The Diversity of Occupational Therapy

November 19, 2012
by Amber

What are OS/OT?

Today in my Health Promotion and Wellness class we had a guest lecture from Alix Sleight, a doctoral program resident at our faculty practice. She has focused her studies on the role of occupational therapists in hospice care. Hospice is care that is designed to support patients and their families at the end of life. Care can be provided in the patient’s home, at a freestanding facility, or in a hospital unit. It was very interesting to hear about this type of care, as there are not many occupational therapists currently working in this area of practice. As part of an interdisciplinary team, an occupational therapist can help the patient by affirming life (maintaining independence and comfort) and preparing for death (wrapping up affairs, mending relationships). Interventions can include coping strategies for decline, stress and anxiety management, energy conservation, adaptive equipment, environmental modifications, caregiver education, advocacy, to name a few. Alix did a wonderful job addressing spirituality and the importance of addressing this topic with our patients. The majority of hospice patients are older adults, so the lecture was of particular interest to me. The practice area I’m most interested in is geriatrics, so it was wonderful to learn about this critical period in their lives and how I can help facilitate a peaceful transition.

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