8 Areas of Occupations and Examples

 The American Occupational Therapy Association (2008) identifies 8 areas of occupations in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, 2nd ed.

1. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Essential and fundamental needs to take care of oneself.  Self-care activities generally include toileting, dressing, grooming, mobility, transferring, and eating.  Many people perform their ADLs automatically, habitually, and easily.  However, basic self-care is not easy for everyone.  

Example:  An elderly woman entered a Skilled Nursing Facility because she fell at home on her bathroom floor and sustained a hip fracture.  She has been using a wheelchair since she entered the facility, but now is working with an occupational therapist to regain her ability to walk.  She has altered gait and fatigues easily.  The occupational therapist uses a walker with a gait belt to increase the functional mobility of the client, while focusing on strength and balance.

2. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)
Complex activities in caring for self and others

Example: A Veteran got injured in Iraq and had to have his right leg amputated.   He dislikes having to have his family drive him around because he is unable to.  An occupational therapist realizes how important this is to him and assists in finding ways for him to get around the community independently.

3. Education
Activities for learning including formal and informal education.

Example: An 8 year old boy has ADHD and appears to be "bouncing off the walls" while the teacher is trying to teach the class.  An occupational therapist might suggest specific sensory stimulation for the child that provides comfort to him and allows him to relax and stay attentive.

4. Work
Engaging in employment of volunteer activities

Example:  A middle-aged man works at a factory, lifting heavy object.  He entered an outpatient facility for rehabilitation due to a herniated disc.  He can no longer work due to his back pain.  The occupational therapist works with him to find a job that is based on his assets, likes, and limitations.

5. Play 
An activity that provides enjoyment.  Can be organized or spontaneous.

Example: Play is usually considered a child's main occupation.  Drawing with a child that has cerebral palsy can help to develop fine motor skills of the hand.

6. Leisure
 An intrinsically motivated activity that is nonobligatory.


Example: In assisting a client with anxiety disorder, it may be useful to incorporate a schedule fitted to the client's needs that includes time for a leisure activity that the client finds important, such as reading a romance novel.

7. Social Participation
Involvement and interaction with family, community, and friends.

Example: Children with autism typically have difficulty with social skills.  An occupational therapist might suggest to the parent a social setting geared towards the needs of children with autism, such as horseback riding therapy.


8. Rest and Sleep
Includes preparation and participation

Each activity within an area of occupation is unique to the client.  What may fit in one area of occupation for one person, may fit into another area for a different person.