What Is the Occupational Therapy Practice Unit? / What Is Its Purpose?
The Occupational Therapy Practice Unit at Üsküdar University is an advanced simulation and clinical practice center that provides practical training aimed at enhancing the independence of individuals whose participation in social life and daily living activities is limited due to illness, accident, developmental delay, or aging.
- Primary Purpose: To equip occupational therapy students with the skills to use meaningful and purposeful activities (occupations) as a treatment method for pediatric (children), geriatric (elderly), neurological, and psychiatric patient groups.
- Academic Contribution: The unit enables students to test their knowledge of theoretical activity analysis, sensory integration theories, and cognitive rehabilitation in realistic clinical settings. It supports, at the academic level, the development of competencies in environmental adaptation and the development of assistive technologies to facilitate individuals’ adaptation to home, school, and work environments.
Equipment and Technical Infrastructure in the Laboratory
The unit’s infrastructure is designed to cover a wide range of equipment, from pediatric sensory integration processes—one of the most fundamental areas of occupational therapy—to equipment that simulates adults’ activities of daily living. The technical equipment featured in the unit under “Key Features” includes the following:
- Sensory Integration Equipment: Ceiling-suspended modular swing systems, platform swings, cylinder swings, and climbing walls used to stimulate children’s vestibular (balance) and proprioceptive (deep sensation) systems.
- Sensory Material Kits: Sensory balls of various textures, weighted blankets/vests, light panels, and sensory pools designed to develop tactile, visual, and auditory perception.
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Simulation Units: Simulated kitchen and living spaces that can be ergonomically modified to test individuals’ ability to move independently in a home environment, perform kitchen tasks, and dress and undress.
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills Test Kits: Pegboard tests, hand dynamometers, and pinch meters that measure hand-eye coordination, grip strength (finger and hand), and manipulative skills.
- Cognitive and Perceptual Assessment Materials: Standard occupational therapy assessment batteries that clinically measure individuals’ attention, memory, visuospatial perception, and problem-solving abilities.
Research and Application Areas
The applied course curricula and projects conducted within the unit cover all stages of human functioning and social participation:
- Pediatric Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration: Analysis of sensory processes and rehabilitation through play for children with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, and developmental coordination disorder.
- Adult and Geriatric Rehabilitation: Restructuring the cognitive and motor skills of adults experiencing functional loss due to neurological conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, or dementia/Alzheimer’s disease.
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Training: Processes aimed at helping individuals achieve independence in basic daily activities such as eating, drinking, personal hygiene, and dressing, or learning to use adaptive assistive devices (special spoons, dressing rods, etc.).
- Environmental Adaptations and Accessibility: Simulations involving the removal of architectural barriers for people with disabilities and older adults, and the person-centered redesign of home and workplace ergonomics.
Contributions to Students and the Industry
The Occupational Therapy Practice Unit prepares students to enter the profession as human-centered, holistic thinkers capable of generating creative solutions.
- Holistic Perspective and Clinical Instinct: Students gain firsthand experience in the vision of assessing an individual not merely as an anatomical problem, but as a whole—including their environment, roles, habits, and desired activities.
- Industry Employment: Graduates who have mastered the practice models and assessment tools used in this unit are rapidly employed as “Occupational Therapists” in hospitals’ physical rehabilitation and psychiatry clinics, special education and rehabilitation centers, community mental health centers (TRSM), nursing homes, children’s homes, and municipal disability coordination centers under the title of “Occupational Therapist.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Which departments use this unit? This practical training unit is primarily used by students in the undergraduate and graduate occupational therapy programs within the Faculty of Health Sciences as part of their practical courses and clinical simulation exercises. Additionally, joint projects can be carried out with other programs suited for multidisciplinary work, such as Speech-Language Pathology and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation.
What tests and analyses are performed in the unit? The unit conducts assessments to determine individuals’ sensory profiles (Sensory Profile Tests), kinetic and kinematic analyses of hand function (dynamometric measurements), the determination of independence indices in activities of daily living (Barthel, FIM, etc.), and cognitive perception tests are performed.
What is the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy, and how does this manifest in this unit? While physical therapists primarily focus on functional movement abilities such as muscle strength, joint range of motion, and walking, occupational therapists aim to enhance a person’s participation in and independence regarding daily living activities they find meaningful (such as cooking, going to school, drawing, etc.) by utilizing these movement abilities. The simulated kitchen and sensory integration areas in the unit are spaces specific to occupational therapy where physical movement is directly translated into activities of daily living.
Is the unit open to external clinical observations or industry partnerships? Yes, within the framework of coordination by the relevant academic councils and university administration, the unit has an infrastructure open to collaborations with R&D firms developing assistive technologies for people with disabilities and older adults, special education institutions, and local governments implementing social awareness projects.
Can students use the unit for their projects outside of class hours? Yes, students may utilize the application area and test materials outside of class hours—subject to approval from unit supervisors, adherence to a work schedule, and supervision—for their capstone theses, community service projects, new adaptive device designs, or participation in national/international project competitions (such as Teknofest).
