Meaningful activities support the overall well-being
World Occupational Therapy Day – 27 October 2021
Buttoning a shirt, tying the laces or a tie … These are some of the things we take for granted, but which are actually “meaningful activities” because they are everyday aspects of Active Wellness that affect our quality of life. Sometimes these everyday activities can become goals through a life event. This is exactly what World Occupational Therapy Day has been honouring every year since 2010 on 27 October: to help people do what they want and need to do throughout their lives through therapeutic activities. 1
We rarely think about these daily activities until we find it difficult to do them. The work of occupational therapists is to find ways for us to perform such activities. 2 Occupational therapists talk to us about our needs and goals. They run tests to identify our strengths and weaknesses and then develop a plan to achieve our goals. This includes exercises and activities that strengthen our skills. “Ergo” means work or work and in this case refers to the daily activities that help us to live an independent and meaningful life.
The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) gives this profession an international voice and includes 101 national organizations worldwide. World Occupational Therapy Day is a way for them to promote their holistic approach to maintaining lifelong mobility. Occupational therapists focus on adapting the environment and/or task to the person who is considered an integral part of the therapy team. It is a science-based, evidence-based practice. 3
This year’s motto of World Occupational Therapy Day is “Belong. Be You.” 4 This is exactly what occupational therapists do: they help us to be part of our Global Wellness community by being ourselves and participating in Active Wellness in a targeted manner.
1. https://www.aota.org/conference-events/otmonth/what-is-ot.aspx
2, 3 https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-an-occupational-therapist
4. https://wfot.org/world-occupational-therapy-day