Occupational therapy can help people live a more independent and productive lifestyle. An occupational therapist will assist you to increase your level of independence through meaningful activities, helping you to adapt to your condition.
We will do this in a number of ways, including:
- providing help and advice about coping physically and emotionally with changes your condition may have had on your ability to carry out your daily living activities including work roles, leisure and daily life skills such as cooking a meal or getting washed and dressed.
This may involve:
- recommending assistive equipment
- offering advice on an alternative way of completing a task or modifying an activity
- referring on to other agencies such as Social Services
- education on your specific Rheumatological diagnosis and discuss the ways that your condition may affect you and impact your management of daily life roles
- providing advice and education on how to use your joints without placing strain on them , including pacing activities, joint protection, energy conservation, sleep hygiene and pain management advice
- Hand and wrist therapy where specific advice and exercises can be provided to help maintain or improve joint flexibility , increase muscle strength and grip and hand manipulation skills so improving hand function
- Assessing and providing appropriate hand splints to assist in pain management and improve hand symptoms and encourage function
To be assessed by a rheumatology occupational therapist you will need to be referred by a rheumatology multi-disciplinary team member.
Contact Details
Rheumatology Therapies
Last reviewed: 01 May 2024