Occupational Therapy: A Key to Wellness

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit: Creating a Culture of Wellness was held last November 27 – 29 in Washington DC.  American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Vice-President Florence Clark, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA joined fellow practitioner Diana Baldwin, MA, OTR/L, FAOTA in highlighting the profession’s contributions to prevention and wellness.  Quoted below is an excerpt of the article written by Rob Black, AOTA’s Senior Press Officer.

“The field of occupational therapy is proving the old adage about how much an ounce of prevention is worth,” said Dr. Clark. “Our interventions keep people of all ages active and participating in life. The science of occupational therapy has proven that participation in daily activities helps maintain health.”

Dr. Clark’s presentation was titled, “Improving the Health of the Elderly: Lifestyle Interventions,” and showed that key improvements can be achieved in the health of seniors who are exposed to activities to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Baldwin’s presentation was titled, “Promoting Employee Health: Interventions in the Workplace,” and explored how occupational therapy interventions can keep arthritis patients in the workplace longer. Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work-related disability with significant financial costs associated with the loss of work for persons with arthritis.

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Source: AOTA and PR Newswire