Putting OT Theory Into Action: Knowing and Applying Frames of Reference
By: Lynne Oberle
The very first sentence of this article really caught my eye, "It is imperative to understand theory and frames of references to be
able to justify why you are implementing any given treatment strategy." After learning about multiple models of framework in the practice of occupational therapy, it is imperative to know why you are going about therapy in order to properly implement it. In order for therapy to be effective, a therapist must look at the research and theories behind it to make sure that the therapy method is right for that specific individual. In the article, the writer talked about how her mother, Anne, was discharged from the hospital without knowing how to properly take care of herself once she got home. Her home is a different environment then the hospital and that is something that the OT's should have focused on during her stay in the hospital. When looking at the Person-Environment- Occupation (PEO) Model, it looks at a person in a holistic way to determine the best therapy for the client. Not only does it look at the person's roles and meaningful activities, but also the environment in which they live in. This model would have been a better approach for Anne in returning to her home so that she and her caregiver would have a better understanding of how to go about her ADLs. A different approach to going about Anne's therapy could have been looking at the Model of Human Occupation. This model looks at an individual's volition, habituation, performance, and environment. Looking at Anne's habituation would allow the therapist to see her roles and daily routines, while looking at her environment would show her physical surroundings that she is returning home to. With that being said, if the MOHO would have been used in this scenario the occupational therapist would have been able to work with Anne's daily routines in the environment she lives in to better her time in therapy and recovery at home. In my opinion both the PEO and the MOHO would have great models to better Anne's transition from the hospital to her home and her overall therapy experience.
