The Need for OT Will Be There; Will OTs?
TOTA's 2008 Art Dilly lecture was given by Paul Fontana, OTR, FAOTA, owner and president of the Center for Work Rehabilitation Inc., who came with a powerful and important message: OTs must get involved.
The need, he said, for occupational therapy in the coming years will only increase as people live longer, the nation ages and the role of occupational therapists expands beyond the traditional. Occupational therapy will be, and is, present in places OTs never envisioned, such as salt mines, paper mills, drill ships, back education, office ergonomics . . . the list goes on. Already today occupational therapy is one of the top careers in the nation and is expected to remain that way for some while. So, there is no question that OT will be present in the future. There is, however, a question of where OTs and OTAs will be.
According to Fontana, other professions are "nibbling along the edges" of occupational therapy's scope of practice. Athletic trainers, physical therapists and therapeutic recreation therapists are all expanding their scopes of practice to involve duties and services now undertaken by occupational therapists. Should this happen further, OTs could be replaced.
How is this stopped? Action.
Fontana emphasized the need for OTs to be involved in state and national associations as well as on political levels. Currently, less than 1/3 of the OTs and OTAs in the country are members of AOTA. And that, Fontana said, needs to change. "We are in a profession," he declared, adding if OTs had simply wanted a job they could have gone to Walmart. Professionals contribute to their profession. He then listed a number ofways OTs and OTAs could make a difference in occupational therapy:
1. Join your state association and AOTA
2. Become involved
3. Attend meetings
4. Learn the issues and VOTE
5. Volunteer
6. Join the AOT political action committee
7. Find a mentor
8. Practice evidence based therapy
9. Encourage research and education
10. Go to continuing education courses that meet your needs not just fulfill a requirement
And most importantly, "Don't EVER lose that passion." Find that niche, get involved and help occupational therapy fulfill its promise to help others live life to the fullest.