Pocket Guide to Intervention in Occupational Therapy

Book excerpt: Pocket Guide to Intervention in Occupational Therapy, Second Edition builds upon the strengths of the first edition as a useful quick reference of occupational therapy terms and interventions regarding specific diagnoses and conditions. Occupational therapy is an evidence-based health care profession that uses scientifically based research to justify clinical practice. Interventions in hospitals, clinics, and community and school settings continue to evolve based on scientific evidence. These interventions are intended to prevent injury and maintain or improve client function. Pocket Guide to Intervention in Occupational Therapy, Second Edition by Dr. Franklin Stein and Dr. Kristine Haertl is organized around the major conditions that occupational therapists encounter in their everyday practice. These include physical, psychosocial, cognitive, geriatric, and pediatric diagnoses. Intervention guidelines are outlined for the major disabilities. In addition, there are brief descriptions of the intervention techniques that therapists use and definitions of terms that are relevant to interventions. Intervention techniques encompass the following: Non-medical techniques such as client health education or counseling Instruction in activities of daily living, modifying of environment such as in ergonomics Teaching and demonstrating arts and crafts as therapeutic activities Providing sensory stimulating activities especially for children The appendices include an outline of essential skills for occupational therapists, general developmental guidelines, an overview of muscles and movements, orthotic devices, tables of muscles, average range of motion measurements, prime movers for upper and selected lower extremity motions, and substitutions for muscle contractions. Pocket Guide to Intervention in Occupational Therapy, Second Edition is based on the latest scientific evidence garnered from recent research studies, meta-analyses, scoping reviews, occupational therapy textbooks and their own wide experiences as a clinician, professor and researcher.