Synonyms in a broader sense
Exercise therapy
Definition/Introduction
The term occupational therapy comes from the Greek and means “healing through work and action” (“ergon” = work, action, activity, performance and “therapeia” = treatment, service). Ergotherapy is therefore a form of therapy that is mainly concerned with physical activity and, above all, with the healing process of a person and is therefore one of the medical healing professions. Occupational therapy follows a holistic concept.
This means that it sees the human being as a whole and therefore not only the body but also personality, socio-cultural aspects and the interaction between the person and his environment are in the foreground, as these factors can have a considerable impact on the success of a treatment. In general, occupational therapy can be used for people of all ages if there is a reasonable assumption that they can benefit from this form of treatment in their condition. When considering occupational therapy, it is best to speak directly to a doctor or occupational therapist, with whom one can then discuss whether this type of therapy makes sense and promises success in the case at hand. If this is the case, occupational therapy treatment can be carried out either as an inpatient or outpatient in an occupational therapy practice.
History
The therapy form of occupational therapy has only existed since the beginning of the 20th century and originally comes from the USA. In Germany, this profession arose from the merging of the professional titles occupational and occupational therapist, which took place in 1999. The concept of occupational therapy is based on several basic assumptions:
- Man is by nature an acting being.
- Diseases or disorders that impair this ability to act consequently affect a person’s state of health.
- Through the targeted use of activity one can therefore positively influence a healing process.
The goal of occupational therapy is accordingly to achieve (again) an ability to act in everyday life in all these areas of activity. This can be achieved either by learning specific skills directly or by taking advantage of creative processes or by interacting with other people.
