Who I am
I am a Senior Occupational Therapist
specialising in palliative care
I am based at St. John's Hospice
Where I work
I see patients and carers in several locations:
Hospice ward - working alongside other hospice team members to help you plan and prepare for your return home.
Hospice daycare - working alongside Daycare staff and volunteers to help with any difficulties you may be experiencing with activities of daily living, plus health education advice such as:
* preventing falls / safety at home
* fatigue management
* relaxation
* equipment /adaptations
In your home - I can visit you and your family at home to discuss how you are managing, and arrange treatments, equipment provision, adaptations or simply offer advice.
Ways that Occupational Therapy can help you
Following an individual functional assessment, I will plan your treatment with you and agree realistic goals, prioritising what is most important to you.
These may include:
• providing specialist advice in adapting your lifestyle, relaxation, energy conservation, time management and goal setting
• showing you easier ways to manage routine tasks, e.g. getting dressed
• prescribing equipment to assist independence, e.g. raised toilet seats
• measuring and arranging fitting of minor adaptations, e.g. grab rails, in your home
• assessing access difficulties and provide ramps, half steps or wheelchairs
• advising on seating and positioning for comfort and pain relief
• advising on larger adaptations, e.g. stairlifts, showers
• applying for Macmillan grants for you to purchase special items
• prescribing specialist equipment, e.g. profiling beds and hoists
• supporting applications for re-housing if your home cannot be adapted to meet your needs
• advising and support to carers on any moving and handling issues or difficulties with daily living
I can also refer you to other people who can help, such as:
- Daycare
- Physiotherapy
- Hospice at Home
- District Nurses
- Social Services
- Wheelchair Service
- Counselling Service
- Caretogether
- Bereavement Support
- Macmillan Nurses
- The Information and Support Service
- Chaplains
- Housing Department
- Other Specialist Occupational Therapy Services
