Occupational justice within residential aged care settings – Time to focus on a collective approach

Occupational therapists promote meaningful engagement in occupations and associated role continuity, and encourage agency and citizenship. A lack of engagement can be understood as occupational deprivation, alienation and marginalisation, which are concepts associated with occupational injustice. However, occupational injustices associated with collectives, such as residential aged care settings, receive little professional attention. This article encourages the occupational therapy profession to research and develop practice addressing occupational injustice within collectives, specifically in residential aged care settings. Proposed key considerations include environmental adaptations, creating occupational spaces and upskilling staff to promote citizenship, agency and self-determination for residents.