for Journalists
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Contact1: Claudia von Zweck, Executive Director
Phone (Bus): 1-800-434-2268 Ext 224
(Fax): (613)523-2552E-mail: cvonzweck@caot.ca
Contact2: Erica Lyle, Communications Coordinator
Phone (Bus): 1-800-434-2268 Ext 225E-mail: communication@caot.ca
Address: CTTC Building,
Suite 3400, 1125 Colonel By Drive,
Ottawa, ON K1S 5R1Web Site: www.caot.ca
Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-434-2268
Other Locations:
Ottawa, ON: Susan Forwell (604) 822-7410
Keys: Adapted Activity; Addiction; Adolescence; Advocacy; Aging/Ageing/Ageism; Aids/Devices; AIDS/HIV; Alcoholism; Allied Health; Alzheimer Disease; Anorexia Nervosa; Antidepressants; Architecture; Arthritis; Attention Deficit Disorder/ADD; Autism; Baby/Infant; Bathrooms; Battered Women; Beds; Behaviour; Behavioural Problems; Behavioural Research; Bereavement; Bipolar Disorder; Burn Treatment; Cancer; Cardiovascular Disease; Career Counseling; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Cerebral Palsy; Child Abuse/Neglect; Child Care; Child Development; Children; Children with Disabilities; Clothing; Cognition; Communications; Computer/Software/Systems; Conflict Management; Consultants/Management; Consumer Advocacy; Counselling; Death; Deficit; Dementia; Depression; Developmental Delay; Developmental Disorders; Developmentally Handicapped; Diabetes; Disabled Persons; Driver Education; Drug Addiction; Dyslexia; Eating Disorders; Elderly; Elderly Housing/Services; Employee Assessment; Energy Conservation; Employment; Enabling Occupation; Environmental Barriers/Health; Epidemiology; Epilepsy; Ergonomics; Ethics; Euthanasia; Exercise; Federal Election 2006 Issues; Fitness; Frail Seniors; Functional Performance; Gardening; Geriatric Care; Geriatrics; Gerontology; Group Physical Accessibility; Handicapped Persons; Healing; Health Care; Health Care/Promotion; Health Care Reform; Health Care System; HIV Virus/AIDS; Holistic Health Care; Homelessness; Hospices; Hospital Care; Illiteracy; Kinesiology; Leisure; Lifestyle; Long Term Care; Manic; Medical Research; Medicine; Mental Health; Mental Health/Illness; Multiple Sclerosis; Neurology; Neuropsychology; Nutrition; Occupational Health/Safety; Occcupational Psychology; Occupational Therapy; Occupational Therapy Month; Osteoporosis; Paediatrics/Pediatrics; Palliative Care; Parenting Skills; Personal Development; Physical Disability; Polio; Post-Traumatic Strees; Preventing Illness; Primary Health Care; Privatization; Productivity; Psychiatry; Psychology; Psychosocial Skills; Public Building/Transit; Public Health; Publishing; Rehabilitation; Relaxation/Stress; Renovation/Institutional/Residential; Repetitive Strain Injury; Retirement; Retirement Planning; Safety; Schizophrenia; Self Care; Seniors; Sexual Abuse; Sickness Benefits; Social Anxiety; Social Policy; Spirituality; Stress Management; Suicide; Suicide/Prevention; Task Analysis; the Elderly; Time Management; Unemployment; Values; Vocational Education; Vocational Rehabilitation; Volunteers; Wellness; Wheelchairs; Workplace Injuries; Workplace Stress; Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders; Youth; Ontario*.
Expertise: Established 1926; 7200 members.
International Operations: Founding members of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
Mandate: The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists promotes excellence in the practice of occupational therapy in Canada, for the health and well being of the public by:
· Providing opportunities for continuing professional education,
· Promoting the profession to those outside the profession including the general public, consumer groups, government decision makers and private health care funding agencies,
· Advocating on public policy issues affecting the practice of occupational therapists and their clients,
· Publishing periodicals, books, position statements, briefs, etc. to assist occupational therapists to expand their knowledge base and to keep abreast of current advances and affairs that may affect their practice,
· Setting standards of excellence in occupational therapy practice and ensuring consistent and fair accreditation of occupational therapy university programmes,
· Coordinating fieldwork placements for students, and
· Fostering relationships between CAOT and its provincial affiliates, provincial regulatory organizations and university education programmes.
CAOT and Canadian occupational therapists are world leaders for their advanced work in client-centred therapy. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, in particular, assesses not only the client's performance but their satisfaction and perceived importance of the particular area of function, allowing for a more client-centred approach to therapy.
Features: What does occupational therapy do?
Occupational therapy works to reduce the costly effects of disability and dependent living. It can mean the difference between returning to work or relying on disability payment income. It can also reduce or avoid huge expenses for personal care assistance and equipment such as hospital beds and wheelchairs. Research has proven that an individual's health and well being is influenced by his/her ability to engage in life's occupations.
Withdrawal or changes in occupation can lead to increased dependency, lack of confidence, and depression. Conversely, it has also been proven that restoring an individual's ability to function independently, and exercise choice and control over his/her daily activities increases productivity and life satisfaction.
Occupation is everything people do to occupy themselves, including looking after themselves (self-care), enjoying life (leisure), and contributing to the social and economic fabric of their communities (work/productivity). Occupational therapy works to break down the barriers which impede individuals in their everyday activities. Occupational therapists examine not only the physical effects of an injury or disease, but also address the psycho-social, community and environmental factors that influence function.
Following a skilled assessment based on standardized tests, the occupational therapist works with the individual, to identify customized solutions that will enable him/her to resume the daily occupations he/she enjoyed prior to the illness or injury, as quickly as possible. This can include recommending adaptations to living and work site environments and ensuring the correct use of adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs or simply bathing and kitchen aids.
Story Ideas:
2007
July 11-14, 2007: CAOT Conference 2007: Leading the way to healthy occupation, St. John's, Newfoundland. July 12: Keeping Older Drivers Driving Safely, Working with a Disability, July 13: Early Intervention for Children with Autism, Access to Occupational Therapy Services, Fear of Falling
2006
November 10, 2006: Saskatchewan Citation Award presented regarding National Occupational Therapy Month
November 4, 2006: British Columbia Citation Award presented regarding National Occupational Therapy Month
October 20, 2006: New Brunswick Citation Awards presented regarding National Occupational Therapy Month
October 4, 2006: Manitoba Citation Award presented regarding National Occupational Therapy Month
September 29, 2006: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists: Ontario Citation Award presented regarding National Occupational Therapy Month
June 1, 2006: CAOT Annual Conference, Montreal June 1-3, 2006: Canadian occupational therapists unveil critical new researchMay 24, 2006: CAOT Annual Conference, Montreal, June 1-3, 2006: Canadian occupational therapists unveil critical new research
2005
Nov. 14, 2005: CAOT garners federal funding to help foreign-trained OTs enter workforce
Oct. 21, 2005: CAOT launches Pan-Canadian Awareness Campaign on Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Primary Health Care
June 9, 2005: Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Applauds Call for National Strategy on Mental Illness and Mental Health
June 9, 2005: Still Not There – With the Number of Deaths Expected to Increase, Canadian Health Care Crisis Looms (Release from Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition)
June 3, 2005: CAOT Award Winners Recognized
updated: July 18, 2007