Pictured: Members of the City Council’s Occupational Therapy teams
This week (7-13 November) is Occupational Therapy Week and Milton Keynes City Council is highlighting the work of its occupational therapy (OT) teams.
Occupational therapists work with adults with health conditions who may be struggling with everyday tasks, to help them to maintain their independence. Their involvement can range from providing equipment to aid with a person’s recovery through to long term support.
In the past year, OTs have recommended more than 500 major adaptations to local people’s homes including installing easy-access showers and stairlifts. Local people have also received more than 5,000 pieces of equipment such as hoists, bathing equipment and grab rails. This work helps residents to stay at home and live more independently, as well as reducing the demand on hospitals by preventing admissions.
“Our occupational therapists are a lifeline to so many adults who want to regain or maintain their independence at home.
They work with thousands of residents to understand their individual needs and what can be done to improve their quality of life. This does mean the team are extremely busy and we are working hard to speed up response times as we know that waiting for help can be stressful. If you or a loved one could benefit from this expert support, please do contact us.”
The City Council’s OTs are embedded across a wide number of areas including adult social care, the learning disability service and the reablement team.
If you know someone who has difficulty with everyday tasks, equipment or an adaptation may make this easier. If you are unsure what will help, you can use our Equipment Self-Assessment tool to look at possible solutions or get in touch via access.team@milton-keynes.gov.uk.