Occupational therapist assistants (OTAs) work under the supervision of occupational therapists (OTs), but are still held to the same standards for acting professionally and ethically. Clients are at the centre of occupational therapy practice and OTAs will encounter a variety of clients with different goals and personalities throughout their careers. Putting the priorities of clients first is part of an OTA’s duty to act with integrity.

The guidelines and principles that outline ethical practice and professionalism for OTs and OTAs provide a guarantee to clients that they can trust those who work in this profession. Whether you are facing a complicated situation or a regular day as and OTA, you will be expected to maintain ethical and professional practice. Here is a little more information about what that means.

The Principles of Client-Centred Practice

If you wish to become an occupational therapy assistant it is necessary to recognize and respect the underpinning principles of client-centred practice. The client’s needs, wishes, and experiences come first in providing and deciding on care plans. With the supervising OT, you must communicate openly and clearly to show that you will collaborate with clients to ensure their priorities are your priorities.

As an OTA you will be working with clients to help improve their participation in daily life and it will be important to know what gives them meaning and purpose. In order to do this, you must avoid assumptions and reserve judgement about an individual’s values and life goals. With the right training, you will have strategies and hands-on experience to uphold the principles of client-centred practice.

Respect for Autonomy Is Another Way to Centre Clients

An OT must inform the client about recommendations for services and care. The client may give consent or refuse and their decision must be accepted even if their choice does not align with the one you would make. Students who have gone through an occupational therapy assistant program will have specialized knowledge and opinions about care, but it should not be expected that this knowledge take precedence over a client’s autonomy.

The ways in which you can respect autonomy are to actively support clients in working towards their goals, respecting the confidentiality of the client, and checking in with clients about your interactions with them on a regular basis.

Ethics and Professionalism Are Occupational Therapist Assistant Course Topics

As an OTA, you may work in a variety of facilities including hospitals, long-term care homes, and occupational therapy office. Part of preparing to work in these environments includes completing a course in ethics and professionalism as part of your studies.

Clients will be a range of ages and experience many different conditions. They may have challenges because of impairment of body structure, an injury, or barriers in their social and physical environment. The knowledge you have about exercise foundations, anatomy and physiology, and healthcare systems will be bolstered by your capacity to follow the guidelines for ethical practice.

Are you interested in becoming an OTA?

Learn more about the occupational therapist assistant course offered at KLC!

If you are considering a career as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA), you are probably someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of other people. As an OTA, you will be responsible for providing personalized care to clients who might be experiencing a variety of difficulties. Some of these difficulties might affect what is commonly referred to as Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs.

Helping clients with their ADLs is something that you may have to do as an OTA. For that reason, it is important for aspiring OTAs to be aware of the ways that a client’s environment can impact their ADLs.

Check out our blog to learn more about ADLs, client environments, and your role as an OTA!

Understanding Environmental Impact in Your Occupational Therapist Assistant Course

To understand how a client’s environment (i.e., the space around them) can impact their ADLs, it is important to understand what exactly ADLs refer to. Although some clients might be more autonomous than others in completing their ADLs, here are a few things that the term refers to:

Ambulating — is the technical term used to describe a person’s ability to walk or move from one place to another.

Feeding — is the ability of a person to independently prepare their food and feed themselves.

Dressing and grooming — refer to a person’s capacity to choose appropriate clothing for different occasions, put that clothing on, and to manage or maintain their personal appearance.

Toileting — means going to the toilet, using it appropriately, and cleaning up after themselves.

Transferring — is the ability to move from one position to another. This may include movements like transferring from a bed or a chair to a standing position, or vice-versa.

A career training program in occupational therapy assistance will teach you that when the environment of a client is adapted to their needs, it can help the client to perform their ADLs. There are many environmental changes that can be made to a client’s living space. Some of the more common ones include: ramps, modified lighting, adapted steps, adherent floors, and wider doors.

Here’s How You Can Help Clients Manage Their ADLs

When you complete your occupational therapy assistant training, you’ll find that a client’s ability to complete their ADLs is important for maintaining their overall health and quality of life. The combination of the right environmental adaptations and a qualified OTA can help give clients a feeling of independence.

As an OTA, if your client lives in a place with adapted environmental conditions, it is important that you take the time to understand everything that has been put in place for them. Learning what your client needs is essential in being able to provide the right services. When you have a good awareness of your client’s needs and how their environment is assisting them, you can help them with their ADLs, and encourage them to perform certain activities on their own.

You might meet many different clients who have difficulty completing their ADLs. These may range from people who are recovering from major surgeries to senior citizens and to people who have incapacitating illnesses. As an OTA, you must be prepared to help different clients perform different tasks.

