Country members/Slovenia/Newsletter

Newsletter from Slovenia – September 2008

As described in the news in spring, the Slovenian Association of Occupational Therapists (SAOT) was in 2008 engaged in two major national and international events that were taking place in the first half of September: thee WFOT 28^th Council Meeting, 7 – 12^th September 2008 in Ljubljana and the 4th Congress of Slovenian Occupational Therapy , 11 – 13th September 2008 in Podčetrtek. We are very proud because both events were held under the honorary patronage of Dr. Danilo Tűrk, President of the Republic of Slovenia.

The main theme of the congress was “Let us draw the path towards well-being together”. This theme was chosen because the professional committee of the congress wished to stimulate the participants to focus on the engagement of the clients in the occupational therapy process.

Here are some conclusions that were accepted at the end of the congress:

• The topics of the papers and workshops included all dimensions of human functioning, including the themes of spirituality and humour, that were in the past not much present in practice or research in Slovenian occupational therapy

• Many papers addressed the client-centred intervention of the most vulnerable client groups such as persons with disorders of mental development or persons with dementia, that can be also most often exposed to not only occupational injustice, but also to deprivation of basic human rights and dignity.

• Community-based occupational therapy was one of the most important themes, especially because it has almost not been provided in Slovenia. This is also the area, where the members of WFOT Executive Committee contributed to the forum that was organised with the representatives of the Ministry of health, College of Health Care and other stakeholders.

Two papers have presented to pilot studies that explored the occupational needs approach to community-based occupational therapy for clients that could be after the initial medical treatment best served in the community. These are especially clients with mental health problems, stroke, TBI and others. The findings of these studies could be used as the evidence in the process of negotiation with different policy makers and funders that are responsible for organising health and social services on all levels.

The discussions during the lectures and in the workshops have also emphasised that the SAOT needs to behave proactively and immediately, because this is a crucial moment in the development of legislation that needs to be seized in order to provide occupational therapy services for our clients in the community. Connecting with the client organisations and also interdisciplinary is also crucial in this process.

• Disease prevention and health promotion were also presented as important new areas of expertise and job opportunities for occupational therapists in enabling well-being of the population as a whole.

• The workshop on “Documenting of occupational therapy” has stimulated the discussions on evaluating occupational therapy from the perspective of the new occupational therapy process.

• On the international day of the congress, the guest speakers from all over the world presented the latest achievements and knowledge in the following lectures:

Kit Sinclair: Theories/ models/ client centred practice

Marilyn Pattison: Work in industry

Lena Haglund: Work rehabilitation - vocational work form a psychosocial perspective

Sharon Brintnell: Occupation review occupations – cultural issues in the area of mental health

Anne Carswell: Dementia in older

Julie Piergrossi: Paediatric mental health

Alfred Ramukumba: Occupational justice

After the congress Anne Carswell also conducted a workshop on “ ENABLING OCCUPATION II “.

Hosting the WFOT Executive and Council meetings, the congress, the international day and the workshop will stimulate Slovenian occupational therapists in further advancing their knowledge but also develop their context-specific approaches to using it in everyday practice, study and research.

Andreja Švajger, 25^th September 2008

News from Slovenia March 2008

In 2008 the activities of Slovenian Slovenian Association of Occupational Therapists have been focused on two major events:

Congress of Slovenian Occupational Therapy  

and

The Council Meeting of World Association of Occupational Therapists (WFOT)  

Both events will be connected and taking place in September 2008 in Ljubljana and Olimje. The congress will take place from September 11^th till September 13^th and its theme will be: “Let us draw the path towards well-being together.”  

This sentence  symbolises the client-centred approach to planning and implementing occupational therapy. Because of the presence of WFOT council members in Slovenia at that time, the congress will organise a special “International day” in which many distinguished occupational therapists are willing to give their lectures. The following people have already confirmed their participation:  

Julie Piergrossi  

Lena Haglund  

Marilyn Pattison  

Anne Carswell  

Sharon Britnel  

Kit Sinclair  

The international day of the congress will be held in English and could be interesting also for occupational therapists from abroad. In the case anyone would be interested in getting more information on both events, you can contact: andreja.svajger@ir-rs.si.