Occupational therapy in Malta today : an enabling profession

Abstract

Occupational Therapy can be described as the use of purposeful activity or intervention designed to achieve functional outcomes which promote health, prevent injury or disability and which develop, improve, sustain or restore the highest possible level of independence of any individual who has an illness, injury, cognitive impairment, psychosocial dysfunction, mental illness, developmental learning disability, or other disorder. Occupational Therapy departments are to be found in the main hospitals in Malta and Gozo, as well as in the community. This article looks at the origins and developments of Occupational Therapy and the present rehabilitation service delivery.