Occupational therapy helps people to live more independently and carry out their daily activities by supporting them to learn or relearn skills that they are finding more challenging as a result of a disability or because they are experiencing more difficulties as they get older. Our staff provide alternative ways to complete tasks to make things easier, such as specialist equipment or suggesting adaptations to people’s homes. Following an assessment of a person’s needs, they provide recommendations to district and borough council colleagues who fund the home adaptations, for example, installing handrails, stairlifts and level access showers.
We worked with 10,168 adults and children during 2022-23 (9,739 in 2021-22). To support independence at home 62,440 deliveries have been made to people’s homes (34,246 in 2021-22), providing 260,904 pieces of equipment.
The Regaining Independence Service occupational therapy staff provide short-term reablement to support people to become or remain independent at home. This support may be needed after a stay in hospital, or just because people have not been coping as well as they would like at home.
This year 1,766 people were provided with reablement at home (1,732 in 2021-22). Of the 1,766, 68% (1,200 people) were able to care for themselves. Of the remaining 566 people, 82%, were able to reduce their care and support at home by at least 10%.