OCC 5300: Foundations of Occupational Therapy

Advocacy Self-Guided Learning Worksheet

1. In approximately 3-5 sentences, define Advocacy in your own

words.
Advocacy is giving a position and a voice to people or causes who are
unable to do so for themselves, or who need more support in getting
their voices heard. Advocacy tends to be needed for minority groups or
for a cause that is not well known within the general population. It
involves many people coming together for a common cause to make
their voices and beliefs heard.
2. In approximately 40-50 sentences, explain why it is important
for occupational therapists to advocate for the occupational
therapy profession. Find and cite a scholarly article to support
your argument (APA Style; list at the end of this document)
People are only able to benefit from the services offered by an
occupational therapist, if they are aware of what occupational therapy
is, and the services provided by the profession. Without a base
knowledge of the environments, populations, and services offered by
occupational therapists, people in the general public cannot actively
seek occupational therapy interventions. As in the article by Jackman
and Stagnitti, Fine motor difficulties: The need for advocating for the
role of occupational therapy in school (2007), it is highlighted that
people can only benefit from the services offered by occupational
therapists, if they or the people able to refer them to occupational
therapy services are aware of those services. The article examined the
effect occupational therapy can have on fine motor skills, particularly
handwriting. The study showed that children ages five to six benefited
greatly from the occupational therapy services, but the children could
only see an occupational therapist if referred by their primary teachers.
The study revealed that teachers are not fully educated on the services
offered by occupational therapists, and as a result could not sufficiently
refer the correct students to receive occupational therapy services.
It is important that as a profession, occupational therapists educate
potential clients and those that refer them to occupational therapy
services about what the profession has to offer, and the benefits that
can be seen as a result of occupational therapy services. Through
education it can be ensured that those people that can benefit from
occupational therapy services are educated in both what those
services areas are and how to access those services. This fact presents
the importance of advocating the profession to different populations

and environments. As in the school example, teachers need to be

educated on how occupational therapy services can benefit their
students; parents need to be educated as they may see areas where
occupational therapy could benefit their child that a teacher may
overlook in the classroom. The occupational therapy profession will
also need to continue to advocate within the school system as a whole,
so that they continue to apart of the services offered by the school
system.
The article only offers one small example of how lack of knowledge
about occupational therapy services limits the impact occupational
therapists could have on people who could benefit from the services.
Multiple this example by the number of current populations and
settings occupational therapists serve, and it is evident that there are
many people not receiving occupational therapy services from which
they could truly benefit. There are many factors that go into receiving
and paying for occupational therapy services that as a profession we
have no control over. Educating the healthcare profession, at risk
populations, and anyone else who could benefit from occupational
therapy services is an aspect that as a profession we can control, and
should not be a reason people are not receiving the occupational
therapy services that they need.
The on-going debate about healthcare, healthcare services, and
reimbursement will have a major impact on occupational therapy. It is
essential for the profession of occupational therapy to prove its worth
when it comes to the positive effects it has on patients. By doing so,
occupational therapy will continue to be a reimbursable expense for
medical centers. Because of strong advocacy actions and the shift to
evidence based approach to practice, occupational therapy has
become a major player in the medical field and in rehabilitation
settings. With the majority of occupational therapists practicing in
hospitals it is important for occupational therapy to remain a
reimbursable service. Healthcare providers and insurance companies
are looking for anyway possible to cut medical costs. Through strong
advocacy efforts, occupational therapy can remain as a provided
service, as it should. The people punching the numbers to cut costs in
healthcare are not going to do the research to find out all the benefits
of occupational therapy services and the positive effects it has on
patients. As a result, occupational therapists need to advocate and
educate the policy makes of the benefits of occupational therapy in
order to remain an integral part of the medical and rehabilitation team.
3. List 3 practical ways you personally can be an advocate for the
occupational therapy profession.

