Review article
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/10/1/6
NATURE AS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MEDIUM
Tatjana Njegovan Zvonarević
; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb
Leonarda Antičić
; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb
Antea Grgić
; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb
Edina Pulić
; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
In this day and age, when people spend most of their daily lives indoors, promoting health using nature as a therapeutic medium is gaining more and more importance. The use of the natural environment in occupational therapy (OT) interventions offers an opportunity to practice skills and participate in everyday occupations. Occupational participation in nature is realized through participation in games and leisure activities and unifies nature as both a therapeutic environment and a mechanism to support the therapeutic process. Both the natural environment and time spent in nature provide a number of health benefits that can ultimately have a positive effect on OT intervention outcomes. However, nature as a therapeutic medium is minimally used in occupational therapy and health care. Instead, even though the OT framework supports interventions carried out in a natural environment, OT interventions are most often carried out in closed spaces, such as a clinics or hospitals. Previous research examining the use of nature as a therapeutic medium demonstrates positive effects in the development of motor and sensory skills, as well as the development of process and social interaction skills.
Keywords
nature, occupational therapy, occupations
Hrčak ID:
318239
URI
Publication date:
21.6.2024.
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