Occupational therapy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

Background. While occupational therapy's inception was from the Arts and Crafts movement and the moral treatment movement with war veterans, the profession has evolved to requiring a professional entry-level master's degree to practice, and involves complex relationships with clients across the life span. Throughout history, a consistent impact of each industrial revolution has been the loss of jobs to automation. This consequence is even more profound today with the exponential growth of innovations and automation. Purpose. The objectives of this article are to (a) set the context by reviewing the evolution, or five eras, of occupational therapy in Canada; (b) present what is meant by the "Fourth Industrial Revolution"; and (c) examine the technological innovations faced by occupational therapists and our clients as we enter the "sixth" era of occupational therapy in Canada. Key Issues. Although occupational therapy, as a profession, has low risk for automation, a great number of our clients will not be able to reskill fast enough to keep up with job market requirements. Telerehabilitation, the Internet of Things, virtual reality, 3-D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicles are challenging ways occupational therapists provide services to clients. Implications. It is recommended that occupational therapists engage with disciplines beyond current typical connections, as our expertise is called upon to advocate for ourselves and our clients who are end users of these technologies.

The importance of human connection: Perinatal teletherapy during a global pandemic

“…Occupational therapists have often been early adopters of innovative developments in health, using new technologies to support in rehabilitation across a range of conditions due to our emphasis on adaptation (Akyurek et al, 2017;Smith, 2017). Indeed, the embracing of technology is often considered core to the profession (Liu, 2018;Smith, 2017). The expectation to deliver interventions remotely prompted reflection on this aspect of my professional heritage, and on how I might contribute to innovation in my own speciality area.…”

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“…It is hard to maintain sight but also the objective and the graphic. Developments of structure process consequence of transforming conditions and circumstances which contribute to enhanced functionality to the customer [4].…”

Implications of Indonesian Occupational Safety and Health Management System Award to the Safety Culture

“…The regulation stipulates that "Any company employing 100 employees or more, or containing harmful potential issued due to process characteristic or production material which may cause an occupational accident such as explosion fire, contamination, and occupational disease is obligated to implement an OSHMS". 1 Moreover, the passed Manpower Act (Law No. 13,2003) refers to OSHMS (Article 86 and 87).…”

“…2 In accordance with The Work and Safety Act (Law No. 1,1970), the Department of Manpower and Transmigration has a responsibility for setting up the national OSH Policy to ascertain the universal and smooth implementation in Indonesia. On the other hand, it should be noted that occupational safety and health regulations are also included in laws such as the Health Act, as well as regulations related to mining, nuclear power, oil and gas, industry etc under the jurisdiction of such Government agencies as the Department of Health, the Department of Mining and Energy which is responsible for mining inspection, and the Department of Industry.…”

“…The industrial revolution also brought the next challenge, namely the emergence of electric-powered machines which became a danger because of imbalanced with the skills of workers to keep up with technological developments, so that many work accidents due to unsafe acts. This condition was still valid even though the industry continues to grow where computing systems have created various technologies, but the potential for hazards is also increasing for workers' health and safety due to complex machine operations [1].…”