Occupational Therapy

Alison Cossons DipCOT (non-practising)
Adult with and parent of a child with HMS

Occupational Therapists (OTs) are here to help you become independent in everyday activities wherever possible. OTs recommend equipment to help however it may be a different way of doing something which is the solution. They first need to find out from you what you find painful, exhausting or difficult to do. Perhaps you could make a wish list of all the things you would like to learn or relearn to do by yourself,  ready to discuss when you meet your OT. OTs also like to help the people around you, making their care of you easier for everybody.

What do I mean by everyday activities? Let us start with waking up in the morning, getting out of the bed. As well as different ways of moving, there are all sorts of bed raises and rails to help. Next stop is the bathroom. Are you finding you are holding onto the wash hand basin or something else to help you sit onto and stand from the lavatory? There are rails and raised toilet seats which may help. With washing your hands, are the taps a little tricky to turn? Perhaps you may be given some tap turners or lever taps instead. If only it was as easy as the phrase to jump into the bath! OTs have ideas to make getting in/out of the bath much easier for you, for example rails and portable seats within the bath. They can advise whether you need rails and/or a seat within a shower cubicle. Now it is time to get dressed, and OTs are happy to suggest different ways of getting dressed, perhaps using small pieces of equipment.

next ->