On October 27, World Occupational Therapy Day is celebrated, a little-known social health profession, but which carries out a very important social work, since, broadly speaking, it deals with increasing independence, increasing development and preventing disability in certain vulnerable groups. To talk about the profession, we chatted with Nuria Máximo, doctor in Occupational Therapy and Coordinator of the Animals and Society Chair at the Rey Juan Carlos University.
Occupational Therapy (OT) is a profession little known to the general public. Broadly speaking, what does it consist of?
Professor Nuria Máximo Bocanegra
OT is a social health profession that works with different groups to help people to have the maximum possible independence in the activities that are important to them, taking into account their life cycle and cultural context. These significant activities, to which it gives a therapeutic use, can be from hygiene and self-care, activities of daily life, leisure, productivity … understanding productivity not only work, but, as in the case of children, everything type of activities you do in the school environment.
Why do you think it is a little known profession with the important work that you do?
It is a profession in which until relatively few years ago there were a small number of university promotions. This, added to the motivation for jobs that are very caring and of little management, has slowed down the knowledge that society in general has of the profession. In addition, the difficulties in the creation of professional associations and the area of knowledge have hampered our growth.
“Our job is to achieve maximum independence from people, enhancing their skills and compensating for their difficulties”
What training does an occupational therapist have to have?
It is a university degree training with a duration of four years. Afterwards, it is necessary to keep up to date with scientific knowledge and continue studying always.
Is it a highly demanded career?
Yes, it is a highly demanded career, but it is true that for many people it is not their first choice because it is not well known, but there are many schools and they all end up filling up. Of course, all those who start to study it, get hooked.
What is the job of an occupational therapist?
Occupational therapists can work in the field of research, management, teaching and the field of care. In the latter, we work both with preterm -preterm newborn children up to, for example, the elderly in palliative care. Our job is to achieve maximum independence and quality of life for people, both in self-care activities, leisure, and productivity, enhancing the skills and strengths of the person and compensating for difficulties. Both the psychosocial and physical aspects of the patient’s condition are evaluated based on the total context of the treatment and, if necessary, the physical environment and the necessary utensils are adapted, such as cutlery, clothes or school or work tools …
What are your areas of work?
If we refer to environments, it can be from a hospital, a school, a penitentiary or a nursing home. In the latter, it is very important that they do not confuse us with animators, which is what happens to us sometimes, because what we do in them is to maintain the independence of the elderly as much as possible, their cognitive abilities, we do meaningful activities for them …
Regarding schools, we are in special education schools, for example, to help children with cerebral palsy, mobility problems …, but we should also be in ordinary schools, so that any child can do the activity they do at school, whether at an academic level, in the dining room, on the patio … you can do it independently. This is the case of children with a learning problem or disorder, ADHD, autism … who are enrolled in an ordinary center. In Spain in these schools it is not done, something that does happen in other countries, such as the United Kingdom
“Occupational therapists in nursing homes should receive a living wage, not have to work in several centers at the same time to get it”
In hospitals we are usually in the rehabilitation area, but there are many occupational therapists in the areas of child rehabilitation, on the floors and in ICUs, to help people who are admitted to dress, wash, eat … whenever the pathology is allow. In stroke units, for example, your work is crucial, because what is done in the first 48 hours is very important.
In prisons what exists is more a social problem, of social exclusion -an area in which we also work-, people with some type of mental disorder …
What types of people do you work with? Because they are not just people with disabilities …
With people who need support, either due to a disability or who need it at some point in their life, due to an illness, problems of social exclusion, women and children who are victims of violence, with few resources, drug addiction … there are many fields in which that we can carry out our work.
Is it usually a long-term job?
There are people who will need to work with OT all their lives … There are pathologies that affect people such as neurodevelopmental diseases that will need treatment from OT in a specific way or for long periods of time.
What tools do you work with?
We all use meaningful activities, meaningful to the person who is the target of therapy. In my case, the tool is the bonding and motivation generated by the animals within an intervention session. Although I dedicate myself above all to teaching and research. I teach occupational therapy in childhood and adolescence, I co-direct a specialist course in the same field and I direct a Research Chair that studies and disseminates the principles of animal welfare and inter-species bonding from empathy and bidirectional respect. I also coordinate the clinical practices of the entire career.
Why did you choose to be an occupational therapist?
Because it is an intense, motivating job and I am passionate about what I do. I have always liked children and working with them. The counselor at my institute told me about this profession, which I did not know, and convinced me to be able to work to help them become children regardless of their health or social condition.
What would you like to claim on World Occupational Therapy Day?
More OT in schools and in hospital plants, such as ICUs … And a decent salary for all my fellow residences, so that they do not have to work in several centers to have a decent salary.
