Systematization of Occupational Therapy interventions in Telehealth during a pandemic. An experience of the Socio-Labor Inclusion Program at the Fundación Amigos de Jesús

Abstract

The pandemic of COVID-19 has had many effects on the economic, social and health institutions of our country. This is due to the series of public health measures put in place across the country by the Health Authority in order to cut the chain of transmission of COVID-19. Some of the actions mentioned refer to the restrictions of specific activities, reductions in the allowed capacities of people and the closings of certain establishments following the regulations of the pandemic in the “Step by Step” plan. Many businesses, schools, foundations and groups had to adapt themselves to a new modality of Telework.

The following article aims to systematize the evidence of the work of Occupational Therapy in this new context of pandemic and the new modality of teleworking in the Social Inclusion and Work Partnership Program from the foundation Amigos de Jesús of the Metropolitan Region of Chile. After a year and two months of interventions and the carrying out of eight group sessions and two individual sessions across multiple platforms of communication, participants manage to participate actively, promote collective and meaningful learning, leave their comfort zone, promote empowerment, and activate new support networks. It reflects on the importance of how Occupational Therapists must empower ourselves and break the stigmas of new technologies, evolve and build new practices in our discipline.