ABSTRACT
Design has become more focused on the user and wellbeing. Occupational therapists can form a valuable bridge between health and design by sharing significant insights about user, environment and occupation. Designers and occupational therapists share a creative, participatory and user-centred perspective. Members of both professions report low rates of collaboration, but that can change with a conscious effort to increase awareness and create opportunities to partner. As with any interprofessional collaboration, both professions’ profit, however, in this case there is an even greater beneficiary: the user.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Jade Stewart, BS, OTS and Chanel Raddatz, BS, OTS for their assistance with formatting this paper.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Tamar Amiri
Tamar Amiri, MSc, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with a background in industrial design. Her clinical work is in the fields of blindness and visual impairments, developmental disabilities and dementia. Tamar participates in research and advocacy activities relating to enabling design and inclusion.
Amy Wagenfeld
Amy Wagenfeld, PhD, OTR/L, SCEM, CAPS, FAOTA holds faculty positions in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Western Michigan University and the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Washington, and is Principal of design+cOnsulTation. Her research and award-winning design work focuses on inclusive and universal access to nature.
Lori Reynolds
Lori Reynolds, PhD, OTR/L is assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Northern Arizona University. She consults with senior living organizations and landscape architects on the creation of therapeutic garden spaces, and indoor nature spaces that promote health and wellness, and can reduce dementia-related behaviours.