OTA 215 — Mental Health and Geriatric Practice
Credit Hours: 4 Prerequisite: Acceptance to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. This course presents the role of the Occupational Therapy Assistant in the psychosocial area as well as the geriatric population of Occupational Therapy practice. Students will learn selected frames of reference and explore the effects of psychosocial dysfunction on areas of occupation. Students will learn skills necessary to assess, implement, and document intervention in a variety of mental health settings and geriatric settings. Client factors, including culture and diversity, therapeutic interactions and methods are studied. Students will develop skills in administering individual and group interventions, professional communication, conflict negotiation, and advocacy. This course integrates the Occupational Therapy process and collaboration with the Occupational Therapist through its review of advanced, appropriate Occupational Therapy therapeutic interventions and techniques used to enhance functional ability and independence in daily life tasks and occupation for the Geriatric and Mental Health populations. The student incorporates knowledge of the influences of environment, individual, family, culture, and access to Occupational Therapy services on occupational performance. Lab activities, in-class activities, and level I fieldwork opportunities will enable students to participate in and apply psychosocial principles to practice. Offered Fall only.