To Independence... and Beyond!!

The OTPF is a document that is published by the American Occupational Therapy Association that defines and explains the different components and aspects of the field of occupational therapy, what makes up the framework of the profession, and provides details on what all is considered and analyzed in the process of providing occupational therapy services to clients. The OTPF not only is used by OT practitioners themselves, but it is also a reliable resource for educators, researchers, OT students, and other healthcare professionals to refer to in order to build their knowledge of the field of occupational therapy so that they may increase their understanding of the profession and improve the quality of care for all who receive OT services. It can be considered the "bible of occupational therapy" in the fact that it is a consistent and uniform source of reference for OT practitioners that they can apply to their practice so that they can be confident in providing the most effic

             One event that affected the field of occupational therapy and really stood out to me today during presentations was the 2010 group's subcategory on technological advances, specifically with iPhones and other Apple products. After watching their video, my eyes were really opened to the fact that iPhones and computers allow disabled or handicapped individuals to do so many things that they would not be able to do without that technology, such as turning on lights, taking pictures, adjusting hearing aids, and typing via visual scanning features. Occupational therapy has definitely been affected by the advancements in technology during the 2010's. There are countless apps available today that can advance cognitive skills and make activities of daily living easier for any client. As OT practitioners, we can suggest to our clients to take advantage of these opportunities of using technology to make life easier for them.

       After looking through the list of board and specialty certifications on the AOTA website, the certification that immediately stood out to me and took my interest was a board certification in gerontology (BCG). During my last semester at Mississippi State, I had the rewarding opportunity to intern at a nursing and rehabilitation home in Starkville. During my four months there, my love for occupational therapy in the geriatric inpatient setting began to grow. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with each resident there and formed meaningful relationships with many of them that I still think of to this day. Elderly populations are so full of wisdom, wit, and sometimes all they need is just someone to listen and share stories with. Hobbies are especially important to the elderly population since the majority of them are retired and simply living easy-going lives, and I think that that brings a whole new level of meaning to occupational therapy for them. Not only does an occupational th