Us Today

Allegiance Home Care Services Inc is a professional home care agency in Hampton, Virginia. They offer occupational therapy and other services to surrounding counties, including Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, Hampton, and Williamsburg. Call today to learn more.