OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY WHAT IS OT AND ABOUT THE

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY WHAT IS OT? AND ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT THERAPIST Jodie Hillier – Occupational Therapist BSC Hons Professional Memberships - HCPC, BABICM, ICO, RCOTSS IP, CYPF, Ataxia UK. Public liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance – Balens Mobile - 07896151835, Email – jodieprivateot@hotmail. com, Website: www. ccotpractice. com

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW • What is Occupational Therapy? • What are “occupations” and “activities of daily living (ADL`s)? " • Where can OTs assess? • What is the OT process? • About an independent OT?

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT)? Occupational Therapy is a client centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well being through daily activities. The purpose of OT is to help people increase their functional independence in daily life while preventing and minimising the effects of disability.

WHAT ARE “OCCUPATIONS” AND “ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING? ” • Occupations. “The doing or engaging in some thing; e. g toileting, self care, eating, work, play. It is An activity in which one engages” • Activities of daily living (ADL`s) include basic (what we learn from a baby) and Instrumental ( what we learn from teens).

WHAT ARE BASIC AND INSTRUMENTAL ADLS? Basic Include: - Instrumental include : - • Walking, sitting, standing • Managing finances. • Feeding • Managing transportation, • Dressing and grooming • Shopping and meal preparation • Toileting • Bathing • Transferring • Playing / making friends • Participation at school • Housecleaning and home maintenance. • Managing communication • Managing medications • Managing Holidays • Relationships • Parenting • Job

WHERE CAN OT`S ASSESS? • Home environments • Schools • Outdoor activities – park, beach, soft paly centres, shopping centres • Hobbies – pools, clubs e. g beavers, guides, leisure centres, bowling, cinema • Holiday Destinations

WHAT IS THE OT PROCESS? • Assessment – functional assessment of the environments, identification of difficulties you are having, Strengths and weakness, what is the motivation, what is the support available? what would the service user like to be able to do? • Planning – What are the goals identified? What are the clients needs? What interventions may be suitable? • Interventions – A plan of how goals and needs can be achieved? Interventions can be therapy, prescription of aids and adaptations, strategies, supporting documents, school plans • Evaluation – How are the interventions going? Have any of the goals been achieved? What is working and what is not working?

WHAT IS THE SAME ABOUT ALL OT`S ? • All OT have the same academic opportunities, exams and training to become a qualified Occupational Therapist • All Occupational Therapists need to have a Bachelors degree in Occupational Therapy with the initials BSc Hons behind their name. • The follow the models within OT Practice • All OTs need to be registered with the regulatory body HCPC • All OTs need insurance • All OTs are governed by the same standards of proficiency, code of conduct and ethics and code of practice. • Ideally all OTs should be a member of the Royal Colleague of OTs • All OTs need suitable supervision and regular training opportunities

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT OT Disadvantages Advantages • No monthly regular income • Get work on word of mouth and effectiveness • Need to pay for all training course • Need to pay for insurance and professional memberships • No statutory benefits – holidays, sickness, no paid time off • Families or charities tend to pay for the services • No time limits on the process to be able to take your time with a family • Limited waiting lists – if any • Not restricted by Service guidelines and statutory restrictions allowing us to recommend what is needed. • No restrictions to services that can be provided, e. g supporting letters. • No staff shortages, short time constraints or limited capacity. • Service users have a choice who they employ.

THE TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT I PROVIDE • Vocational Rehabilitation • Aids and adaptations • School assessments • Housing assessments • Supporting letters • Wheelchair assessments • Attendance to appointments • Therapy sessions • Education and health care plan involvement • Play therapy • Care homes • Life skill therapy • Risk assessments • Manual Handling