Occupational therapy frequently asked questions

A list of the most frequently asked questions about our Occupational Therapy Services in the community.

What is the Occupational Therapy service?

The Occupational Therapy Service is one of the services provided by Social Services for older people and people with a physical or sensory disability. A team of experienced Occupational Therapists (OTs) work in the community with disabled people and those assisting or living with them.

How does the service work?

Occupational Therapists help people to find ways of coping with the effects of disability.

The OTs work with people of all ages to help them become as independent as possible, to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of those who look after them.

The OT works closely with other organisations that may also be able to help you, to make sure that your needs can be met in the best way possible. These might include health care staff or rehabilitation officers from the RNIB.

The OT will work with you to identify tasks you will find difficult to carry out and identify ways to adapt techniques, use equipment or adapt your home to make day to day tasks easier.

What does the service aim to achieve?

The OT service aims to:

give people more independence and control over their lives;
make everyday activities easier and less time-consuming for disabled people and anyone assisting or living with them;
encourage and advise people of safe practice;
help people to adapt to their disabilities and enhance their confidence and self esteem.

How do I ask for a service?

You, or someone on your behalf, should contact the Common Access Point for Health and Social Care (CAP).

If you are a patient in hospital, speak to the hospital social work team.

Your request will be referred to the OT service and we will make an appointment for an OT to visit you in your home and carry out an assessment of your needs.

What happens at the assessment?

The OT will need to gather information about your disability or medical condition, and will need to observe you undertaking certain day-to-day tasks in order to have a better understanding of your difficulties.

In particular we will:

discuss what you are able to achieve at present and how any difficulties are affecting your lifestyle and the lifestyle of anyone assisting or living with you;
identify, with you, what your strengths and abilities are and how these can be used to overcome the difficulties;
discuss any ideas you may have for ways of improving the situation;
make sure you know about the range of local services and resources that are there to help you;
if appropriate, arrange for you to try out some specialist equipment at home.

Will I have a plan of action?

Once your needs have been assessed and any choices or options have been explored with you, the OT will use his or her expertise and experience to work with you and anyone assisting or living with you on an agreed plan of action.

The OT can:

advise on different ways of dealing with your situation and discuss options for change and improvement;
advise you, and anyone assisting or living with you, of new skills to help you to do things around the home more easily and safely;
suggest any equipment which could help with everyday tasks like washing, dressing and cooking;
give you information on possible adaptations to your home and what grants are available.

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