Are you looking for an occupational therapy assistant program?

Contact KLC College today and find out more!

Gerontology is the study of aging, and the various processes, aspects and challenges associated with it as adults reach the later stages of life. As an occupational therapy assistant, you can help members of this population reclaim or maintain their independence and quality of life, whether through assisting them with tasks like dressing, cleaning, moving into a wheelchair from their bed, or helping prepare meals.

In a medical context, geriatrics zeroes in on how to care for members of the elderly population properly and effectively. Occupational therapy can help older clients maintain as much of their independence as they can, even if their mobility is limited or they currently live in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home. Here’s why learning about gerontology is such an important step in succeeding as an occupational therapy assistant.

Occupational Therapy Helps Older People Maintain Independence and Avoid Health Risks

There are many ways in which occupational therapy can be a boon for your elderly clients, not the least of which includes how they can maintain their independence and personal freedom. This is especially since older adults may have various medical needs of a complex nature and require assistance from an occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant. Additionally, their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks may be impeded by age-related factors.

During your career, you’ll be monitoring the progress of older clients under an occupational therapist’s supervision. You’ll help clients reach certain goals while keeping their safety a top priority. For example, you and the occupational therapist you work under can help these adults come up with strategies to avoid problems related to balance or mobility. This could include eliminating risks inside the home that could cause falls, such as rugs, unlit hallways, or stairs without railings. You’ll be helping find solutions to help older clients maintain or regain their autonomy, which is one of the most satisfying aspects of being an occupational therapy assistant. In order to better help you care for this particular population, you’ll learn about gerontology during your occupational therapy assistant program.

Working with This Population Can Boost Their Morale and Quality of Life

To become an occupational therapy assistant, it’s important to work towards a goal of improving clients’ quality of life and overall sense of happiness, as well as to help them make up for certain personal restrictions, such as mobility, preparing meals, or issues with motor skills. Working closely with a senior citizen in this way can also help build a solid relationship between you and the client.

This will also allow you to practice your strong communication and interpersonal skills in order to succeed in the field, regardless of the age of your clients. While an elderly client may not be able to care for themselves the way they used to, having a caring, empathetic occupational therapy assistant around to help them can improve their morale and make things that much easier for them.

Do you want to take an occupational therapist assistant course?

Contact KLC College for more information!

Many of us take activities of daily living (ADLs) for granted, but what happens when life circumstances suddenly cause us to need help with them? This is where occupational therapy steps in to help people with their ADLs.

ADLs are usually separated into two categories: basic and instrumental. The former often consists of tasks like dressing, grooming, bathing, and eating, while the latter represents more complex tasks such as preparing meals, doing laundry, shopping for groceries, and driving. This is by no means an exhaustive list of ADLs, but you can certainly anticipate encountering them in your career.

After completing your occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program, you’ll be working to help individuals perform these daily tasks more easily. If you can help someone to regain their independence and try overcoming their circumstances, you can help lead them to a happier and freer life. Here’s why ADLs will be a major component of your responsibilities if you’re seeking a career as an occupational therapy assistant.

Occupational Therapy Assistants Help Patients Regain Their Independence

Whether through injury, illness, disability, or chronic condition, the ability of children, adults, and seniors to perform daily tasks can be greatly impeded. As an occupational therapy assistant, you’ll be expected to carry out the OT’s treatment plan to ensure the patient can regain a sense of freedom despite their limitations, and help put it into action — even if it means teaching them alternative strategies to perform tasks to compensate for their circumstances.

Under the supervision of an occupational therapist, you will be providing patients with therapeutic activities that can help improve their functioning and ability to complete certain tasks. To become an occupational therapy assistant is to help people reclaim their self-sufficiency, and doing so successfully will be a great source of satisfaction for you, the OT supervising you, and the patient.

ADLs Will Come Up When Patients are Relearning Tasks Through Injury or Disability

Some patients are in need of occupational therapy through an injury to their extremities and/or an illness that has caused them to need to relearn skills that once came so easily. As a result, these patients will need assistance with basic and/or instrumental ADLs, and the OTA will be responsible for teaching them how to carry out those tasks again.

After your occupational therapy assistant program, you may also work with the disabled, such as helping children with autism with social interaction, or those with any other developmental or physical disability. You will learn about neurological and communication disorders in your program, as well as various other aspects of the profession, to better understand how to give optimal treatment and activities that best suit these patients. It’s important not only to regularly monitor how patients progress with these activities, but to also offer positive reinforcement and encouragement along the way.

