Occupational Therapy Month: An Expert’s Advocacy Guide for OTs

Occupational Therapists’ Role During the Pandemic

OTs treat patients of all ages that suffer from injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them regain the physical and mental skills needed for daily life, whether that is in a school environment, workplace, at home, and even when it comes to play and leisure.

“Our focus in OT is how do I help you be independent and how do I help you achieve the goals you want to achieve, be the best you can be, live the life you want to live, and have the best quality of life possible,” Dr. Roberts said. “There are so many different things that can figure into that. There are so many different ways we can have an impact.”

Patients that have been bed-ridden for multiple weeks or months—such as particularly severe cases of Covid-19—are also candidates for OT care. Many of them suffer a loss of strength, coordination, mobility, and independence. In these situations, OTs have proven to be a beneficial part of the recovery process, helping clients regain their independence and reinstate their daily routines.

“We’re seeing how dangerous it is acutely, but we’re just learning what it means to be a long haul survivor of Covid and what the possible cognitive limitations and physical limitations are,”  Dr. Roberts said. “There are so many different ways that it’s affecting people in the long term.”

OTs are trained to help patients who have just suffered from short-term acute conditions, such as heart attacks, organ transplants, or broken bones, but also work with patients for the long haul to help them regain their strength and prevent further damage, which is why OTs can help support all types of individuals affected by the Covid-19 at every stage of their recovery journey, the Royal College of Occupational Therapy said.

Beyond the physical aspects of rehabilitation, recovering coronavirus patients can also be troubled with sleeping difficulties, anxiety, and depression six months after their initial recovery, according to a study conducted on survivors of Covid-19.

OTs may also help clients suffering from the mental aspects of recovery by recommending clients utilize familiar activities as coping mechanisms, such as listening to music, playing cards, writing, doodling, cooking, or cleaning.

“We have a very holistic approach. We do everything from physical to psychosocial to social participation and everything in between. So we are uniquely qualified to help,” Dr. Roberts said.

A Rising Demand for OTs

For a number of years in the early 2000s, demand for OTs plateaued. The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 had caused a decline in job availability. Skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies began laying off employees left and right. Simultaneously, there was a dramatic decrease in student enrollments seen by many occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs in the years following.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a temporary boost in demand for OTs, outside of the health crisis, experts expect that demand will continue to rise. In fact, in the 10-year period between 2019 and 2029, the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that the need for OTs will grow by 16 percent—which is much faster than the average projected rate for all occupations in the same decade (4 percent).

So where is this sudden increase in demand coming from?

The Aging Population

Much of the increase in the need for OTs has to do with the aging of the U.S. population of Baby Boomers. As people age, they increasingly want to stay in their own homes, as opposed to living in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

“As the Boomers get into their 70s and as a greater proportion of the population is over 65, many of whom have already have chronic diseases or chronic diagnoses like diabetes or arthritis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease, those people are going to have more needs in the long term,” Dr. Roberts said.

“So they’re going to be in the community longer, potentially with limitations. And so this aging of our population is going to mean that there are more people with needs that can be addressed through occupational therapy.”

“And I think there’s also a greater emphasis on aging in place. So between telehealth and adaptive equipment and accessibility changes and more resources in the community, more people are able to live longer at home.”

While the aging population is definitely a significant factor, it’s not the only cause. 

A Profession Gaining Recognition

Demand for OTs is also up in hospitals due to increased recognition of the role that occupational therapy has in lowering readmission rates.

A 2016 study by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that “occupational therapy was the only spending category that had a statistically significant impact on hospital readmissions” for heart failure, pneumonia and acute myocardial infarction.

“The findings of this important study highlight just one of the many roles occupational therapy practitioners are playing in improving quality and reducing healthcare costs,” said Frederick P. Somers, CEO of the AOTA. “Occupational therapy practitioners are proving to be an essential member of any interprofessional team successfully addressing the changing demands of the healthcare delivery system.”

The Increasing Needs of Youth

As services for students with disabilities expand and the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders grows, parents are learning more about their children’s rights. As a result, the need for occupational therapy in school systems is likely to increase, according to the AOTA.

“I think there is a greater focus on needs and the required resources for the community of families where someone in the family is on the autism spectrum,” Dr. Roberts added. “As we continue to highlight the needs of that population, and we’ve broadened our understanding of the impact of that diagnosis, especially in school systems. That will help our focus on the quality of life, social participation, and independence function.”

To address the growing need for OTs, master’s degree programs like that at Regis College, which was accredited in 2018 and where Dr. Roberts is the founding director, are beginning to pop up. 

“Feel free to go on Monster or Indeed and just check for OT programs in your area. You’re going to see how many OT job listings are up. There are a lot of jobs out there and starting salaries are good, so you can borrow money for school and not worry that you’re never going to use the degree again, or saddle yourself with so much debt and never be able to make it back. The job market is strong enough and salaries are strong enough that it’s a good investment in yourself,” Dr. Roberts said.