No abstract

Health care reform presents opportunities for occupational therapy professionals to play a key role in improving the health of a population through prevention and wellness.

As occupational therapy leaders position the profession to seize opportunities within the landmark policy shift created by the Affordable Care Act, it is essential to identify, produce, and effectively use evidence demonstrating the value of occupational therapy to nurture the growth of the profession.

Healthy habits is a psychoeducational construct that refers to the preventive practice of analyzing and then adapting the sleep, physical, and eating routines of children in ways that enhance health and well-being. This approach is based on evidence that demonstrates the positive therapeutic value of engaging in proactive, healthful behaviors. In addressing healthy habits, occupational therapy practitioners have an opportunity to contribute to the Triple Aim of health care reform while demonstrating the value of occupational therapy in educational, medical, community, and other settings.

Occupational therapy practitioners can embrace the distinct value of occupational therapy by harnessing the power of authenticity in our daily practice. Practitioners, educators, students, and researchers being true to our core values, as well as the historical roots of the profession, will demonstrate how occupational therapy enhances clients' quality of life and positively affects their everyday lives. By harnessing the power of authenticity, we can drive the profession of occupational therapy into the future as practitioners with influence to meet the dynamic needs of health care and education systems.

In her presidential address at the American Occupational Therapy Association's 2017 Annual Conference & Centennial Celebration, Amy Lamb honored occupational therapy's past and embraced its future. Occupational therapy practitioners have the power to serve as change agents, demonstrating their value during everyday opportunities as they design the future of occupational therapy.

Ensuring that older adults are receiving quality and effective rehabilitation and skilled nursing services must be a priority to society and to the health care system, but health care policies and systems driving reimbursement continue to challenge the delivery of services. A review of the literature indicates significant problems among residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that could be alleviated by meaningful occupational therapy. Research and practice in the occupational therapy community should focus on this large area of practice. Advocacy by individual practitioners-challenging themselves and others to provide more patient-centered care-can lead to changes that benefit clients, facilities, and payment systems as well as contribute to career satisfaction of occupational therapy practitioners. Occupational therapy can and should serve as catalyst for culture change in SNFs by providing meaningful interventions and opportunities that support engagement and health.

Change is inevitable, progress is not. As we work to lay the foundation for the second century of occupational therapy it is important to explore how our perspective adds distinct value to the people, populations, and communities we serve. Speak up; be heard; be the spark of change.