Occupational Therapy Domain

In the profession of occupational therapy, the goal is to help clients

participate in occupations, which are activities that people engage in
everyday and are essential to their identities (OBrien & Hussey, 2011, p.
81). There are
many areas of
occupation
including activities
of daily living and
instrumental
activities of daily
living.
Activities of daily
living include
activities that an
individual engages
in to take care of
one self and some examples include eating, bathing, dressing, and grooming
(OBrien & Hussey, 2011, p. 82). Instrumental activities of daily living are
activities that might be considered optional for personal survival and some
examples include care of others, financial
management, using communication
devices, and care of pets (OBrien & Hussey,
2011, p. 82). Other areas of occupation include the areas of rest and sleep,
education, work, play, leisure, and social participation.
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After the practitioner determines the occupations that the client wants to
engage in, the practitioner then analyzes the performance skills and client
factors that are affecting the completion the desired occupation (OBrien &
Hussey, 2011, p. 83). The practitioner looks at the performance skills that
are effective and ineffective in completing the desire occupation.
Performance skills include motor, process, communication, emotional
regulation, sensory, perceptual, and cognitive skills (OBrien & Hussey, 2011,
p. 83). An example of a performance skill that is negatively affecting the
completion of the desired occupation is a client who suffers from poor grossmotor skills that limits the clients ability to bathe in the morning. Client
factors can include values, beliefs, spirituality, body functions, and body
structures (OBrien & Hussey, 2011, p. 83). An example of a client factor that
needs to be addressed for successful participation in an occupation is limited
range of motion in a clients extremities that restricts their ability to dress
themselves.

A practitioner also analyzes other components including performance

patterns, context and environment, and activity demands to further
understand the client and to guide the intervention. Performance patterns
include the clients habits, routines, roles, and rituals. Activity demands
include the objects used in the activity that the client participates in,
sequencing and timing, required actions, required body functions, and
required body structures (OBrien & Hussey, 2011, p. 84). An example of a
performance pattern that negatively affects the completion of occupations is
a clients habit of continually waking up late to complete their bathing and
self care routine.
An example of an activity demand is the need to remain in an upright
standing position throughout the activity of taking a shower. Context and
environment includes the setting in where the occupation occurs and can
include cultural, physical, social, personal, temporal, and virtual contexts. An
example of contexts and environment includes learning to perform self-cares
at a patients home rather than in the environment of a clinic or hospital.

Works Cited
OBrien, J. C. & Hussey, S. M. (2012). Introduction to occupational therapy.
(4th ed.). Saint Louis, MO. Elsevier: Mosby.