You’ll Cater to a Variety of Needs When You Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

People often need occupational therapy for coordinating their motor function, but also for their cognitive and/or sensory function, or other psychosocial factors. You may interact with patients with various physical limitations early in your career as well, since OTA programs often include a work placement component in environments like a hospital, physiotherapy clinic, and/or a long-term care facility.

Examination results for each patient will be different, and some may need more help with rudimentary tasks such as personal hygiene, eating, or using the bathroom, while others may be in more need of assistance with going to places outside their home, caring for their pets, or even communicating and socializing with others. Either way, there’s a learning curve for each patient, but adapting to it successfully will help them along the road to recovery.

Want to enroll in an occupational therapy assistant course?

Contact KLC College to find out more!

Surface anatomy is a part of gross anatomy, or the study of tissues and organs that are visible to the naked eye. These visible parts are also known as the macroscopic level. Surface anatomy is specifically the external features of the body that can be seen without dissection. For occupational therapy, being familiar with the human body is foundational. Also referred to as superficial anatomy or visual anatomy, surface anatomy allows practitioners to locate landmarks and use palpation, which is physical examination through touching the surface of the body. Read on for some facts about this important part of studying to become an occupational therapy assistant.

1. Surface Anatomy uses Directional Terms from Occupational Therapy Assistant Courses

Directional terms are used in anatomy to be clear about locations on the body as well as to describe movements. The starting point for directional terms is the anatomical position, in which a person is standing facing forward, with their arms at their sides and palms facing forward. From there, we can use terms such as superior or inferior, meaning upper or lower, or posterior and anterior, meaning back and front. These words will allow you to understand and communicate with the occupational therapist (OT) you assist when you become an occupational therapy assistant, for example, when helping with exercises or activities for coordination.

2. Surface Anatomy Establishes Landmarks for after Occupational Therapy Assistant Courses

When assisting an occupational therapist, you may notice that they use bony landmarks to orient themselves on a client’s body, or use them to communicate with you. Much like geographical landmarks like the CN Tower in Toronto or Fort Henry in Kingston, they are used as reference points (combined with directional terms) to understand the map of the human body and stay oriented. This is also a way to refer to areas of concern or focus in ways that both you and the OT you assist will understand. An example of a bony landmark is the C7 spine at the back of the neck.

3. Palpation Inspects Clients Using Surface Anatomy

Palpation is used by many professionals including osteopaths, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and massage therapists to examine the body by touching its surface. After completing an occupational therapy assistant program, you may notice different methods for gathering information that the OT you assist uses. For example, they may use techniques like asking a client questions or observing how they move. Palpation is another method that requires knowledge of surface anatomy and landmarks, using the hands to feel surface tissues and bony protrusions.

Are you interested in an occupational therapist assistant course?

Contact KLC College for more information!

As Canada’s population continues to age, the demand for occupational therapy assistants is expected to remain strong. While there are many opportunities for OTAs, landing the best positions depends largely on having your resume noticed by employers.

Creating a great resume for an OTA position is a bit different from creating a resume for other types of jobs. Employers of OTAs are looking for unique skills and experiences, and your resume is your first chance to prove that you have what they’re after. Here are a few tips for crafting a resume to help you get noticed.

1. Put Yourself in an Employer’s Head When Writing Your Resume

If you want your resume to stand out, you need to think like an employer. That means crafting your resume so that it shows employers what you can do for them. When you adopt the mindset of an OTA employer, you will write certain parts of your resume differently than you otherwise would. For example, when talking about your OTA program, don’t just mention that you successfully completed it, as this tells the employer very little about what skills you will bring to the job.

Instead, go into detail about what you learned in your program and how this can benefit the employer. For example, one occupational therapist assistant course you will study is Introduction to Gerontology. If the job you are applying for consists of working with the elderly, highlight what you learned in this course and how it is relevant to the position.

2. Use Keywords to Get Your OTA Resume in Front of Human Eyes

Unfortunately, the first person to review your resume may not be a person at all, but rather an applicant tracking systems (ATS). An ATS typically scans your resume for certain keywords that are important to the employer in order to automatically reject weak candidates. While you won’t have any way of knowing for sure what these keywords are, you can make educated guesses.

For example, if you know the position requires you to mainly work with clients with neurological disorders, be sure to mention that you studied neurological disorders in your program. Specifically, make sure the phrase “neurological disorders” is included in the resume. While you don’t want to stuff your resume with keywords, you should at least make sure you have the ones you think are important sprinkled throughout.

3. Highlight Your Occupational Therapy Assistant Placement Experience

Employers highly value candidates who have experience in the field. While coursework is important, on-the-job experience will help you understand the practical challenges that OTAs face every day. After you complete the theory component of your occupational therapy assistant program, you will complete a 12-week placement. This can occur in private clinics, hospitals, or long-term care facilities.

