What is Occupational Therapy?

Composite image showing the progression of a man standing from first sitting in a wheelchair
Occupational Therapy is the health care profession that helps people learn or re-learn to manage the everyday activities that are important to them.  What are these activities? They can include caring for themselves or others, caring for their home, work, volunteer, and leisure activities.

People may need Occupational Therapy when they are having difficulties because of an accident, disability, disease, emotional or developmental problem or change related to the normal aging process.

What people often do not know about Occupational Therapists is that these professionals have training in both physical medicine as well as mental health. This is because modern Occupational Therapy was founded in World War I when many soldiers had physical injuries such as amputations as well as mental conditions like “shell shock”. Occupational Therapists used activity to help these soldiers re-enter everyday life.

Today, you will find Occupational Therapists working in hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, mental health facilities, rehab clinics, community agencies, private homes, public or private health care offices, and employment evaluation and training centres.

Occupational therapy is a regulated health care profession in Ontario.

Lesya Dyk, Occupational Therapists provides services in Hamilton, Ontario and the surrounding regions.

Making a referral?

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Who should be referred to Lesya Dyk Occupational Therapists?

Access Online Referral Form 

If your patient or client is having difficulty with their activities of daily living due to either physical, cognitive or emotional problems, we are here to help. After assessing the client, we develop a phased activation approach. In the first phase, we ensure that your patients or clients are safe in their home environment. The next phase focuses on moving into maximizing function in their home environment. In the last phase, we look at their ability to return to work, and assess their work environment to that end. Functional Ability Assessments and Vocational services can also be part of the process to help your clients if their return to work is not straightforward or even possible.

Through all of this we ensure that your patients or clients needs are being met, and the documentation for medical and legal or insurance purposes that is required, is timely, accurate and complete.

Downloadable Referral Form