The Argument for "Functional Therapy"... straight from the Visual Thesaurus.

This post seeks simply to show how far we have (or have not) come in getting our definition of Occupation out to the rest of the world.

Also, let's consider which word we want to be expanding the definition of?

Hmmm... not too much there.... How about Occupation?

Okay... that's pretty convincing. We are alone in our definition.

But what are the alternatives?

Oh, Functional.


Not bad huh?

So, there you have it! What more needs to be said?

It is clear that we still have something to offer the world in terms of an understanding of how Functional Therapy (or Occupational Therapy) can help the world. We may even find that we help expand the definition of function and introduce people to an alternative definition of Occupation once we gain that trust and understanding.

I'd rather be expanding the definition of "Function" than working too hard at changing people's minds about what "Occupation" can be.

What do you think?

Yours,

Ed Kaine

President of the American League of Functional Therapists

http://www.functionaltherapist.org/

Comments?: Contact us at RegisteredFunctionalTherapist@gmail.com

Functional Therapy... the Next Generation of Occupational Therapy.

10 Reasons OT should embrace Functional Therapy

10. "Functional" has a lot of meaning that is in line with the purpose and method of OT.

9. The Canadian Occupational Performance Model (COPM) is arguably the most comprehensive and holistic model of function ever devised. It is a cornerstone of OT thought and ought to be more widely known.

We have a holistic vision of the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of our patients along with our understanding about how the context of a life influences a person's function. We are uniquely able to seek new ways for our patients to achieve balance in the functional things they do.

8. "Occupational" holds the 2 main meanings in modern the vernacular of "related to jobs" or "relating to military occupation". Neither of these pertain to the work OT does.

7. The meaning of Occupation as it relates to OT makes a lot of sense to the many OTs only. It has not caught on in the ~250 years of its use. Function has a meaning in line with our expertise.

6. OT is an older field than Physical Therapy, yet we trail in almost every area. Some could argue that the misunderstanding of the word Occupation is a barrier to the success of our profession.

5. The Registered Functional Therapist RFT (and the Registered Functional Therapy Associate RFTA) credential is additive to your status as an OTR (or COTA). For those patients and customers who prefer the term OT your still can use it.

4. It's inexpensive and easy to become an RFT or RFTA and you are a part of an organization striving to help your profession.

3. And it just might help to popularize a field that some say might be superceded even in "Function" by other rehabilitation disciplines in the coming decades.

2. As the rest of the rehabilitation disciplines do expand into the realm of function, we should not fight it. It is what we so furvently believe in. We should embrace their pursuits and see where we can help them to improve function more effectively. It does not have to be a competition... unless we want to settle for scraps. We can lead this revolution of function.

1. We have the most right to this honorable title and the opportunity to provide care under the name of "Functional Therapy". It is legally protected for the current and future practitioners of Occupational Therapy.

We want and need your support as members. We need to hold the opportunity that ALOFT has opened for us and use it to popularize traditional OT services so that we may be available to provide this care for generations to come.

Please join with us in this worthy effort.

Sincerely,

Ed Kaine
President of the American League of Functional Therapists

http://www.functionaltherapist.org/

Comments?: Contact us at RegisteredFunctionalTherapist@gmail.com


Functional Therapy... the Next Generation of Occupational Therapy!

I like Functional Therapy, but do we have to stop using the O-Word?

“All words are pegs to hang ideas on.”

Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from Plymouth, Pulpit, 1887

_____

So my answer to this is an emphatic: NO! I personally like the word "Occupation."

We have a great word, a great concept. The word “Occupation” helps us as OTs expand the thoughts we have about what function can be. It took us years of training to get this insight.

But then again…

It took us years of training to get this insight!

The other day I was discussing the tremendous experience that going to school to learn Occupational Therapy had been. In many ways we didn’t notice the subtle indoctrination we were undergoing. It was very persuasive because it is an excellent way of looking at the world. We came out of the experience different people. We share a broadened understanding of humanity and holistic approaches to health care. I could never go back to being who I was before.

Now as ALOFT tries to lead us to the opportunity to use the term “Functional Therapy” we have many people asking us if we want to stop using the “O-Word.” How could we stop?

“To expand language is to expand our ability to think.” (David G. Myers, Exploring Psychology.) In this case by seeking to expand the discussion around a novel word the people who were trained in the use of the word gained a level of deeper understanding. These people, the Occupational Therapists, are some of the most interesting, broad minded people I have ever met. It comes partly from the language we learned to describe what it is to live.

So why change and use function?

Most people are not going to go to school for 6 years to get a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. It is the rare few who choose this path. Everyone else uses common language to talk about what they want and what they need.

For example, today, pharmaceutical companies are marketing directly to the public. Patients go to their doctors asking for “the purple pill” and drugs like “Lipitor”TM have more brand recognition than Occupational Therapy. How can this be? We’ve been around longer than Physical Therapy, but we are barely clutching PT’s coat tails in most health care sectors.

I am asking you to look at the word from the point of view of a typical patient. A typical person. What do they think they know about Occupation… what do they know about Function? Maybe we can make the in-roads after we make the first contact. Lets get the patients in the door and then we can help them broaden their understanding of function… and soon after that we can teach them more about Occupation.

We have a great product! Occupational Therapy services are wonderful the world round. But while we are trying to compete we should look at what would help us place ourselves better in the marketplace.

In University I took a class in the “History of Medicine.” Our professor asked us to look at the funny treatments of the past with a different question “Why would people believe that X was a good idea?” There was a time when bloodletting to let off an imbalance of your humors was state of the art. What questions will we be asking this about in our era.

Another gem from that same class was a different look at the “Hippocratic Oath.” Our professor introduced this as a membership document that essentially guaranteed the long term success of Medicine. If you read the writings of Hippocrates you will find an ancient marketing plan. Look around at its success, almost 2500 years later and it is well established.

It is with the utmost respect for the profession and the professionals who practice OT that we at the American League of Functional Therapists are attempting this change. It is with a desire to help more patients, clients and consumers find purpose in their lives that we seek to expand OT.

Lets work together to see this revival for the gifts of the Occupational Therapists. Please join us in the effort to popularize OT under the term “Functional Therapy.”

Sincerely,

Ed Kaine
President of the American League of Functional Therapists

http://www.functionaltherapist.org/
Comments?: Contact us at RegisteredFunctionalTherapist@gmail.com

Functional Therapy... the Next Generation of Occupational Therapy