Nicola: So, Cat, I'd like to ask you more about your job. What exactly does an O. T. do?
Cat: Occupational therapists work with people who have had accidents or disabilities, help them regain function and so that they can be independent in the activities that they enjoy doing, so the occupation and occupational therapies, the activities people enjoy doing every day and it looks into, instead of physiotherapy works with just the muscles and building muscles, so they just do repetitions, but occupational therapy incorporates things that people actually enjoy doing into the activities for therapy, if that makes sense. It's kind of broad but yeah!
Nicola: So, it's kind of getting them back into their own life, their normal life? So, for example, if they've had an accident, is it or, for young people or old, or?
Cat: Yeah, it's the whole span of people, but um, yeah, people, for instances if a child has had an accident their main occupation is play so, you want to get them back into as much play as they can, and get them as strong as you can, so you can do that through play, but an adult you want to try and get them back into, say if they enjoy sewing or riding or surfing or those kinds of activities, as the O. T. you try to incorporate that into the therapy that you do with them, as much as you can. It depends on their injury.
Nicola: OK, so where are you working now as an O. T.?
Cat: Right now, I'm working in hospital at Lismore, and it's more of an acute care setting so people who have had major injuries or accidents and it's pretty much just helping them move on to the next step, either going home or going to another hospital and organizing the things that they need to be able to get back to the activities of daily living. (Wow) It's kind of complicated, but that's the basics of it, but it's a little bit more than that.
Nicola: That sounds pretty challenging.
Cat: Yeah, it's good.
Nicola: OK, so thanks for talking to us and all the best in your work.
