AOTI Announces New Position Paper on Occupational Therapy and Functional Cognition

AOTI is delighted to announce the publication of its new Position Paper on Occupational Therapy and Functional Cognition.

This important publication highlights the central role of functional cognition in Occupational Therapy practice and reinforces the profession’s unique contribution to assessing and supporting individuals’ ability to integrate cognitive and performance skills in everyday life.

The position paper advocates for the routine use of performance-based assessment and occupation-focused interventions, emphasising the importance of evaluating cognition within real-world activities and environments. It also outlines key positions for clinical practice, education, research and advocacy, while calling for greater consistency in assessment, documentation and reporting across services in Ireland.

The AOTI Functional Cognition Working Group sought representation across Advisory Groups to ensure this paper addressed the position of functional cognition for Occupational Therapists working with individuals across services and the lifespan. The authors intend for this paper to provide a clear position for Occupational Therapists to promote evidence-based, person-centred approaches that enhance participation, independence and quality of life. You can access the full position paper here.