Occupational Therapy Assessment

Occupational therapy assessment is the systematic process by which an occupational therapist evaluates a client's physical capabilities, cognitive function, emotional state, and ability to perform daily living activities in order to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Standard assessment procedures, such as those specified in the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), guide therapists through structured interviews, physical tests (including range of motion and manual muscle testing), and observation of functional tasks. Effective assessment requires not only technical measurement skills but also the ability to read a client's emotional state and establish a therapeutic relationship, which can be particularly challenging when the client has conditions such as facial paralysis that affect non-verbal communication.