Occupational Therapy, a health discipline, provides services to people of all ages whose lives have been disrupted by physical injury, illness, and developmental, psychosocial, or aging-related problems. Occupational therapy practitioners work with individuals to gain or regain the ability to participate in their daily occupations. These occupations can include anything that occupies their time, such as self-care tasks, social participation, work, play and leisure activities. For example, a person with a disability may need to relearn how to dress, how to safely take a bus, or how to prepare a basic meal in order to restore quality and meaning back into their life.<br><br>An Occupational Therapy Assistant works under the direction of an Occupational Therapist and is part of the health care team. Following an established evaluation and treatment plan with goals, the OTA carries out the treatment plan through interventions, adaptions to the environment or education/instruction about the disease process, etc. The OTA collaborates with the OT on treatment planning, progress toward the goals and performs documentation. The OTA confers with other health professionals and is an active member of the health care team.<br><br>Occupational therapy assistant students in our program will obtain both didactic and clinical knowledge and experience to effectively perform OT intervention in various OT practice areas. OT practices may include, but are not limited to the following: children with disabilities, teens with depression, adults suffering from a brain trauma, surgery, disease, and injury, and older adults suffering from Parkinson, Dementia or home/workspace adaptations. OTAs are vital in assisting individuals to develop, recover and improve the skills needed for daily living.