Celebrating OT Week 2023: Unity Through Community

Occupational therapy is a profession that touches lives in profound ways, helping individuals of all ages achieve their highest level of independence and quality of life. Occupational Therapy Week, which is celebrated worldwide, is a special time to honour the dedication and hard work of occupational therapists, and the positive impact they have on millions of lives.

In 2023, we join the global community in celebrating Occupational Therapy Week, focusing on the theme of "Unity Through Community" and highlighting the crucial role that clinical, therapeutic seating plays in enhancing the lives of those in need.

Occupational therapists play a vital role in the Seating Matters community, collaborating closely with clients, caregivers, and other medical professionals to determine the specific seating needs of each patient. By incorporating their expertise in occupational therapy, these professionals ensure that each chair is tailored to the unique requirements of the individual, helping them meet their functional goals.

Throughout 2023 we have embraced the principle of "Unity Through Community" by bringing together hundreds of occupational therapists through our global series of Educational Training Roadshows. Led by our resident occupational therapists Martina Tierney and Kirsty O’Connor, these events have created a supportive ecosystem that fosters learning, research, evidence-based practice and continuous improvement.

During our clinical training days, we truly united as a multi-disciplinary community with important input and best-practice learnings from OT’s and OTA’s within the wider multi-disciplinary team including physiotherapists, manual handling experts, tissue viability nurses and other Allied Health Professionals.

Through trainings, webinars and meetings we have been able to reinforce the importance of correct seating for pressure management, improved posture, independence, and enhanced quality of life.

Pressure Management: Proper seating solutions can help reduce the occurrence of pressure injuries. By redistributing pressure evenly and providing adequate support, Seating Matters' chairs contribute to better health and well-being.

Improved Posture: Maintaining good posture is essential for overall health. Seating Matters' chairs are designed to promote correct positioning, helping individuals achieve better alignment and reducing the risk of musculoskeletal problems and contractures.

Independence and Social Inclusion: Quality seating solutions can empower individuals to be more independent, facilitating their participation in various activities and social interactions, this can as simple as drinking a cup of tea or eating lunch independently or being able to participate in functional activities such as games, chatting with friends or watching their favourite programme on tv.

Enhanced Quality of Life: By addressing the physical and emotional needs of individuals, better seating solutions can greatly enhance patient quality of life. Correct seating can enable patients to get out of bed and into a chair for longer periods of time. We recently heard of a client in Canada who had been bed-bound for up to 18 months with caregivers and healthcare teams trying several different options to get her out of bed. When Claire was placed in a Seating Matters Bariatric Sorrento, she was finally able to tolerate sitting out and according to Claire and her carers the impact was profound.

Seating Matters continues to support occupational therapists and the wider MDT through our suite of free educational services, aimed at getting the latest knowledge and research on seating and posture into the hands of clinicians throughout the world to support evidence-based practice and improve patient care.

During OT Week 2023 we’re taking this time to appreciate the profound positive impact of occupational therapy and celebrate the dedication of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who work tirelessly to make huge differences in the lives of those they serve. Through their expertise, compassion, and tireless efforts, they truly bring "Unity Through Community" to life.