Occupational Therapist
What the work is
Assesses functional limitations of people resulting from injuries, illnesses and disability, and provides therapy to enable people to perform their daily activities and occupations.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assesses clients' emotional, psychological, developmental and physical capabilities using clinical observations and standardised tests
- Assesses clients' functional potential in their home, leisure, work and school environments, and recommends environmental adaptations
- Plans and directs programs using vocational, recreational, remedial, social and educational activities for individuals and groups
- Provides education to family members, carers, employers and teachers about adapting clients' home, leisure, work and school environments
- Provides recommendations for assistive technologies that allow clients to increase their independence and perform daily activities
- Provides education regarding restorative or compensatory strategies
- Collaborates with other Health Professionals in overall case management of clients
- Collaborates with other Professionals to provide specialist advice to client groups such as those requiring driver rehabilitation, third-party compensation and medico-legal representation
- Monitors and records clients' progress and maintains professional relationships in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and ethical guidelines
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a community health service that visits people in their own homes. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- Someone who thought they would never cook again makes their own dinner
- A small change to a home makes a big difference to a family
- A child tries something new at school because you adapted the tools
Hard days
- A family and a client want completely different things from the same plan
- A long wait for equipment that someone needs now
- Driving between homes with a full list and a phone that keeps ringing
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 262331, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.