Department of Occupational Therapy :   

Introduction :

Occupational Therapy (OT) is being practiced in India for more than five decades. OT is one of the important health disciplines. Occupational Therapists provide services to the individuals whose functional abilities are affected due to physical or mental illness, aging process, developmental problems, emotional problems. Occupational Therapists use purposeful, goal-oriented activities to achieve its goals that is to help the individual to be functionally independent having satisfactory life.

Objectives :

The Department of Occupational Therapy has two major components i.e. Academic activities and provision of Clinical services to outdoor as well as indoor patients. Academic activities include the conduct of one undergraduate and one postgraduate programmes as well as few short-term programmes. Clinical activities include the assessment, planning and provision of Occupational Therapy management to various types of patients. Details of both the activities are mentioned below.

Academics:
Long Term Courses:

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (B.O.T.)
BOT Course of 3 ˝ Years duration from 1987 to 2000 – intake capacity 20
BOT Course was upgraded to 4 ˝ Years duration since 2001 – intake Capacity 20
Master of Occupational Therapy (Rehabilitation) – intake capacity 5
MOT (Rehabilitation) Course of 2 years duration has been introduced with effect from the 2002-2003
    academic session.

So far nearly 100 students have completed their B.O.T. and most of them have been successfully placed in different Hospitals/Institutions within the country and abroad.

In addition, the Dept conducts at least one Continued Medical Education programme every year for Occupational Therapists from the different parts of India. In continuation of this academic exercise, NIRTAR in collaboration with the Orissa Branch of All India Occupational Therapists’ Association organised the XXXVIII Annual National Conference of All India Occupational Therapists’ Association in January 2001.

Services:

The  Department  of  Occupational  Therapy  is  well equipped  to provide services to disabled clients at NIRTAR. The following services are available at the Department of Occupational Therapy:

Evaluation and Management of Functional Deficits
Developmental Therapy
Hand Therapy
ADL Training
Advice on Barrier-free Environment
Sensory Integration Therapy
Splints and Assistive Devices

The most common group of patients who are provided the Occupational Therapy services at NIRTAR include Stroke (paralysis), Cerebral Palsy, Arthritis, Spinal cord injury, Hand injury, Polio, Hansen’s disease (Leprosy), Burn, Learning Disability, Mental retardation etc. On an average 30-40 patients receive Occupational Therapy services every day.Occupational Therapy services at NIRTAR are broadly divided into the following sections:

General Occupational Therapy :

This section is equipped with different gadgets and devices help in improving the muscle strength, joint range of motion, and coordination. Occupational Therapy services are also provided through the different graded and purposeful activities specifically used for developing and improving the standing tolerance, hand functions, motor and sensor perception, cognition, eye-hand coordination, judgment and problem solving skills. Prevocational assessment and treatment is carried out for the suitable patients. Patients are motivated to actively participate in the treatment programme.

Pediatric Occupational Therapy :

The developmentally delayed children are provided the Occupational Therapy services. The aim of O.T. management is to provide the appropriate opportunities and to facilitate the development. Different techniques of neuro-developmental therapy, developmental therapy, percepto-motor therapy, play therapy combined with the purposeful and functional activities are used to treat these children. Special emphasis is given on educating the parents who are also motivated to actively participate in the management planning. 

Sensory Integration Therapy :

The children who are typically known as ‘slow learners’ are the primary group who benefit most from this form of therapy. The sensory integration therapy is based on neuro-anatomy and neuro-physiology of the central nervous system. After the children are examined for their neuro-motor-sensory status, they are stimulated through the activities, specially designed equipment and techniques develop better control over their body and the environment.

Activities of Daily Living : 

Patients unable to perform even the simple routine tasks, are taught to be independent in daily living skills such as self care and hygienic activities, mobility and transfers, management of common environmental hardware and home management etc.

Simulated activities are used to effectively train the patients. Also, the patients are taught to take care of themselves once they return to their home. Advice on appropriate modifications is given to improve their efficiency within the home and to overcome the architectural barriers. In order to become functionally independent patients are trained to use the specially designed assistive and adaptive devices such as reachers, adapted spoons, brush, comb etc.

Hand splinting

Patients who develop weakness/deformities in hand due to disease, disorder or trauma may need an external support that is called as splint/orthosis. Some patients require splintage as part of the preoperative or postoperative management. The purpose of the splint may either be supportive, protective or corrective. Different types of static and dynamic splints are fabricated in a small workshop attached to the Dept. of O.T. Other assistive/adaptive devices needed for ADL training are also fabricated in the workshop.In addition to these routine services, Occupational Therapists actively participate and contribute in Community Based Rehabilitation programmes, awareness programmes, workshops, parent counselling etc. organised by NIRTAR.