THE FUTURE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN REHABILITATION SCIENCES: GLOBAL IMPACT

It was said once that occupational therapy (OT) is the treatment of the mind, body and spirit. OT is a humanistic and a health specialty that aims to enhance a person's ability and improve functional performance in terms of independence, safety and quality in the various functions and activities of daily life of value and meaning to individuals and groups. The occupational therapist supports motor, mental and social skills and helps create a better place for functional participation in society. Scientific research has proven that OT services are effective and successful, and that the inclusion of an occupational therapist in the multidisciplinary medical rehabilitation team improves the integrated planning of treatment for persons with disabilities and injuries of all kinds and for different age groups. OT has been integrated into interdisciplinary rehabilitation and tele-rehabilitation services and proved to be useful and effective. The World Health Organization (WHO) includes the OT as an integral part of the holistic team of healthcare thus to promote quality care and outcomes. Occupational therapists provide a variety of preventive and therapeutic services and serve diverse population and diagnoses, such as but not limited to mental health, psychiatric and psychosocial conditions (i.e., depression, anxiety), pediatric and developmental conditions (i.e., developmental delays, autism), geriatric conditions (i.e., dementia Alzheimer type), neurological conditions (i.e., stroke, spinal cord injuries, hand injuries), physical conditions (i.e., burns, fractures), and any other current and/or emerging conditions that lead to poor functional performance and negative psychological effects for individuals, such as COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational therapists can also work at different places, including hospitals, medical and community rehabilitation centers, mental health, educational and scientific research institutions, schools, nursing homes for the elderly and home care. The 2020 report of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) estimates that there are more than 580,000 occupational therapist in more than 95 countries around the world and the OT profession has grown in the past 50 years with significantly increasing demand for this important healthcare profession.