1) Joining professional organizations helps to advocate for the

occupational therapy profession. Through membership, the
profession is supported in numbers. It gives a numerical value to
the people in the field of occupational therapy. These professional
organizations can also help to organize advocacy opportunities such
as Capital Day, bringing together a large number of supporters for
the profession. Through the collection of dues the profession is able
to spread the meaning of occupational therapy to others.
2) As a profession, hosting a student for Field Work I or II, helps to
support the future of occupational therapy. Through helping to
develop future professionals, occupational therapists can ensure
that competent practitioners are entering into the field.
3) Participating or conducting research in the field of occupational
therapy aids in advocating for the profession. Through providing
evidence based practice, more credibility is given to the profession
and justifies the role the occupational therapist plays on a medical
team, in the community, or in other locations where occupational
therapy is practiced.
4. Answer the Initial Learning Activity Questions from the
textbook based on your own experiences and point of view
(approximately 30 sentences total):
a. Jot down what you think about when you hear the words
disability and independence.
The word disability refers to an aspect, either physical or
intellectual, that may effect or hinder the way a person goes
about their daily routine. It may make an activity more difficult
or cause an activity to be done in a different way than how the
activity is typically accomplished. The word independence
means that a task or tasks can be done without the need for
assistance from another person or an assistive device.
Independence allows people to feely choose and participate in a
task or activity without depending on others to accomplish it.
b. What do these words mean to you?
Unfortunately people tend to associate the idea of a disability
with the thought of dependence, or the lack of independence. In
working in a field with people with disabilities, it is our goal to
work to make people with disabilities as independent as
possible. For me, disability is a factor, either physical or mental,
that a person must learn to cope and work with. It is how that
person chooses to deal with the disability that ultimately affects
how they live their life and whether they end up living life to
the fullest. As a future occupational therapist, it is my goal to
help empower people to desire and get to the point of living life

independently. Independence is something that is different for

everyone. Each person has a different degree to how
independent they are able to live their life. Helping people reach
his/her personal potential for independence is the goal of
occupational therapy in my eyes.
c. How are they defined and constructed in society (e.g., by
the public or the media?)
I think the general public, those uneducated about the
opportunities that people with disabilities have, consider anyone
with a disability to be dependent to some degree. I think society
also tends to focus more of their attention on people with
physical disabilities, aspects that are visual. I think disabilities
that are not visual tend to be overlooked. I think most people
look at the word independence in a very general sense. Society
deems whether a person is able to hold down a job, live
independently, support him or herself financially as determining
whether a person is independent.
d. How does the profession of occupational therapy view
disability and independence?
I think occupational therapists compared to the general public
looks at the word disability and independence very differently.
Occupational therapists work with people with disabilities
everyday. Although the disability is what a practitioner must
acknowledge about a person in order to work with him/her, the
occupational therapist looks also at what the patient is able to
do, and works to utilize those strengths while also strengthening
the weaknesses. Independence is the ultimate goal of
occupational therapists. Instead of looking at independence in
very general terms, the occupational therapist breaks down an
activity in very specific terms. By doing this, the therapist is able
to break down in an activity into many steps and determine
which aspects of the activity a person is independent with and
which aspects requires assistance.
5. Compare and contrast the Medical Model, the Rehabilitation
Model, and the Minority group/Social Model in approximately
20-30 sentences.
The Medical Model views disability as an aspect that is outside the norm
and leaves a person lacking in some realm of life. The model views a
disability as something that is negative that must be fixed/ cured to
become normal. Surgery or medications provided by a professional
medical provider is needed in order for a person to be cured. The Medical
Model views independence as the ability to perform or make decisions.

