Occupational therapy for cancer

DEFINITION:Occupational therapy is a medical specialty that helps patients function more successfully in their everyday lives. Occupational therapy is not limited to skills that are necessary for a job but rather can include any skills that are needed for daily living or participating in regular activities, which can range from work and school to hobbies. Occupational therapists can work with cancer patients during all periods of cancer treatment and afterward to help patients maintain participation in daily life and pleasurable activities, or to help patients return to their normal activities as completely as possible.

Subspecialties: Pediatric occupational therapy, geriatric occupational therapy, palliative occupational therapy

Cancers treated: All

Training and certification: Occupational therapists receive specialized training in a number of fields, including biology, physiology, and behavioral science. They also learn the skills necessary to assess and meet patient needs effectively. Occupational therapists must earn at least a master’s degree in order to be licensed.

In addition to education, occupational therapists must fulfill many other requirements to practice. They must successfully complete at least six months of closely monitored work in the field and pass a national certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. After passing the certification exam, occupational therapists must apply to be licensed in the state or territory where they plan to practice. States and territories may have additional licensing requirements.

Because of the high cost of health care, many healthcare companies are encouraging licensed occupational therapists to delegate work to occupational therapy assistants and aides, who are paid less. Although the licensed occupational therapist oversees the treatment, the assistants and aides can do much of the hands-on work. Generally, an occupational therapist assistant must complete either an associate’s degree in occupational therapy or a certification course. Occupational therapist aides do not usually have to complete a degree or certification program but may instead receive the majority of their training in occupational therapy while on the job.

Services and procedures performed: The occupational therapist provides different services and uses varying techniques according to the patient's specific needs. The therapist starts by meeting with the patient and sometimes the patient’s family to determine the patient's needs. This may include gathering information about what kinds of activities the patient performed daily before the cancer diagnosis and what activities are most important to the patient to be able to participate in. These can include work, hobbies, or activities such as spending time with the family or coaching a children’s softball team. Activities of daily living can be a primary concern for the occupational therapist and the patient. If there are activities such as eating, bathing, or dressing that the patient cannot do without help, the therapist will also gather information about these.

After gathering information about the patient’s everyday activities, the therapist can work with the patient to develop realistic goals. These goals will then enable the therapist to determine the most effective therapeutic activities. If treatment has not yet begun, the first therapies may focus on techniques that will help the patient get through treatment as successfully as possible, such as techniques for energy conservation.

If treatment has been completed successfully, the occupational therapist may focus on helping the patient regain old skills or adjust to any permanent changes resulting from the cancer and its treatment. The goals for this type of therapy may range from regaining the full function before cancer and treatment to regaining the skills to allow a return to a job and functioning in the most independent way possible. If the treatment is unsuccessful, the occupational therapist may focus on palliative care and therapy intended to help the patient maintain independence and a range of desired skills and abilities for as long as possible.

The techniques used by occupational therapists to help cancer patients depend on various factors, such as the desired skills, location where the therapy is being performed, and the patient's age. Much occupational therapy is done on an outpatient basis, although it is also provided in a hospital setting. Occupational therapy for children often focuses on play, sometimes even making skills useful for daily living into play activities. For adults, therapy may focus on practicing a skill, such as dressing. If available, the occupational therapist can provide adaptive equipment to help with the patient's needs and spend time helping the patient learn to use the equipment most effectively. Therapists may visit a workplace to help determine if adaptive equipment or a change of duties may help a patient return to work. In the home, an occupational therapist can recommend changes to make it more comfortable for the patient or easier to negotiate effectively. Therapists can also help patients come up with productive alternatives for activities that may be especially difficult or can no longer be done, such as helping patients who can no longer drive find alternative modes of transportation.

Related specialties and subspecialties: The occupational therapist is one of many members of the cancer care team who help individuals with cancer have as positive an experience as possible during treatment and afterward. An integral part of this process is helping the individual perform as many daily activities as possible. Depending on the type of cancer and the procedures used to treat it, the other healthcare team members working with the occupational therapist to meet this goal will vary.

A physical therapist may work with the patient to increase muscle tone, flexibility, and balance. A speech therapist may work with the patient if the cancer adversely affects speech and language abilities. If the patient has had an amputation, the prosthetist works with the occupational and physical therapists to help choose the prosthesis that best meets the patient’s needs. They also teach the patient how to use the prosthesis properly. Therapists who work with cancer patients may be involved in helping patients work through any emotional problems that interfere with their ability to function as normally as possible. Of course, the patient’s doctor and other cancer care team members will be involved to ensure that the treatment has the best possible outcome with the least damaging effect on the patient’s daily life. 

Bibliography

Christiansen, Charles H., and Kathleen M. Matuska, eds. Ways of Living: Adaptive Strategies for Special Needs. Bethesda: American Occupational Therapy Association, 2004. Print.

Cooper, Jill, ed. Occupational Therapy in Oncology and Palliative Care. Hoboken: Whurr, 2006. Print.

Garcia, Lisa, and Sydney Ewing. “Occupational Therapy for Cancer Patients: What Is It, and Who Needs It?” MD Anderson Cancer Center, 20 May 2022, www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/occupational-therapy-for-cancer-patients--what-is-it--and-who-needs-it.h00-159539745.html. Accessed 25 June 2024.

Lapointe, Julie. "Cancer-Related Pain: The Role of Occupational Therapy in Prevention and Management." Occupational Therapy Now 14.5 (2012): 10–12. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

Longpré, Sheila, and Robin Newman. "The Role of Occupational Therapy in Oncology." aota.org. American Occupational Therapy Association, 1 Feb. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

Marcil, William Matthew. Occupational Therapy: What It Is and How It Works. Clifton Park: Thomson Delmar, 2007. Print.

"Rehabilitation." Cancer.net. American Society of Clinical Oncology, 5 Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2014.

Ross, Joanna. Occupational Therapy and Vocational Rehabilitation. Hoboken: Wiley, 2007. Print.

Taylor, M. Clare. Evidence-Based Practice for Occupational Therapists. Malden: Blackwell, 2007. Print.