Prevention and Independence

Assessment

The aim of an Occupational Therapy assessment is to get information about your general health and how your diagnosis is impacting your ability to do everyday activities such as:

• Getting in and out of bed or chair
• Getting on and off the toilet
• Dressing yourself
• Feeding yourself
• Managing the stairs
• Your ability to prepare drinks, snack and or meals

Graded Approaches

An Occupational Therapist Worker will use the assessment to decide the best support to meet your needs. To begin with, the Occupational Therapist will consider minor adaptations such as grab rails, bannister rails, alterations to steps for safe access. If these adaptations have been made and you still need support to maximise your independence, an Occupational Therapist might look at other options such as a level access shower.

Occupational Therapy also offers enabling programmes. They can teach you useful techniques to help you complete simple tasks with reduced pain and discomfort. Such as, transferring from you bed to a chair or transferring on and off the toilet.

Prevention

Occupational Therapist Worker might work with your GP, Physio and other agencies to look at collective ways of helping you. This could help prevent your health from worsening. Other preventative methods could include Telecare and assistive technology, looking at the design of your house and remove any hazards that might increase your risk of injury.