Even if you’re applying for a position at a different type of facility or working with different types of clients, your placement experience is one of the strongest features of your resume. Employers especially like to see what your achievements were at your placement. So, rather than just listing your job duties, talk about your accomplishments. For example, maybe a client or the occupational therapist you worked under singled you out for praise. You can include this as an accomplishment by mentioning the positive feedback you received during your placement. This shows employers that you’ll make a valuable addition to their team.

Do you want to become an occupational therapy assistant?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our programs.

Physiotherapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) play an important role in a client’s physical rehabilitation – the ultimate goal is to help them improve their physical capabilities as well as their overall confidence. As a physiotherapy assistant, you may meet with some clients who aren’t familiar with exactly what a PT or OT does, and may be nervous about starting a physical therapy session.

Whether you work in a private clinic, hospital, or home-care, you can help dispel some of the more common myths a client may be aware of, and make them feel more comfortable with the idea of physiotherapy as well as prepare them for their journey through PT or OT.

Read on to find out how your training can help you debunk some of these popular physiotherapy myths.

Myth #1: Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy are the Same Profession

Although both involve similar aspects and common goals, physiotherapy and occupational therapy are actually two separate career options.

While physiotherapy aims to improve a client’s strength, mobility, and range of motion, occupational therapy focuses on improving a client’s ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). They are simply two different steps of the healing process, where PT treats the actual impairment and OT helps clients process and integrate their impairment in a way that keeps them engaged, capable, and independent in their own daily life.

Myth #2: Occupational Therapists Are There to Help Clients Find a Job

While the word occupational is generally used in the context of a profession, you should tell clients it’s best to leave the resume at home.

In occupational therapy, the word is used to signify a common activity that a person is engaging in – this can be anything from standing to lifting to even buttoning a shirt. It’s used in the profession because occupational therapists are there to support clients in performing these daily activities, and re-learning how to do them independently, without assistance.

Myth #3: Grads of Physiotherapy Assistant Training Only Treat Injuries

The idea that therapy exists to treat injuries is common, but physiotherapists actually do much more than that. Physiotherapy assistant training includes important lessons on anatomy and physiology, so you can better understand how the body operates as a whole, including when it’s injured. An injury, in fact, doesn’t have to be necessary for PT or OT – some clients may simply be facing challenges as they grow older, and may need help improving their mobility or staying active.

Myth #4: A Physiotherapy Session Has to Involve Pain in Order to Work

Many clients may be worried that their physiotherapy will be painful. While pain is something that is associated with the injuries physiotherapy addresses, the treatment itself shouldn’t actually be painful.

As a PT or OT assistant, you should work within the comfort zones of your clients, so it’s a good idea to check in, ask questions, and encourage them to communicate during a session. The goal is always pain-free movement, and you should revise your techniques according to your training from an occupational therapy assistant program anytime a client experiences pain.

Myth #5: Students in Occupational Therapy Assistant Programs Focus on Exercise

Because of its focus on the movement of the body, some clients may assume that PT or OT may involve exercise. While it’s certainly a component than can help improve body movement as a whole, the amount of exercise can vary from client to client, depending on the nature of their injury or individual needs.

A client with a knee injury, for example, won’t need the same types of exercise as a client who has a shoulder strain. It’s important to remember that clients will have different problems that need different solutions, and exercise should be approached on a dynamic, one-on-one basis, not prescribed generally.

Are you interested in a hands-on career helping others?

Contact KLC College for more information about our physical therapy assistant training program.

If you’re looking for a career where you get to make a positive difference in the lives of people every day, you may want to consider becoming an occupational therapy assistant (OTA). Working alongside occupational therapists, OTAs help individuals who have injuries, disabilities, and physical or mental impairments develop or recover the skills they need to participate in everyday activities.

OTAs play an essential role in our healthcare system and they can be found working in a wide variety of healthcare settings. If you’re training to become an OTA, you’ll be qualified to work in a variety of settings once you graduate. Read on to learn more.

1. OTAs Assist with Stroke Rehabilitation at Hospitals & Rehabilitation Centres

OTAs assist individuals who are on the path to recovery after a traumatic event or injury. Often, OTAs work in hospitals and rehabilitation centres helping to rehabilitate patients. Working with individuals who have suffered strokes is especially common in such settings, with some hospitals having dedicated facilities just for stroke patients. Rehabilitation centres also often focus extensively on helping stroke patients recover.

