Go to navigation

Occupational therapy

Medway Council's team of specialist workers provides assistance to people in their own homes if they are registered (or eligible to be registered) as having a permanent or substantial physical disability.

The team consists of:

  • occupational therapists; and
  • rehabilitation co-ordinators.

Occupational therapists undertake assessments to help people with disabilities to be as independent as possible in their own homes. This can be advice on easier ways of doing things and may include providing equipment and adapting their homes, if necessary.

Rehabilitation co-ordinators visit the person with a disability at home to give advice and assess the need for minor adaptations and equipment that may assist.

Services that may be provided

  • information and advice to help people remain independent in their home, for example, suitable housing and special equipment;
  • assessment for a range of equipment that may enable someone to do things more safely and independently, for example, hand-rails, perching stools, kitchen trolleys and toileting equipment;
  • assessment of the need for more accessible facilities in a disabled person’s home, for example, a bathroom converted to a flush-floor shower room, kitchen modifications for wheelchair use, installation of a lift and if appropriate, a recommendation for a disabled facilities grant to assist in funding the adaptations;
  • registration of people with a permanent and substantial physical disability;
  • assessment of people with severe disabilities who may have a number of different needs;
  • assessment of people with rapidly deteriorating conditions who may need specialist equipment;
  • a co-ordinated approach to working with colleagues from the health service and other agencies.

Who should contact the service?

Anyone can contact the Occupational Therapy Service; the person with a disability, a friend, a relative, their doctor or other professional person.

For further information that may be helpful, refer to the frequently asked questions about the Occupational Therapy Service.

Find out more from the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF)

This national charity provides free, impartial advice about all types of daily living equipment for disabled adults and children, older people, their carers and families. From stairlifts to walk-in baths, toys to children's equipment, jar-openers to tap-turners, bath seats to walking sticks, wheelchairs to scooters, hoists to beds and telecare to alarms, the DLF can help find independent living solutions that enable people to stay active and improve their quality of life.

Visit the DLF website at www.dlf.org.uk/ and its new website, Living Made Easy (www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/) which has impartial advice and information for older and disabled people, carers and care professionals, providing clear, practical advice on daily living equipment, thus empowering individuals to make independent choices about their care.

 

Contact details plugin: Specific contact details

For more information contact Adults and Children's Services Team by telephone: 01634 334466 / TextRelay 18001 01634 334466 or by email: ss.accessandinfo@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Adults and Children's Services Team, Customer First, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

Rate this page: 
Send this page to a friend: Send

Send a link to the Occupational therapy page to a friend

  1. Please answer the question below to ensure your form gets through safely to Medway Council. It is to verify that you are a real person and not an automated internet spam programme.