Although many of your children may have had Occupational Therapy in the past, you may not know what an OT’s day-to-day routine consists of! Over the years I have many people ask what it is I do throughout the day, and I always wish there was just a few more hours in the week to fit everything in! From treatment sessions, meetings with teachers and dreaded paper-work, our work-days are always busy. Here’s what an average day for an OTHC therapist might look like!
7:30-8:00: The first clients of the day arrive at 8:00 so it is important to make sure we are fully prepared before they get to us. This might mean setting up gross motor equipment, organising worksheets and thinking up fun ideas to get the most out of our clients!
8:00-10:30: Busy, busy, busy! Having back-to-back therapy sessions doesn’t leave much time for anything other than chatting to parents about their child’s progress and a quick bathroom-break (if you’re lucky!!). But because time flies when you’re having fun, the morning always disappears before you know it!
10:30-11:00: A quick bite to eat to keep up the energy, whilst either replying to emails or returning phone calls at the same time. We OT’s are known for our super multi-tasking skills!
11:00:1:00: Time to meet a new friend! Initial assessments give us a chance to figure out what skills a child might be having difficulties with, and develop a plan to help them improve. Standardised tests can be daunting, so it is important that we make the new child feel comfortable and welcome.
1:00-1:30: Lunchtime!!!
1:30-2:30: Nobody likes paper-work, but it is a necessary part of an O.T’s job. Whether it be writing assessment reports, filling in client progress notes or completing government forms, there is always something to do!
2:30-5:30: Final Stretch! For some of our therapists, this time-slot may involve a change in location. Our school-based therapists often need to head-back to the clinic to see more clients. Our after-school sessions are extremely sought-after, as it means the children don’t have to be taken out of school to attend therapy. Handwriting, fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing and daily living skills are all worked on in the afternoons, with big amounts of fun added to every session!
5:30-6:00: Clean-up and home time. Final notes are completed, a quick vacuum of the carpet and its time to head home. Now all that’s left to do is rest-up before the next big day of fun!
Our days may be busy and each one is different from the one before, but seeing our clients improve makes it all worth the effort. This is the reason why we love being OT’s!!!