[Questions regarding demarcation in occupational therapy]

Work therapy (Arbeitstherapie) has become an intermediate link between medical and vocational rehabilitation. It is distinct from insurable employment primarily in that it is guided by a medical treatment plan directed at the rehabilitative needs of the patient. Delimitation problems as against insurable employment mostly occur due to the requirement that the work therapy setting should be realistic. This entails a risk of abuse. Where work therapy is provided in practice, greater note should be taken of today's degree of differentiation in vocational rehabilitation, which has made available a great many avenues so that direct provision of vocational measures to the patient may be more meaningful. Preparatory vocational rehabilitation services may be considered if the patient's working capacity needs to be improved and is amenable to goal-directed enhancement. It is not necessary that this should occur in courses. It, rather, can also be done through individual measures. And it is moreover possible to include general education goals in an occupation-related manner.