Occupational

Therapists
Rehabilitate
Ukrainians
Kylee Pitts
IDC-201-201
Media Scoop
 What is
Occupational Occupational Therapy is the use of occupation to
promote health and wellness with the overall goal of

Therapy? helping people of all ages prevent, lessen, or adapt to

disabilities.

Activities that OT’s address include

Bathing
Dressing
Operating computers
Cooking
Socializing
Writing
Eating
And much more
A day in the life of an OT
 • As of Today, the war has lasted
375 days.
• 8,101 civilians killed as of
2/26/2023, of these 488 were
children.
• 13,479 civilians have been
injured, 962 of these being
The war in Ukraine children.
• Between 40,000 – 60,000 Russian
soldiers have been killed, and
another 100,000+ wounded.
• About 13,000 Ukrainian troops
have been killed, and another
70,000+ wounded.
• Over 6,000 children have been
taken to camps in Russia since
the beginning of the war. In these
camps these children are not
allowed to contact their families
and are subjected to pro-Russian
re-education.
 - The use of explosives often result
in spinal cord injuries (SCI) and
traumatic brain injuries (TBI); the
war in Ukraine has increased the
number of patients in need of
rehabilitation.

- Following the outbreak of the war,

Ukraine has transformed a
rehabilitation center into a national
center for SCI & TBI care. The
United Kingdom supplied all the
Vital equipment for this center.

- OT (known as ergo-therapy in
Ukraine), is still fairly new in
Ukraine with only about 50 OT’s
across the country.

The need for OT in Ukraine

• Since Ukraine has such few Occupational
Therapists, OT’s from all over the world have
chimed in to help with techniques, funding,
supplies, and have even taken a “travel job” in
Ukraine to help with the overwhelming
amount of patients.
• ”It’s just wonderful, I barely have words to
describe it. I feel like the entire world is
now present in Rivne,” Yuliya says about
the experience” One native Ukrainian OT
explained while talking about the
experience of OT’s coming from all over
the world to help.
• Occupational therapists not only help
with physical ailments, but also help with
mental health which is obviously a large
problem in a war zone.
• Close to 10 million Ukrainians are at risk
for anxiety & depression, this has led
Ukraine government to greatly increase
the investments & delivery of mental
health services.
 References

• Department of OT. (2022, October 19). What is ot? UTHSC. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from
https://www.uthsc.edu/health-professions/occupational-therapy/about/what-is-ot.php
• Greenfield, E. (2023, January 5). Letters to the editor - occupational therapy, Ukraine, questioning
government, Title 42. Dallas News. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2023/01/05/letters-to-the-editor-
occupational-therapy-ukraine-questioning-government-title-42/
• OCHA. (2023, February 22). Occupational therapist rehabilitates Ukrainians with complex injuries
at WHO-supported centre - Ukraine. ReliefWeb. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from
https://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/occupational-therapist-rehabilitates-ukrainians-complex-injuries-
who-supported-centre
• Ott, H. (2023, February 24). One year of Russia's war in Ukraine, by the numbers. CBS News.
Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-war-news-russia-
invasion-by-the-numbers/