Rondalyn Whitney, director of faculty development and scholarship in the Division of Occupational Therapy at the School of Medicine, has been published by the American Occupational Therapy Association.
The article, titled “Occupational Therapy’s Role in Times of Disaster: Addressing Periods of Occupational Disruption,“ was written in collaboration with Wendy Walsh, chair of the USciences Department of Occupational Therapy, Philadelphia.
The article explores the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and other occupational disruptions, and how occupational therapy as a field plays a role in these situations using two case examples to demonstrate these points.
Whitney and Walsh examined parents at home with their children due to stay at home orders. One of the children previously required OT care, and as a result of the orders no longer had access to care. The OT professional in this case was able to help both parents and the child via virtual sessions, catering to the needs of the child while teaching the parents how to best take care of themselves in this challenging new time. In addition, they studied the case of a 76-year-old patient who is hospitalized after a fall at home. While treating his physical injuries, the OT professional also helped the patient learn how to virtually connect with friends and family via FaceTime during times of social distancing guidelines.
Ultimately, the article demonstrates how occupational therapy professionals are essential in times of disaster, highlighted by the COVID-19 crisis. Occupational therapy considers the client in the context of their lives and systematically addresses chaos, turning it into order as the situation allows. This improves coping and decreases stress which can have detrimental effects on one's health status. Whitney and Walsh emphasize how the distinct skills that occupational therapy professionals possess are essential when assembling disaster preparedness teams and vital in response situations.
The article has generated a robust and passionate national conversation through AOTA’s online discussion platform, CommunOT.