What is a Occupational Therapist

"Occupational Therapy enables people to achieve health, well-being and life satisfaction through participation in occupation" (COT)

Occupation helps to define who we are and how we feel about ourselves and covers every aspect of our daily lives.

To participate in meaningful activity a person may need to use different skills such as gross and fine motor skills; sensory and perceptual skills; cognitive skills; social and communication skills. For some people these may be difficult. So the occupational therapist can help by adapting the task or the environment.

The Occupational Therapist's role covers three main areas:

1. Skills:

We work with people to assess and identify their skills in daily living activities. We also provide interventions to help maintain or develop a person's skills. For example:

• Household tasks, e.g. cleaning, doing laundry
• Menu planning and cooking
• Shopping
• Budgeting and handling money
• Travel skills
• Personal care, e.g. washing and dressing

2. Environmental Solutions:

We give advice and recommend equipment and/or adaptations to maintain a person's safety and independence while carrying out activities. For example when:

• Bathing or showering
• Getting on and off the toilet or in and out of a chair
• Preparing food and drink
• Going up and down stairs

We aim to help people control their environment and make sure their surroundings meet their physical and sensory needs.

3. Therapeutic Occupation:

We give advice to people and their carers to help people participate in activities and tasks as much as possible. For example:

• •  Finding appropriate leisure activities both in and outside the home
  •  Helping a person plan and organise their time
  •  Accessing community activities and groups
  •  Accessing education and employment
  •  Helping people develop their creativity, self esteem and expression through activities such as dance,drama, art and gardening

Occupational Therapy staff also co-ordinate the following groups:

•  Allotment Group (Beechmount)
•  Art Group North (Beechmount)
•  Platt Lane Art Group (Chapman Place)

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