Physical Impairment Treatment Via Occupational Therapy

Disability is a complex process describing the interaction between an individual with a health condition and the environment. It is an umbrella term that includes impairment, activity limitation, and participation restriction experienced by individuals with a health condition within their environment. The magnitude of disability in India is an important public health problem, especially because there are no organized systems in place to meet the rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities. Much of the rehabilitation services are unidisciplinary, driven by a medical doctor and physiotherapist at best if a team approach is offered. Even these services are comprehensively available only in private hospitals or rehabilitation centers located in major cities and urban areas. Given the situation, the demand and unmet need for reducing disabilities in India are increasing exponentially.

Rehabilitation is a team effort. Occupational therapy interventions (OTIs) and occupational therapists (OTs) are an integral and crucial part of the rehabilitation processes. This is especially true because the focus and goal of any OTIs are solely toward functional independence of persons with disabilities (PWD) in activities of daily living (ADL) and in performing their individual, family, and social roles within an environment. Strategies used by OTs include assessment, treatment, adaptive techniques, assistive technology, and environmental adaptations.