The occupational career...

Abstract

The health care system is responding to the demands for comprehensive services and is extending its services beyond the elimination of pathology to that of providing assistance with problems of daily role adjustment. Occupational therapists are beginning to base their practice on a role theory model, which permits consideration of both pathology and role adjustment. The acquisition of roles throughout an individual's life progresses from infancy through old age and forms a career of roles. Occupational therapists are developing evaluations of role performance to identify strengths and weaknesses of daily role adjustment. By complementing the existing body of occupational therapy expertise with assessments of occupational career, occupational therapists can easily respond to the increasing health care demands.