2014 Spelbring Endowed Lecturer
Betty Hasselkus, Ph.D., OTRL, FAOTA
Everyday Occupation: The Heart of Research and Practice
Everyday occupation is increasingly being recognized as worthy of close attention, complex in its meanings, and of personal and social value in our own and our clients' lives. At the same time, occupational therapy and occupational science trends in the past decade have led to 1) enriched theories of occupation, 2) greater emphasis on globalization in the profession, 3) a gradual shift in our research, education and practice away from an almost exclusive focus on individuals to a more inclusive focus on family groups, communities and social systems, and 4) newly developing occupational concepts within the profession such as occupational deprivation and occupational injustice. Using examples from her own research and practice, Dr. Hasselkus will probe into the meanings of these four trends and their potential to generate research ideas and new understandings of occupation and our work in the world of health care and well-being.
