Back to Top Occupational Therapist - The Ottawa Hospital Website scanner for suspicious and malicious URLs
 

toh

Occupational TherapyThe Occupational Therapist (OT) helps you learn to become as independent as possible in activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, transfers, mobility and homemaking.  Assistive devices (such as a bath seat, reacher, rocker knife, splints) and home accessibility may be investigated.  An assessment of posture and mobility with the prescription of a wheelchair with appropriate seating may be provided.

  • Occupational therapy within rehabilitation involves the assessment, treatment and education of patients with complex physical, cognitive and behavioural needs whose needs cannot be met by the services available in the community.
  • In- and outpatient services are provided to patients with orthopedic, neurological, respiratory, cognitive and behavioural disorders, and are directed toward the prevention and alleviation of dysfunction.
  • Therapy is provided to relieve pain, strengthen muscles, improve joint mobility and range of motion, to enhance cognitive-thinking skills and to improve overall function in order to allow the individual to engage in all those daily activities that are important to him or her.

Clinical Services

Our Occupational Therapy services include the assessment and treatment of:

  • Daily-living activities as well as prescribing specialized equipment in order to promote function and independence
  • Assistance with home accessibility and safety when related to complex physical needs, as well as the provision of specialized equipment (as part of inpatient discharge planning)  http://www.irrd.ca/education/presentation.asp?refname=e4w1
  • Assistance with use of technology to allow independence at home
  • Assistance with wheelchair use, seating and mobility for those with complex physical needs http://www.irrd.ca/education/presentation.asp?refname=e1b1
  • Assistance with the Assistive Devices Program (ADP), which provides support and funding to Ontario residents who have long-term physical disabilities and provides access to personalized assistive devices    http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/adp/adp_mn.html
  • Cognitive and perceptual retraining
  • Hand therapy; static and dynamic splinting
  • Upper extremity prosthetic assessment and training (authorized ADP clinic for conventional and power-operated prosthetics)
  • Care for extensive burns and fitting for pressure garments (authorized ADP burn clinic)
  • Augmentative communication (authorized ADP expanded level communication clinic).
  • Energy conservation and pacing strategies
  • Pain management
  • Driving rehabilitation specialists

Occupational Therapy Research

Occupational therapists participate in variety of research and quality improvement projects within the institution and as members of provincial health-care projects.

Occupational Therapy Training

Occupational therapists are university graduates of recognized university-based occupational therapy programs and are licensed by the College of Occupational Therapy of Ontario to practice occupational therapy in Ontario.

Occupational therapists must graduate with an entry-level Master’s degree from an occupational therapy program of an accredited Canadian university after a minimum of four years undergraduate academic training. In addition, they must complete multiple clinical internships in recognized health-care facilities.

After graduation, the College of Occupational Therapy of Ontario requires that candidates pass the Occupational Therapy National Examination.

We are a teaching facility affiliated with the University of Ottawa and provide fieldwork placements/internships for Occupational Therapy students and Occupational Therapist Assistant students.

More information is available from:

More information about The Ottawa Hospital Occupational Therapy

Last updated on: March 9th, 2021