Faculty of Health & Social Care Occupational Therapy Dawn Mitchell Subject Lead for Occupational Therapy 2014

Aim To develop your awareness of the profession of occupational therapy and how an occupational therapist can: – improve the recovery of individuals who are unwell or injured, – increase or maintain individual’s independence to remain at home – promote the health and wellbeing of patients in your care –reduce the demand on carers’ and health resources – enable people and the other individuals to become or remain as active and productive participants in society.

RGU University Structure Faculty of Design and Technology Faculty of Health and Social Care Aberdeen Business School

Faculty of Health and Social Care School of Applied Social Studies School of Health Sciences School of Nursing and Midwifery School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences

School of Health Sciences Diagnostic Radiography Occupational Therapy Physiotherapy Sport & Exercise Science Health Promotion

BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy 4 year honours degree course Validated by Health and Care Professions Council - Fitness for Practice (protect the public) and approved by College of Occupational Therapists and World Federation of Occupational Therapists Course includes 5 Practice placements (over 1000 hours) Anywhere in Scotland and an Elective which may be world-wide Placement areas include: physical and mental health settings acute and long term general and specialist Community State hospital, social work, GP practice, prisons, voluntary sector etc.

“Occupational therapy provides practical support to enable people to facilitate recovery and overcome any barriers that prevent them doing the occupations (activities) that matter to them which can increase their independence and satisfaction in all aspects of life.” College of Occupational Therapy 2014 What is Occupational Therapy?

Who do Occupational Therapists work with? Children, adults and older people - all ages to overcome effects of disability caused by: – illness – injury – ageing

Who do we work with? Wide range of conditions:  Physical rehabilitation –Neurological eg stroke, Brain Injury; MS, Parkinson’s Disease; orthopaedics; medical; surgical; oncology; palliative care; burns/ plastics  Mental health – eg dementia, depression, bi-polar, addictions, eating disorders  Learning disabilities  Paediatrics  Co-morbidities

Relationship of Occupation to Health and Wellbeing participation Meaning value Inclusion purpose

Occupational Performance Person OccupationEnvironment Occupational Performance Law et al 1996 The Person Environment Occupational Model: A transac tive approach to occupational performance CJOT 63(1) 9-23

ASSESSMENT Observation Standardised testing Communication with the multi disciplinary team and family / carers to establish baseline 12

Assessment: The Person Motor skills Cognitive Skills Sensory skills Psychological skills Social Skills Spirituality Motivation Values Interests Habits Roles

Assessment of Occupations: Impact of Ill-health or injury on person’s Occupations / Activities of Daily living : –Self Care –Domestic activities –Work –Leisure

Assessment of the Environment Physical Cultural Social Legal Financial

Treatment Planning Communication Set Client Centred Goals In conjunction with MDT Treatment Plan

Intervention Focused on enabling occupation Use different approaches depending on needs of patient eg: –Rehabilitative / Compensatory/ Education –Humanistic –Cognitive / Behavioural / Psychoanalytical

Occupational Therapy Intervention Rehabilitation / enablement – reduce impairment / improve skills to improve function, safety, confidence Environmental modification / equipment provision – reduce barriers / improve participation Occupational adaptation to compensate for deficits – eg alternative methods / equipment / positioning / timing / sizes / cues Risk enablement Falls assessment / prevention Long term condition management / self management Health promotion Promote quality of life / social reconstruction Education of individual / families / MDT

Evaluation At intervals Outcome measures Achievement of goals Need to review of plan Demonstrate effectiveness of occupational therapy

Co-operation With – patients –Family – MDT – Other agencies

Where do we see our patients? Inpatient Intermediate care – prevention of admission/ Early supported discharge /A&E In persons own home Community settings Care homes

physical rehabilitation mental health services learning disability primary care paediatrics social care services housing education occupational health re-employment schemes care homes prisons residential and nursing homes charitable and voluntary organisations independent practice research In a wide range of settings including:

“Occupational Therapy has a role in every stage of our life, from infancy to end care. It bridges the gap between what we can do and what we want or need to do. To promote the restoration and maximum use of function with the aim of helping people meet the demands of their working, social, personal and domestic environment and to participate in life to it’s fullest sense.” World Federation of Occupational Therapists 2003

Occupational Therapy career video clips DK16hR7I DK16hR7I SlwElu-Y SlwElu-Y

Useful links /websites Dawn Mitchell Subject Lead Occupational Therapist Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen website: College of Occupational Therapists (UK): World Federation of Occupational Therapists:

Thank you for listening Any questions?