Such patients will usually see a team of specialists, including occupational therapists and OTAs. The occupational therapist will develop a plan for the patient, which the OTA will help to put into action. For example, while every person who has had a stroke will have different goals and care needs, as an OTA, you will assist with such things as helping the patient learn how to dress, bathe, eat, and stay mobile.

2. You Can Assist People in Community Living as an Occupational Therapy Assistant

Some individuals have intellectual disabilities that allow them to live somewhat independently, while still requiring occasional assistance for certain tasks. For such people, community living provides an ideal mix of independence and support. Community living can take many forms depending on the person’s individual needs and challenges.

Some individuals live at home with their families, for example, with occupational therapists and OTAs visiting occasionally to provide assistance. Others may live in a group home with other people who also have intellectual disabilities. When you become an occupational therapy assistant, you can play an important role in assisting individuals in community living. For example, you can help them with developing their fine motor and socialization skills, and with learning daily tasks, like grooming, eating, and cleaning.

3. OTAs in Retirement and Nursing Homes Can Help Address the Needs of Older Individuals

OTAs frequently work with older patients, especially in retirement and nursing homes. As part of your occupational therapy assistant program, you’ll learn about gerontology, which is the study of old age, aging, and issues that are particular to seniors. The knowledge you gain from your gerontology course can help you better understand the challenges that older clients who live in retirement and nursing homes face.

For instance, senior patients are at an elevated risk of a number of health conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease, which may require the assistance of an OTA. As an OTA, you can help such clients better manage their health conditions, such as by helping them with routine exercises, preparing food, and communicating, all of which can improve their overall quality of life.

Are you ready to begin your new career?

Contact KLC College to learn more about our occupational therapy assistant course.

A career as an occupational therapy assistant can be incredibly rewarding for those who are suited to the work. Occupational therapy assistants, under the supervision of an occupational therapist, take a client-centered approach to help people with a variety of injuries, illnesses and disabilities, assisting them in developing, recovering and improving the skills they need to enjoy a fulfilling life and career.

This work might look different from day to day, depending on the setting and the clients. These professionals sometimes help disabled or injured clients with therapeutic activities or exercises to improve their mobility, or guide developmentally disabled children in play activities to promote their coordination and social skills. They might also coach clients in the use of assistive devices, or teach them new skills or strategies for overcoming the challenges presented by their disability.

Whatever form it takes, occupational therapy is a tremendously valuable service for those seeking to assert their independence and develop the skills needed to live their best lives, and occupational therapy assistants play an essential role in that process. With good pay, high and growing demand and training that can be completed in only 44 weeks, occupational therapy is a very promising career path for anyone looking to make a difference in the lives of others.

Here’s how to know for sure if an occupational therapy assistant program is right for you.

Good Communication Skills are Essential in Occupational Therapy Careers

If you want to become an occupational therapy assistant, you’ll need to have good communication skills. These are important for connecting with clients, and providing them with feedback, coaching and guidance. You’ll also be regularly communicating with your supervising occupational therapist and other colleagues.

If you’re good at listening, speaking clearly and giving and taking directions, then you might be well-suited to a career as an occupational therapy assistant.

You Have Good Interpersonal Skills and Enjoy Working with People

Occupational therapy assistants spend all day working with people – clients, colleagues, other specialists and their supervising occupational therapist. If you’re a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and an eagerness to work in a client-centered environment, then you might thrive in this highly personable line of work.

If you enjoy working with people, occupational therapy can be a rewarding career path

You Don’t Mind a Job That Keeps You on Your Feet

Once you’ve completed an occupational therapy assistant program, you can expect to engage in fairly regular physical activity in the course of your work. Occupational therapy assistants spend most of their shifts on their feet, setting up equipment, transporting clients, assisting them through their therapy and cleaning up and putting away equipment afterwards, so if you’re interested in this career path, you should be okay with a job that keeps you moving.

You’re Patient, Dedicated and Prepared for Challenges

While it’s a rewarding career, being an occupational therapy assistant isn’t always easy. Clients are often facing very difficult and frustrating challenges, and sessions can sometimes be physically and emotionally draining for both them and their therapists and assistants. Anyone interested in occupational therapy assistant training should be prepared for the unique challenges that come with the work.

Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant If You Want a Job Helping People

Despite the challenges, being an occupational therapy assistant is a fulfilling and gratifying job. You get to help people regain their independence, develop or recover important life skills and overcome their limitations. For anyone who wants to go to work every day and make a tangible difference in the lives of others, this is an excellent career choice.

Occupational therapy assistants get to make a positive impact every day through their work

Are you interested in a rewarding new career as an occupational therapy assistant?

Contact KLC College for more information about our occupational therapist assistant course.