Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy aims to help those with physical impairments to maximize their level of independence and wellbeing. Under The Care Act 2015  occupational therapy is a preventative service.

We will usually work with local health providers to assess need and provide appropriate support and promote independence. This may include arranging for aids or adaptations or referring service users to other agencies that can also assist with a focus on rehabilitation and support.

Example of areas of support

• managing personal care, eg safe access to a washing facility, dressing, transferring on/off toilet or in and out of bed
• safe mobility around the home eg stairs and steps
• managing essential domestic tasks such as preparing a meal or hot drink
• wheelchair access to and within a property
• enabling a carer to maintain care support for you

Occupational therapists can help or provide information about

• raising the height of the bed/chair so that standing is much easier if a person has stiff, painful hips and knees
• making a home safer for getting around by the installation, for instance, of hand rails and ramps
• reducing anxiety and helping people raise their confidence about getting around or manage their disability
• information on ways of obtaining appropriate support and helping people to connect to other relevant agencies
• assisting carers to continue to maintain their caring responsibilities

If you want to fund your own equipment or adaptations, advice and information is available from our service providers and partners.

What you can expect from us

• we will provide a proportionate occupational therapy assessment to assess your eligible needs in line with the Care Act 2014
• if you requiresimple equipment following your assessment we will install it within 7 days
• if you are assessed as requiring amajor adaptation in your home this will be installed within 28 weeks from the date on which you requested an assessment if you are in council property, or a referral is made for disabled facilitates grant
• if you are assessed as requiring aminor adaptation in your home this will be installed within 9 weeks from the date on which you requested an assessment if you are in a council property. Funding for privately owned properties is available for adaptations under £1,000, but over this amount, a disabled facilities grant needs to be applied for

Contact us for more information or to access this service. For children, contact Young people’s centre for child development and disability