Our Occupational Therapy service helps people with disabilities to carry out essential activities, with the aim of maintaining, or improving, their independence.
- Do you have a physical disability?
- Are you having difficulty managing day-to-day activities at home?
Lewisham’s Community Occupational Therapy Service may be able to help.
We give support so people with disabilities can lead a better life.
We assist physically disabled people to increase or maintain their independence and advise carers by:
- providing information and advise on managing daily activities in the home
- assessment of the individual’s abilities and needs in relation to day to day activities such as getting around safely at home, toileting, dressing, mobility, bathing
- assistance with provision of independence equipment or alterations to their homes to make these tasks manageable
- advice on accommodation needs if access in and around your home remains difficult.
Grants may be available for major adaptations work. This will depend on a financial assessment.
Who is eligible
To qualify for these services, you must be permanently and substantially disabled, a resident of the London borough of Lewisham and be experiencing substantial difficulties at home. A service is also provided to those with critical needs, such as those with terminal illness, or where the care situation is breaking down.
For people who are able, and who are willing to fund their own equipment or adaptations, advice and information is available by contacting us using the details below.
How to access the service
Our team employs qualified Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants, and administrative and technical support staff.
There are Occupational Therapists giving advice in each of these special areas:
- children with disabilities
- housing and housing grants
- elderly people who fall
Our telephone information line/duty service operates from Monday to Friday, 9am to 12 noon each morning.
Services for children are available at Kaleidoscope, the Lewisham Centre for Children and Young People. Please contact them on 020 7318 1337/1305.
FAQ
How can Occupational Therapists (OTs) help?
Our Occupational Therapists provide information about how to:
- raise the height of the bed/chair so that sitting down/standing up is much easier if you have stiff or painful hips and knees
- make your home safer for getting around by the installation, for instance, of hand rails and ramps
- reduce your anxiety and help you raise your confidence about getting around or managing your disability
They can also offer you:
- information on ways of obtaining appropriate support
- help in contacting other agencies
- assistance for your carers to help them with their caring responsibilities.
What does ‘Occupation’ mean in Occupational Therapy?
Occupation‘ means any way in which people spend their time and includes:
- personal care (washing, dressing, toileting)
- productivity (paid or unpaid work, housework, education)
- leisure (games, sports, hobbies, social activities).
Can you give me examples of how Occupational Therapists can help?
They often provide support with essential activities. For example:
- managing personal care, for example, getting to the bathroom and on/off the toilet
- safe mobility around your home - enabling you to prepare meals, get in/out of bed, manage steps and stairs
- enabling you to take up or stay in paid or unpaid work
- enabling your carer to care for you.