Occupational Therapy's Social Vision

Abstract

Occupational therapy has tremendous, unfulfilled potential. The lecture critically analyzes that potential in light of occupational therapy's social vision. The analysis is built on emerging views of occupational therapy's core philosophy of client-centred practice using the ordinary occupations of daily life as a form of therapy. Critical analysis shows that foundational features of occupational therapy are consistent with foundational features of social justice. However, analysis also shows that occupational therapy's social vision is narrowed to comply with dominant community, managerial and medical approaches to disability and aging. Given therapists' good intentions, critical analysis is unnerving, but it provides a guide for transforming practice and developing occupational therapy's potential.