Occupational therapy is a health profession concerned with the assessment, rehabilitation and treatment of people with motor or psychomotor disabilities. The goal is to preserve or develop their independence and autonomy necessary for daily, family and professional life.

It should be noted that the activity is at the heart of occupational therapy, as an object of expertise and a privileged therapeutic means.

Occupational therapy is for people who have difficulty performing daily activities. Thus, occupational therapy is recommended for people suffering from:

• in case of injury;
• disease;
• impairment;
• or any other problem that reduces a person’s ability to perform personal care, to travel, communicate, have fun, work or study.
• disabling pathologies: Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc. ;
• permanent or temporary disabilities, which arose as a result of an accident or trauma.

Note that children with developmental delay or psychomotor disorders, but also the elderly with motor disorders, can have recourse to an occupational therapist.

The role of the occupational therapist is to maintain, restore and enable human activities in a secure, autonomous and efficient manner. It is an intermediary between the adaptation needs of the person and what daily life in society requires (1).

Thus the occupational therapist:

• assesses the daily difficulties of the person with a disability (in particular by performing osteo-articular, neurological, muscular, functional, autonomy or even assessment of relationship difficulties) assessments;
• he is also interested in the environment in which his patient evolves;
• he may suggest certain adjustments and rehabilitation exercises. For example, it organizes craft, play, expression, leisure, daily life or work activities to allow:
• sensorimotor rehabilitation;
• re-education of temporo-spatial landmarks;
• maintaining functional and interpersonal skills;
• prevention of aggravations;
• adaptation to professional actions or everyday life;
• the transformation of a movement into a functional gesture;
• or the restoration of the capacities of relation and creation.

The consultation does not involve any particular risks for the patient.

Occupational therapist training in France

To become an occupational therapist, one must obtain a state diploma in occupational therapy. It should be noted that there are 23 French occupational therapy training institutes approved for training and preparation for the state diploma in occupational therapy (2).

The training lasts 3 years, and the first year is common to health studies (PACES).

Note that there is also continuing education.

Occupational therapist training in Quebec

The student must obtain a professional master’s degree in occupational therapy, after a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy / health sciences. The program lasts 4 years.

To find an occupational therapist:

• in Quebec, you can consult the website of the Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec, which offers a directory of its members (3);
• in France, via the website of the French national association of occupational therapists (4).

In France, occupational therapy sessions are covered by the Health Insurance when they are done in a hospital or a specialized structure.

 In Quebec, when the consultation is prescribed by an attending physician, it is taken by the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec.