Occupational therapy helps individuals of all ages live their lives to the fullest by promoting health, making lifestyle or environmental adjustments, and preventing—or living with—injury, sickness, or handicap. Our practitioners work with people to help them regain the skills they have lost because of illness or injury, as well as develop new skills for living life to its fullest. By engaging in therapeutic activities with their clients, occupational therapists can help them maintain or improve their quality of life. In addition to helping individuals, occupational therapy has been used on groups of people (such as patients in a hospital setting) to promote social interaction and participation in community life. Practitioners also use their knowledge of human behavior to create environments that are less likely to lead to illness or injury (e.g., designing safer workplaces). Finally, occupational therapy has been used to train others in the practice of this field. These instructors may be current practitioners who have completed additional training or former patients who have regained some of their previous abilities through therapeutic exercises. Individuals who cannot perform the essential functions of daily life because of an illness or injury need assistance from others to meet these needs. Occupational therapists evaluate these difficulties and identify the occupations that are affected. They then recommend interventions that will help individuals resume these tasks.