According to the latest information provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (2020), there were 18,166 registered Occupational Therapists practicing across Canada in 2019. From the available data, 42% of registered Canadian occupational therapists worked in hospitals, 41% worked in the community, 4% worked in long-term care facilities, 11% worked in other settings, and 2% reported unspecified work settings.
Occupational Therapists work in a variety of settings due to their broad scope and holistic perspective of function and health. While specific responsibilities and approaches may fluctuate between practice contexts, the overarching goal of promoting engagement in daily life remains constant across all work settings. The following table provides a brief description of common traditional work settings in the profession of OT.
| Setting | Description | OT Role |
| Acute Care | The goal of acute care is to stabilize clients who are in critical medical conditions and to prevent further complications. Once clients are medically stable, they are discharged to other locations based on their needs. | – Assess self-care occupations, provide training as necessary – Assess and monitor skin integrity – Transfer and mobility training with/without assistive devices – Provision of orthotics as necessary – Discharge planning, community referrals – Educate client and family regarding discharge |
| Emergency Department (ED) | The role of the emergency department (ED) is to provide initial, first-line treatment to clients with urgent medical needs. | – Functional safety assessment – Prescription of assistive devices – Discharge planning – Community referrals |
| In-patient Rehabilitation | In-patient rehabilitation is designated for clients who are medically stable and prepared to undergo extensive daily therapy (~3 hours/day). However, these clients still require medical services and are not prepared to return home. | – Self-care assessment and training – Transfer and mobility assessment and training – Assess and monitor skin integrity – Cognitive assessment and intervention – Upper extremity strength and range of motion assessment, exercise program as necessary – Assistive device training and recommendations – Seating assessments and wheelchair prescription |
| Out-patient Rehabilitation | Out-patient rehabilitation is for clients who continue to require therapy, but are safe to return home or to their previous living situation. Therapy sessions are more variable and usually less intensive than in-patient rehabilitation. | – Role depends on focus of out-patient clinic – ADL assessment and training – Added focus on IADLs, productivity and leisure assessment and training – Potential for workplace assessment , work hardening, and formulation of return-to-work plans – Potential to work with clients in the community for a more naturalistic environment |
| Long-Term Care (LTC) | Long-Term Care is reserved for clients with chronic conditions who require 24-hour nursing care or assistance. | – ADL assessment and training – Assessment and provision of assistive devices – Fall prevention – Assess, monitor, and manage skin integrity – Staff education for behaviour support – Assess and provide orthotics as needed – Community resource referrals |
| Palliative Care | Palliative or End-of-Life care is for clients diagnosed with a terminal illness. The goal is to maintain comfort and improve quality of life during the end-of-life period. | – Advocate for client autonomy and the importance of occupation – ADL assessment and training in compensatory techniques – Assessment and provision of assistive devices with necessary training – Psychological and emotional support – Seating and mobility assessment – Connect clients with community services |
| Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACT) | Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams are interdisciplinary groups of healthcare professionals who provide community rehabilitation to individuals with severe mental illness. | – ADL and IADL assessment and training – Psychosocial assessments and interventions – Environmental assessments and modifications – Vocational rehabilitation – Fostering occupational engagement and expansion of occupational repertoire – Advocacy for client rights – Fostering social engagement related to occupation |
| Home Care | Home Care entails rehabilitation services and support delivered to clients in their home environment to help them live as independently as possible in the community. | – Home safety assessment and necessary modifications – Assessment and procurement of assistive devices – ADL, IADL assessment and intervention – Cognitive assessment and intervention – Community referrals – Potential for case management – Client and family education regarding safety and independent living within the home – Assessment and intervention for community integration |
| School System | Occupational Therapist within the school system work as part of interdisciplinary teams focused on facilitating children’s functional performance and development in the classroom. | – Motor skill assessment and intervention or recommendations – Assessment of sensory processing and necessary intervention or recommendations – Seating and mobility assessment with necessary intervention or recommendations – Consult with educators on differentiated instruction strategies and individualized education plans – Assessment and provision of assistive technology for learning and communication – Community referrals |