What is Occupational Therapy?
​​Occupational Therapy (OT) is a health and social care profession focused on helping people of all ages participate in activities (or “occupations”) they want and/or need to do in their daily lives.
People might need short term help once they get out of hospital, or they might have long term conditions which need some management or which are getting worse.
These activities can be absolutely anything, such as, getting dressed, cooking a meal, gardening, getting in and out of bed, or planning a trip out.​
What Occupational Therapists Do:
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Assess physical, cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors.
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Create personalised intervention plans.
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Recommend adaptive tools or equipment
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Modify environments to improve safety and function and reduce risk
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Teach new strategies or skills to help patients become more independent.
My Story
How did we even get here?
I was an administrator for a Children's team and this was when I first heard of Occupational Therapy; the OT's there were so dedicated and loved their role so much. They helped me to put a case forward for a OT assistant role and 5 years later....I was a qualified OT! A special shout out to Natalie Martin of Case Managers Ltd, who was one of those Children's OTs at the time and who has been an encourager for me throughout my career.
I worked through my degree with a focus on mental health. Once I'd qualified and worked at my first mental health rehabilitation unit; it turns out that this holistic approach people talk about is actually worth something! I could run a group about managing hearing voices, or support someone to get more confident at going into the community but someone who has mental health difficulties AND a broken leg.....I decided I needed to round off my skills with some time in the local hospital doing a rotation - before a job in Cornwall Council pulled me in that direction.
The life experience I had, the learning I did and the first jobs were fantastic foundations for what changed my life. Working in Adult Social Care is one of the most rewarding experiences and something I will always love. The variety of the people: the ages, the conditions, the tasks their struggling with....its the most varied mix and you certainly never know what the next day will contain. This is where my love for moving and handling and postural management really started. I remember so many people whose lives have been transformed because of a technique, or a piece of equipment, or some patience even!
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The Phoenix is often associated with OTs, for me it feels like it symbolises someone rising up and beating the odds​​​