Occupational therapy benefits people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, and can improve functioning whether the disability results from a birth defect, accident, disease, aging, or drug or alcohol abuse. Occupational therapy is geared to the particular functional level and interests of the individual and can take place in a variety of settings, including hospitals, the disabled person's home, mental health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, and the workplace. Occupational therapy differs from physical therapy in that physical therapy deals chiefly with restoration of physical strength, endurance, coordination, and range of motion through such means as exercise, heat or cold therapy, and massage. Occupational therapy focuses on personal and work activities, both in helping people with disabilities to find ways to master these activities and in using these activities to continue the goals of physical therapy. The importance of activity as a means of regaining health and function had been known for centuries and had been especially used in the treatment of mental disabilities.
Occupational therapists have either a bachelor's or master's degree in occupational therapy.
Training includes course work in biology, psychology, and the theory and practice of occupational therapy, including clinical experience. As efforts grow to integrate people with disabilities into all areas of society, the profession of occupational therapy has been expanding. The occupational therapist consults with public and private agencies to help make their work environment more accessible to the disabled and the workplace more accident-free.