Experts state that occupational therapy is a profession that aims to improve people's quality of life by addressing physical, cognitive, and emotional barriers that prevent them from participating in activities, and that person-centered practices are the focus of occupational therapy. Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova points out that occupational therapists use various tools and developed criteria such as surveys, assessment scales, and performance tests to evaluate an individual's quality of life, and that the outcomes of occupational therapy interventions can vary from person to person. Describing occupational therapy as an art that improves human quality of life, Asgerova evaluates, “It teaches how to enjoy life and touches people's lives.”
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova, a faculty member of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Social Sciences, made evaluations about the occupational therapy profession and its role in improving quality of life.
The Focus of Occupational Therapy: Person-Centered Practices Aimed at Improving Quality of Life
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova stated that quality of life is the level of life satisfaction individuals perceive according to their physical, mental, social, and emotional states, and that occupational therapy literature has focused in recent years on researching factors affecting individuals' social participation and quality of life, as well as intervention approaches for these areas. Asgerova explained the reason for this as person-centered practices aimed at increasing activity performance, social participation, and quality of life being the focal point of occupational therapy science.
Agerova, stating that 'participation', one of the factors affecting quality of life, refers to being included in social life, said, “It is the individual's ability to take an active or passive role according to personal preference in every area they need, to demonstrate life performance. Activity-role participation involves the individual engaging in activity-roles such as daily living activities, work, or play, which are part of the individual's socio-cultural context and are desired or necessary for the person to be happy. Acquiring a hobby, performing routine personal care, working full-time or part-time, taking care of one's home, and going to school are examples that can be given for this form of participation.”
It Can Touch the Lives of People of All Ages
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova reminded that occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that helps people of all ages participate in activities and tasks important to them. “The aim of this profession is to improve an individual's ability to perform daily activities such as self-care, work, and leisure safely, efficiently, and satisfactorily. Occupational therapists work with individuals who may have physical, cognitive, emotional, or developmental challenges that prevent them from engaging in activities important to them. They use a person-centered approach to assess each individual's strengths and challenges and develop individualized treatment plans focused on achieving specific goals. These approaches are designed to help people engage in activities important to them and improve their ability to perform daily tasks.” she explained.
Occupational Therapy Teaches Strategies and Techniques That Can Be Used for Desired Quality of Life
Asgerova emphasized that occupational therapy can improve overall living standards by addressing physical, cognitive, and emotional barriers that prevent people from participating in activities. “Occupational therapy can have a significant impact on a person's overall well-being and quality of life. When all these are examined, there is a connection between quality of life and occupational therapy. The science of occupational therapy deals with a holistic approach, lifelong development, and the complex relationship between person-environment-activity,” she said.
Asgerova continued her words by stating that a clear conceptualization of quality of life, including professional therapy values such as person-centeredness and holism, is needed to advocate for the profession's role in healthcare and to encourage the development of appropriate outcome measures:
It Helps People with Disabilities or Chronic Problems Gain Independence
“In the field of occupational therapy, quality of life can be explained as 'determining the quality of life by selecting and participating in activities that inspire hope, create motivation, are meaningful to the person, offer satisfaction, form a vision of life, promote health, and enable empowerment.' The desired quality of life through occupational therapy teaches individuals the strategies and techniques they can use when performing these activities. Furthermore, it can help people with disabilities or chronic health problems gain greater independence, which can improve their overall quality of life and living standards.”
Occupational Therapy Also Positively Affects Mental Health
Underlining that occupational therapy can also have a positive effect on an individual's mental health, which is an important component of overall living standards, Asgerova said, “By encouraging participation in meaningful activities, it can improve a person's mood and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. It can also help people build social connections that can further enhance their mental health and well-being. When individuals regain their independence, their self-confidence increases. With this confidence, they regain their inner motivation while performing their daily activities. Factors such as maintaining social life and engaging in enjoyable activities are factors that increase quality of life.”
Certain Criteria Are Used to Assess Quality of Life
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova stated that various conditions are examined when evaluating individuals' quality of life. “To assess quality of life, there are various tools and developed criteria used by occupational therapists, such as surveys, assessment scales, and performance tests. These provide information about a person's physical health status, their ability to perform daily living activities and mobility, their mental health, their social interactions, and their home or work environment,” she said.
Asgerova listed the topics that can be learned through these scales as follows:
- Overall life satisfaction and quality of life
- Physical and psychological health, social relationships, and environment
- The safety and accessibility of the person's home environment
- The person's self-perceived occupational performance and satisfaction with daily activities
- Barriers to participation in daily activities in the home environment
- General health perceptions, physical functioning, role limitations due to physical or emotional problems, social functioning, energy/fatigue, pain assessment, health-related quality of life
- Mobility, self-care, usual activities
- Satisfaction in specific life domains
“Occupational Therapy Is Positive Therapy”
Prof. Dr. Sevda Asgerova stated that after all evaluations are made, goals for improving quality of life are determined in collaboration with the individual, and a personalized intervention plan is prepared in light of the information. “This plan aims for the individual to be able to perform daily living activities more independently and to achieve the targeted quality of life,” she said.
Emphasizing that occupational therapy and living standards are closely linked and that occupational therapy plays a significant role in improving a person's quality of life, independence, and overall well-being, Asgerova concluded her words as follows:
“The results of occupational therapy intervention may vary from person to person, but generally, occupational therapy intervention has a positive effect on quality of life. Because occupational therapy is a ‘Positive Therapy’. Indeed, from a broad perspective, we can say that occupational therapy is, quite literally, ‘The Art of Healing Humanity’. It holds an important place in human life and improves an individual's situation, whatever it may be, by addressing all kinds of life issues. It teaches how to enjoy life and touches people's lives.”