CHAPTER3 Philosophical Principles and Values in Occupational Therapy 27

Productive Agin 0.
Community,
Hospital
Settingsg s

Home,

Mental Health
Health &Wellness
KDEAE Practice Areas
Technology

Children &Youth
OT Philosophical
Telehealth

Occupation is Both
Base NAN
Learning Entails Experience,
a
Means
and an End B61 Thinking, Feeling, and
h-
Doing
B e i n g s

Hu mClaniisemnt-caentnd erNaedluesApproach
JustiAlce,truism, Equality, Fre dom,
Potential for Change
A c t i v e

are

Humans

Dignity, Truth,
Engagement
in

Occupation
Prudence
Fig. 3.1 The philosophical roots of occupational therapy practice.

Occupational Therapy Views People as Active

BOX 3.2 Core Concepts of Occupational Therapy
People are viewed holistically.
occupation is critical to
People are active beings for whom
well-being.
OcCupations are classified as: ctivities
instrumental activities gf daily living, self-carg, education,
work, play and leisure, Sleep and rest, and gåticipation in
SOcial activities.
Learning entails experience, thinking, feeling,
doing.
The profession views OcCupation as botha means and
an end.
Every person has the potential for change.
The client, family, and significant others are active participants
throughout the therapeutic process - the client-centered
approach.
Occupational therapy is based on humanism, wherein the
values of altruism, equality, freedom, justice, dignity, truth, and
prudence are central to the profession.
altYuismlAO
Beings for Whom Occupation Is Critical to
Well-Bein9
OT views people as active beings. People are actively involved
in controlling and determining their own behavior and are ca-
of daily living. pable of changing behavior as desired. Furthermore, people
are viewed as open systems in which there is continuous inter-
action between the person and the environment. The
personns
and behaviors intluence the physical and social environment; in
turn, the person is aftected by changes in the environment.
Occupation refers to the ordinary and familiar things
that people do every day" It is the term used to "capture the
breadth and meaning of'everyday life activity."" Occupations
are activities that are, meaningful to individuals and add to
their daily lives. Each person performs certain occupations
e-g, feeding, dressing bathing, social participation, work,
education, sleep and rest, leisure). Occupations fulfill each
individual's need for security, belonging, physiological es
teem, and self-actualization. OT practitioners believe that