Occupational Therapy is a health Profession which utilizes human occupation as the intervention media to promote health and well being. The primary goal of Occupational Therapy is to enable people to participate independently in their Activities of Daily Living. Occupational Therapists achieve this outcome by enabling people to engage in scientifically selected activities that will enhance their ability to participate or by modifying their living environment to better support independent function. During occupational therapy interventions, clients are actively involved in the therapeutic process; outcomes for intervention are client-driven and measured in terms of client participation and satisfaction (Adapted from WFOT Definition, 2004).
The Occupational Therapy programme at UKZN has been endorsed by the World Federation Occupational Therapy (WFOT) and by the Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA).
Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice
On completion of the undergraduate Occupational Therapy course, each student would have an understanding of the importance of human occupation in a person’s physical and mental development, functioning, personality to be able to understand the link between occupation and wellness/illness. Students will gain an understanding of the value of goal-directed activity and the unique contribution with Occupational Therapy makes to the total care of clients from diverse cultures and contexts in South Africa and the need for various levels of care required to meet the health and wellbeing requirements for a multi-faceted population.
The student would have an understanding of The Primary Health Care Approach, as well understanding how to promote social justice through facilitating clients’ engagement occupation and delivering and occupation-based community practice. Finally from a research perspective, the student should be able to seek and to provide scientific solutions to problems and challenges faced by our most vulnerable communities and respond to the socioeconomic and social determinants of health to positively influence health and wellness outcomes.
Our Masters programme consists of either a structured coursework and mini-thesis or full research, and our PhD programme consists of a full thesis.
The research focus on a wide variety of areas such as primary health care, community based research, peadiatrics, mental health and educational based research. The research aims to socially relevant and effect positive change in our South African context.
- General Functional Assessments and Specialised Assessments for Work Placements, School Readiness, Disability Grant, Medico-Legal Claims and Medical Boarding
- Specific Assessments for specific conditions in various Areas of Practice above
- Specific Interventions for Conditions in respective Areas of Practice above
- Adaptation of environments/ processes to facilitate independent functional performance in ADL
- Designing Home Programmes designed to develop/ sustain/ restore skills in Activities of Daily Living in collaboration with the client/ family/care giver.
- Prescription/ design, fabrication and training of clients in the use of assistive technology/ prosthetic devices
- Adaptation of environments/ processes to facilitate independent functional performance in Activities of daily Living
- Government and private hospitals
- Day care centres for people with disabilities (adults and children)
- Special schools for children with physical, mental and learning disabilities
- Private nursing homes and homes for the elderly
- Urban and rural community health structures and clinics
- Universities training occupational therapists and conducting research relevant issues
- Industrial settings rehabilitating disabled workers and advising on methods of preventing occupational injury
- Legal settings – assessing the impact of disability for insurance purposes
- Prisons – advising on and implementing activity programmes for prisoners undergoing rehabilitation
- Private practice.