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Why the profession of occupational therapy will flourish in the 21st century. The 1996 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture.

The use of occupation as a therapeutic method is the essence of the profession of occupational therapy. This core of therapeutic occupation is flexible across cultures, times, health care environments, and different philosophies of the nature of the human being. Given this adaptability, the profession espouses diverse models of practice--the multiple frames of reference that guide therapeutic occupation for different populations in different settings. Across the history of the profession, therapeutic occupation has been the common core of otherwise different approaches to intervention. Although each of the many past and current models of practice has a different viewpoint, the common factor is the synthesis of occupational forms designed to elicit meaningful and purposeful occupational performance. Occupational synthesis is the essential act of the occupational therapist. It is necessary that occupational therapists confirm the power of therapeutic occupation through research that examines the profession's central principles. Occupational therapists are also urged to use the term occupation consistently and proudly in their interactions with recipients of therapy, fellow health care professionals, and each other. The profession of occupational therapy will flourish because occupation, its core, is so basic to human health yet so flexible, depending on the needs of the individual human being.

Activities of Daily Living↗

European initiatives and the occupational hygiene profession.

This paper summarizes the development of occupational hygiene in Europe where the recognition of this profession is still not adequate especially at the political and governmental level. The role of international organizations or associations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) is emphasized and illustrated by a few examples. Although not promoting the occupational hygiene profession as such, the European Community is playing a significant role in the development of this discipline by its active policy in the field of health and safety at work. The other relevant actors in this respect are the International Labour Office (ILO) and the dynamic and proficient national societies such as the Italian Association of Industrial Hygienists and the British Occupational Hygiene Society. A few of the most relevant challenges in the development of this indispensable discipline are finally presented. One of the highest priorities is training and education since a profession cannot evolve and continue to grow without fresh blood.

European Union↗

Nationally speaking. Life history and narrative research: generating a humanistic knowledge base for occupational therapy.

As a profession, occupational therapists are guided in practice by the accumulated knowledge of occupational therapy. This article demonstrates the contributions of life-history and narrative research to this knowledge base. We are suggesting that in response to our humanistic roots, we must pursue additional knowledge, principles of practice, and ethical philosophies that support practice. We have argued that our ideologic concern for the client must guide our choice of epistemologies to investigate the lived experience to those whom we serve. "What is at stake here is the ethic that is embedded in the epistemology that gives rise to kinds of research" (Brock, 1995, p.157) that meet the societal demands for professionalism and support a humanistic practice.

Ethics, Professional↗

Tracing research methodology in occupational therapy.

As a profession, occupational therapy has been repeatedly confronted with the challenge to prove the value of occupation as a therapeutic medium. The types of research pursued by occupational therapists have evolved in response to societal trends, external pressures, and the priorities of individual practitioners. Although many therapists have reconciled the pursuit of research with the roots of occupational therapy through an adherence to naturalistic methods, others continue to value experimental research designs. This article explores the rise of qualitative research methods in occupational therapy and addresses the current dilemma between naturalistic and positivistic designs.

History, 20th Century↗

Statement--fundamental concepts of occupational therapy: occupation, purposeful activity, and function.

Deriving from the philosophical basis of the profession, occupation is the core concept of the profession of occupational therapy. However, in the occupational therapy literature, the term occupation is used in a variety of ways. Occupation, a collection of activities that people use to fill their time and give life meaning, is organized around roles or in terms of activities of daily living, work and productive activities, or pleasure, for survival, for necessity, and for their personal meaning. It is the individualized, unique combination of activities that comprises an individual's occupations. Purposeful activities have been described in many different ways: as something all people engage in; as tools or media that therapists use to enhance or facilitate performance; and vehicles for bringing about change. Purposeful activities are seen as part of the process of occupational therapy. Purposeful activities are subset of occupations in that they are goal directed and serve as a major tool in the process of occupational therapy. The term function, viewed as the ability to perform activities required in one's occupations has become increasingly important to society in describing the performance or change in individuals. This societal shift in ideas has prompted the concept of function, viewed as a product, to become more important than the process of bringing about change. Occupational therapy practitioners typically have viewed the process as being just as important as the product. When working to improve function, occupational therapy practitioners use purposeful activities that are meaningful to the person in relation to his or her occupational history, preferences, personal goals, and needs. Occupational therapy practitioners need to keep the individual's occupations in the forefront of their thoughts when using any purposeful activity and to plan interventions toward improving the individual's ability to function within his or her occupations. In the interest of the profession, it is important to concentrate on occupation. Furthermore, it is essential that we study our interventions' relationship to occupation and function, and how purposeful activities are used toward supporting the individual's ability to engage in occupation.

Activities of Daily Living↗