Fort Kent ~ Michelle Plourde, Physical Therapist and Northern Maine Medical Center’s (NMMC) Therapy Department Supervisor, is proud of the work done each day by NMMC’s Occupational Therapy Team who are recognized across the country this month for the important work done by their profession. Sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the annual recognition is directed toward promoting the profession. AOTA represents the interests and concerns of more than 140,000 occupational therapists, assistants and students nationwide. The Association educates the public and advances the profession of occupational therapy by providing resources, setting standards including accreditations and serving as an advocate to improve health care.
Occupational therapy enables people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. Plourde said, “Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants focus on activities that are meaningful to our individual patients. It is occupational therapy’s purpose to get beyond problems to the solutions that assure living life to its fullest. These solutions may be adaptations for how to do a task, changes to the surroundings, or helping individuals to alter their own behaviors.” According to AOTA, it is a practice deeply rooted in science and is evidence-based, meaning that the plan designed for each individual is supported by data, experience, and best practices that have been developed and proven over time.
When working patients, occupational therapy practitioners customize strategies and modifications for each individual to resolve problems, improve function, and support everyday living activities. The goal is to maximize potential. Through these therapeutic approaches, occupational therapy helps individuals design their lives, develop needed skills, adjust their environments –whether home, school, or work and build health-promoting habits and routines that allow them to thrive. For more information, go to www.aota.org.
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