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Occupational therapy service
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational Therapy aims to make your everyday activities easier for you to do, improve your quality of life, and help you live as independently as possible in your home and within your community.
Occupational Therapy is provided for people who have a disability which affects their normal daily living activities such as dressing, washing, bathing, getting on and off the toilet, getting in and out of the bath, and preparing and cooking a meal. It also includes issues such as access to employment, education, housing and leisure opportunities.
Can I get help?
Community Occupational Therapy can help you if:
- You are a permanent resident of Tower Hamlets
- You have a medical condition or physical disability that makes every day tasks difficult to do
What will happen next?
Assessment
If you feel we may be able to help you we would initially complete an assessment of your needs, either via the phone or by visiting you at home.
Advice
The Occupational Therapist may be able to give you advice or information on more suitable housing, put you in touch with other services, or assist carers to maintain their caring role.
Modifying the tasks you do
We may suggest a new way of carrying out certain tasks to make life easier for you, or provide rehabilitation to improve your ability to do a task.
Adapting your home
This may include improving safety by installing stair rails and grab rails. We can also advise you regarding options for improving access to your home and facilities. Examples of options could include widening doorways, installing ramps, provision or a stair-lift or through-floor lift or changes to your bathroom such as the provision of showering facilities.
The responsibility for providing any adaptations will depend on who owns your property. We can provide you with advice relating to this, and can assist you with arranging for an adaptation to proceed.
Provide equipment
If you have been assessed as being eligible for our service you may receive equipment. This could include small items such as long handled combs and sponges, specialised cutlery or kettle tippers, to large items such as raised toilet seats, bath lifts and hoists.
Everyone is different, so the services offered to each person will be designed to meet their individual needs.
Contact us
Access to the Occupational Therapy service is via Tower Hamlets Connect.
What if I’m not eligible?
If you are not eligible for our service you may choose to consult a private Occupational Therapist. Or you can purchase equipment independently from one of the many suppliers listed in the information on alternative suppliers of equipment and services.
There will be a fee for consulting a private Occupational Therapist.
We cannot reimburse you for any fees or guarantee to act upon or follow up on any recommendations of a private occupational therapist.
The College of Occupational Therapy will provide a list of Health Professions Council (HPC) Occupational Therapists.
College of Occupational Therapy
106 – 114 Borough High Street
SE1 1HL
Tel: 020 7450 2332
Website: http://www.cot.org.uk/