Occupational Therapy’s Opportunity to Impact Care at the End of Life

Abstract

Navigating and managing the end of life can be difficult. The focus of occupational therapy in care at the end of life is to aid the patient and caregiver through these challenges by facilitating improved safety, comfort, and quality of life through the participation in meaningful occupations. Despite the ways that occupational therapy benefits these patients, occupational therapy involvement in care at the end of life is misunderstood, under-researched, and underutilized. There is a general lack of awareness regarding this topic and a stigma that occupational therapy focuses only on rehabilitation and therefore does not belong in care at the end of life. To combat these issues, there needs to be additional education and training for all healthcare professionals, including occupational therapy practitioners, about occupational therapy’s role in care at the end of life. Occupational therapy professionals in this area of practice must strive to educate others and advocate for their role to improve the understanding of this practice area and thus positively impact more patients and families.