Opportunities for well-being: The right to occupational engagement.

BACKGROUND: The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists' 2017 conference theme prompted thoughts about shaping our profession's future.

PURPOSE: This Muriel Driver Memorial Lecture explores how occupational therapy's future might be shaped to become more important, relevant, and valuable to society.

KEY ISSUES: Because occupational engagement is integral to human well-being and because well-being is integral to human rights, occupational therapy could usefully advance the right of all people to engage in occupations that contribute positively to their own well-being and the well-being of their communities.

IMPLICATIONS: Occupational therapy's importance to society will be manifested when we focus unambiguously on well-being; extend our efforts beyond enhancing the abilities of individuals whose lives are already impacted by illness, injury, or impairment; and address the opportunities for achieving well-being through occupational engagement of all those whose capabilities-their opportunities to do what they have the abilities to do-are inequitably constrained.