Questions about Occupational Therapy  
(also referred to as OT)

Hang in here for the answers
1 What is OT? 1  When the way we do things every day is disrupted by e.g. illness or injury, occupational therapy helps to restore function and make life worth living again.  The purpose of OT is to enable people to overcome barriers within themselves or their environment that prevent them from engaging in the ordinary and exciting things that make up the fabric of their lives.   All the occupations of life such as play, leisure, work and personal care, that take up so much of our time, energy, interest and attention, help to make people healthy.
2 Where is Cape Town? 2  Cape Town is at the south-western tip of Africa on the Atlantic Ocean seaboard.  See nelsonsguides.co.za
3 Who can benefit from OT? 3  Everyone, anyone.  Patients and clients of all ages and from all walks of life, with a wide range of diagnoses and conditions.  People at risk of developing health related problems can also benefit from OT.
4 What do OTs do? 4  OTs use real occupations to help people who have been ill, injured or disabled to recover their skills, or to develop new ones.  This includes visiting and assisting clients at home and at work, treating patients in clinics and hospitals, assisting growth and development of disabled children at school and promoting the integration of people
with physical and mental health concerns.
5 What is Occupation, how should OT be understood and what are the OT values at UCT? 5  The term "Occupation" is often misunderstood and means much more in OT than the ability to work.  Everyday life actually proceeds through a myriad of occupations that are imbedded in time and place, and in the cultural and other patterns that organise what we do. Occupation enables humans to develop .......................... [more]
6  Who should consider becoming an OT? 6  Someone who enjoys working with people, is good at problem solving, enjoys being innovative and is not afraid of a challenge.  See link to More Information on Admission Requirements.
7 What training centres are there in South Africa? 7  There are eight universities in South Africa which offer OT training: Cape Town, Durban-Westville, Free State, MEDUNSA, Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Western Cape and Witwatersrand.
8 Why choose UCT? 8  The University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences is renowned for its excellent training and for its health services to the community.  Students train in hospitals and other health facilities, schools, vocational training centres and in the community.  See link to Courses.
9 What courses are on offer at UCT? 9 BSc(Occupational Therapy), Conversion BSc(Occupational Therapy), MSc (Occupational Therapy) and PhD.  See link to Courses.
10 What are the admission requirements? 10 See link to More Information on Admission Requirements.
11 What about financial assistance and fees? 11  See link to Financial assistance and fees at UCT  http://www.uct.ac.za/
12 Is there any opportunity for higher study? 12  Yes.  UCT offers a MSc(Occupational Therapy) degree by coursework, by dissertation only and PhD registration. See Postgraduate link.
13 Where do OTs work? 13 OTs work in hospitals, clinics, special and mainstream schools, private practice and in the community.   See link to Where, what?
14 Are the qualifications recognised anywhere else in the world? 14 Yes. The qualifications are highly thought of in and outside Africa and are recognised by all member countries of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Some countries require an entrance examination before registration.
15 What is Occupational Science? 15  Occupational Science is the study of the form, function and meaning of occupation, with a focus on the complexity of occupation in human life.
16 Who would study it? 16  People from many different disciplines, like anthropology, psychology, education and sociology, as well as occupational therapists.
17 Do OTs still make baskets? 17 No!  This is a misconception stemming from the olden days when hospitalised soldiers were kept "occupied" doing a variety of craft activities.

18 What is this juggler doing here?

            

18  He's trying to get his act together!  

[Everything has gone wrong -  his wife has run off with the milkman, his car was rammed by a taxi and now his boss is shouting at him as he hasn't finished the budget- he can't cope.]
19 What does OT have to do with juggling? 19  OTs help people who are falling apart to get their lives together.