| Abstrakt: |
Occupational therapists aim to improve client factors and skills that will enable re-engagement or new engagement in valued activities. Valued activities can include work, and community integration, which is one of the instrumental activities of daily living. Typically developing youth and young adults have many life skills to learn to prepare them for post-secondary schooling or independent living, such as money and health management, that are addressed by their families, within the school system, or through career development professionals. However, youth with disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Down Syndrome (DS) require additional help from therapists to learn such skills due to 1) altered abilities to learn and 2) uncertainty of their caregivers on the available options for their loved ones. Most often, parents of youth with disabilities are living day to day or have been accustomed to a level of functioning for the school environment that they might not have a clear picture of what independent living or independent work is like for their children once they are of age. This article seeks to clarify this picture for both families and career specialists that are helping such youth and young adults transition into more independent roles within the context of work and community integration. It will seek to introduce occupational therapy, common diagnoses, legislation and the relation of all to work and independent living for this population. Our perspectives on learning this information through our coursework as graduate students in the San Jose State University Occupational Therapy program will also be provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
