The human’s healthy lifestyle and well-being closely depend on the ability to adapt to and participate in life activities. The aim of the occupational therapy is to help patients improve or maintain skills necessary to lead productive and satisfying lives. Thus, the occupational therapy practitioners should understand the dynamic interactions between people, their social life and activities they need to perform on a daily basis.
Occupational therapy may be applied within community-based fall prevention programs for seniors, stress and anger management or self-management programs for those with chronic diseases like arthritis, autism and diabetes. The main task of occupational therapists is to assess health risks, teach strategies, helping to incorporate healthy habits into the daily routine, identify solutions to personal and environmental barriers, provide development trainings in stress management, as well as socializing, caregiving, etc. (American Occupational Therapy Association 1). I used to work with teenagers having diabetes, so I had a chance to see them struggling to lead a normal life without fear of further complications. In fact, diabetes is one of such diseases that can cause blindness, kidney failure or stroke, even for young people, so there is a need for incorporating diabetes management within the daily routine (Occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com 2). The occupational therapists teach diabetic patients techniques necessary to follow an appropriate diet and maintain blood glucose to an optimal level. They also promote the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle within self-management programs in order to enable patients to lead a full life and participate in meaningful occupations.
Works Cited
American Occupational Therapy Association. 2015. "The Role of Occupational Therapy With Health Promotion". Fact Sheet. Web.
Occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com. 2016. "Diabetes Management". Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
