Scope of Practice: Occupational Therapist

Click here for information on DSRF’s occupational therapy services.

OT scope of practice, as defined by the educational and regulatory bodies of the profession, includes:

Self-care (activities for taking care of oneself, including):

• Feeding (holding utensils, tolerating new foods) 
• Sleep routines (healthy habits) 
• Toileting skills (wiping, hand washing) 
• Hygiene skills (grooming, bathing, managing menstruation) 
• Dressing (clothing, shoes, fasteners) 
• Medical equipment adherence (masks, CPAP, glasses, hearing aides, orthotics) 

Productivity (activities to contribute to and be a part of the community, including):

• School readiness skills (circle time, school routines, table readiness, transitions) 
• Academic skills (letter/number skills, printing, drawing, cutting) 
• Life skills (telling time, calendar and schedule use, navigation, typing) 
• Cognitive skills (memory, attention, organization, initiation, problem solving) 
• Community participation (employment/volunteer support and adaptations, assistive technologies) 
• Occupational and environmental adaptations (seating, sensory diets, writing and cutting tools, other adaptive equipment) 

Leisure (activities that contribute to enjoyment of life, including):

• Play skills (matching, manipulating toys, completing puzzles) 
• Developing skills related to hobbies/leisure activities (e.g. riding a bike, climbing, pumping on a swing) 
• Adaptive equipment (e.g. adapted bikes) 

Equipment recommendations/requests (to support participation in activities of self-care, productivity and leisure, including):

• Supported seating (floor and table seating, specialized seatbelt attachments, specialized car seats) 
• Mobility aides (wheelchair, walker, adapted stroller, hospital beds, lifts) 
• Sensory equipment (wiggle cushion, swing, rocking chair) 
• Bathing and toileting aides (bath seat, stool, commode, toilet safety frame, grab bar, ring reducer) 
• Incontinence supplies (diapers, pull ups, diaper pads, wipes) 
• Therapeutic equipment (therapy ball, therapy mat, therapy wedge, therapy roll) 
• Orthotics  
• CPAP 
• Apps