The Rehabilitation Model defines disability as the loss or lack of ability to

do activities of daily living or an activity in a way that matches social
norms. Disability is seen as a negative that must be worked
through/overcome, or accepted with adjustments made in order to live
with the negative aspects of having a disability. In order to overcome the
disability rehabilitation is needed to work towards normalcy or to become
as physically and mentally independent in everyday activities as possible.
Medical professions must work closely with a patient in order for those
changes to occur. According to the Rehabilitation Model, independence is
the physical and cognitive ability to complete the tasks and make day-today decisions safely and in a reasonable amount of time.
The Minority Group/ Social Model states that a disability is simply
something that is different from the norm. It is viewed as having both
positive and negative aspects. It is negative when society does not allow
accessibility or equal opportunities due to the disability. It is a positive
when people and society acknowledge difference and accept it. In this
model, a cure is social acceptance, which can come from advocacy, social
interactions etc. within the community. In this model, independence is the
ability to choose what, who, where, and how to do something.
6. Discuss how models of disability, the history of disability
rights, and policy influence occupational therapy intervention
in approximately 40-50 sentences.
As with many things, the field of occupational therapist has evolved
overtime. It has been affected by a multitude of aspects including
models, the evolution of disability rights and policies. This includes:
environmental management and contextual reasoning, meaning
critically reflecting on how the social, political, economic, and cultural
environments are influencing an individuals choice, control,
motivation, and self- efficacy. Consumer Direction, the amount of
influence the consumer has in regards to services and goals. Risk with
Dignity vs. Individual Safety, allowing clients to take risks as the
rest of society does and instead focus on providing environmental
supports to minimize the risk yet still give least restrictive living
choice. Disability Identity, involves how you are framing the term
disability to people with disabilities, having client then disability in
wording, respecting personal identity, and helping clients to utilize
peer support groups. Social Interdependence is asking for and
accepting help with the intention of passing the good deed along. The
Role and Power as a Professional, as a professional OT, you have
the ability to determine what services a client receives, how to spend
therapy time, goals, and length of stay for a patient. You also have the
ability to advocate for the profession. Advocacy as a Life Role and

the Development of an Advocacy Network involves working

collectively with consumers to develop an advocacy network of support
that people can use when it is needed or for when a group of
advocates is needed for larger tasks. Peer Mentoring, Support, and
Advocacy, is recognizing your limitations and role as an OT and
suggesting peer mentors and support groups for your patients.
Collective and Empowered Consciousness helps to bring the
profession together to participate in collective activism.

7. Explain why it is important for occupational therapists to be

advocates for the clients they serve or those who could benefit
from occupational therapy services. Should be approximately
20-30 sentences.
An OT is offered many different opportunities, resources, and outlets in
order to advocate for the profession and the people that the profession
serves. It is important to advocate for the people being served because
as a therapist, you may be the only way that their voice is heard.
People may not believe that their voice and opinion matter, and as a
result will not self-advocate. In addition, people may not realize that
they need to advocate for themselves and the services that they
receive. The therapist is well educated on disabilities and the resources
that may be needed in order to help a patient reach their highest
potential. Being well educated in the area for which you are advocating
helps to give legitimacy to the cause for which you are fighting. By
advocating for different occupational therapy services you help to
spread the field of occupational therapy. This can result in more people
benefiting from occupational therapy services, more people educating
on what occupational therapy is, and it creates more jobs within the
field. It is important for future, current, and past occupational
therapists to advocate for their own field, because if occupational
therapists do not advocate for their own profession who will? Believing
and fighting for your profession will lead to you becoming more
educated about your profession, and will allow you to bring the same
passion you take towards advocating into your practice setting. This is
beneficial for all involved.

8. List 3 practical ways you can advocate for those who receive or
who could benefit from occupational therapy services.
a. Inform people about the services offered by occupational
therapists and the benefits that result.

b. Research areas that could benefit from occupational therapy

services and conduct research to support your idea.
c. Use evidence-based practice when conducting occupational
therapy services. Use methods proven by research to be
successful in order to add legitimacy to the practice.

9. Review your answer to Question 4. Reflect on how your answer

might have changed as a result of this worksheet and
reviewing the textbook (approximately 20 sentences).
Having a background in recreational therapy, I believe I had a good
foundation as a base for my initial definitions. The minority group/
social model offered me new insights into looking at how I define
disability in regards to whether it is something positive or negative. At
first thought many people do not look at a disability as being
something positive. As a therapist, I dont look at a disability to be as
debilitating and limiting as the general public most likely does, but I
never considered it a positive either. I like that a disability can be
viewed as a positive for a person and the community as a whole. It can
offer a chance for a person to learn more about him/herself, and it
teaches the community to be more accepting of those people who are
different.
I disagree the most with the Medical Model as it defines a disability as
something outside the norm. I dont think anyone has the right to
define what one person does as normal and another persons way
abnormal. Everyone is created differently; there is no normal.
Looking over the textbook, I realized how far society has come in
regards to the view of people with disabilities, but also how far there
still is to go. There are many events, passages of laws, and cultural
norms that have evolved the way people view those with disabilities.
The services offered to those with disabilities have been affected
greatly by the evolution of the view of people with disabilities. This will
continue to occur and will ultimately effect the way in which I practice
OT in my professional career.