Posicionamento público: resposta da Terapia Ocupacional à pandemia do Covid-19/Public statement: Occupational Therapy response to the Covid-19 pandemic

O presente manuscrito trata-se de uma tradução do posicionamento público da Federação Mundial de Terapeutas Ocupacionais (WFOT) sobre a atual pandemia do COVD-19 e suas implicações na perspectiva da Terapia Ocupacional, trazendo uma discussão sobre o conceito de terapia ocupacional, direitos humanos, saúde mental, tecnologia assistiva e telessaúde dentro da atual conjuntura de enfrentamento à COVID-19.AbstractThis manuscript is a translation of the public position of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) on the current pandemic of COVD-19 and its implications in the perspective of Occupational Therapy, bringing a discussion on the concept of occupational therapy, human rights , mental health, assistive technology and telehealth within the current situation of coping with COVID-19.Key words: Occupational therapy; Covid-19; Pndemia. ResumenEste manuscrito es una traducción de la posición pública de la Federación Mundial de los Terapeutas Ocupacionales (WFOT) sobre la pandemia actual de COVD-19 y sus implicaciones en la perspectiva de la Terapia Ocupacional, trayendo una discusión sobre el concepto de terapia ocupacional, derechos humanos , salud mental, tecnología de asistencia y telesalud en la situación actual de afrontamiento de COVID-19.Palabras clave: Terapia ocupacional; Covid-19; Pandemia.

Declaração de posição telessaúde/Position statement telehealth

O presente manuscrito trata-se de uma tradução do posicionamento da Federação Mundial de Terapeutas Ocupacionais (WFOT) sobre o atendimento em telessaúde, esclarecendo as definições, os seus desafios e estratégias, trazendo o esclarecimento sobre questões éticas e legais sobre a modalidade de atendimento não presencial, além de destacar a abordagem centrada no cliente como estratégia profissional. AbstractThe present manuscript is a translation of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) position statement on telehealth care, clarifying definitions, challenges and strategies, bringing clarification on ethical and legal issues regarding non- in person health care, in addition to highlighting the client-centered approach as a professional strategy.Key words: Telehealth; Occupational Therapy; Client-centredness in occupational therapy. ResumenEl presente manuscrito es una traducción de la declaración de posición de la Federación Mundial de Terapeutas Ocupacionales (WFOT, por sus siglas en inglés) sobre atención de telesalud, aclarando definiciones, desafíos y estrategias, brindando aclaraciones sobre cuestiones éticas y legales relacionadas con la atención de salud no en persona, además de destacar al cliente enfoque centrado como una estrategia profesional.Palabras clave: Telesalud; Terapia ocupacional; terapia ocupacional Centrado en el cliente.  

Worldwide Survey on Digital Assistive Technology (DAT) Provision

Occupational therapists have long been involved in assistive technology (AT) provision worldwide. AT is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to enhance functioning, independence, and autonomy and ultimately promote well-being for people living with disabilities. With the digitalisation of societies, the everyday lives and occupations of individuals are changing, becoming more reliant on digital solutions. The development of digital assistive technology (DAT) also offers opportunities for people with disabilities to access, interact, and pilot the digital world. However, we do not know how occupational therapists are involved in DAT provision worldwide. A survey was conducted in the global occupational therapist’s community in June 2022 to describe DAT provision and the factors influencing it. Occupational therapy practitioners were included (n=660) in the analysis. In DAT provision, occupational therapists mostly provide advice to people, assess their needs, provide instruction or training, prescribe DAT, and fit DAT to people and their environment. The clients served through DAT provision are most frequently people with neurological impairments, chronic illnesses, sensory impairments, and older people. The reasons for providing DAT focus on education, work, school, and leisure. It is expected that DAT provision will enhance independence, self-esteem, occupational participation, and social relationships. Issues faced by occupational therapists when providing DAT are costs of product and funding schemes, sufficient knowledge, and access to knowledge sources. Survey respondents are mostly from Western countries with access to the Internet and the digital world, including having digital literacy, highlighting the digital divide that exists between world regions and countries, but also within countries worldwide. There is a need to continue research to better understand the issues related to digitalisation and the digital participation of people living with disabilities

A national evaluation of the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (1994): A multi-stakeholder perspective

This paper summarises results from an evaluation of the adequacy and utility of the Australian Competency Standards for Entry-Level Occupational Therapists © (OT AUSTRALIA, 1994a). It comprised a two-part study, incorporating an online survey of key national stakeholders (n = 26), and 13 focus groups (n = 152) conducted throughout Australia with occupational therapy clinicians, academics, OT AUSTRALIA association and Occupational Therapy Registration Board representatives, as well as university program accreditors. The key recommendations were that: (i) urgent revision to reflect contemporary practice, paradigms, approaches and frameworks is required; (ii) the standards should exemplify basic competence at graduation (not within two years following); (iii) a revision cycle of five years is required; (iv) the Australian Qualifications Framework should be retained, preceded by an introduction describing the scope and nature of occupational therapy practice in the national context; (v) access to the standards should be free and unrestricted to occupational therapists, students and the public via the OT AUSTRALIA (national) website; (vi) the standards should incorporate a succinct executive summary and additional tools or templates formatted to enable occupational therapists to develop professional portfolios and create working documents specific to their workplace; and (vii) language must accommodate contextual variation while striking an appropriate balance between providing instruction and encouraging innovation in practice