Occupational Therapy

Our Occupational Therapy Team assists people of all ages to be safe, well and as independent as possible in their everyday lives. If you are finding it difficult to carry out daily tasks such as getting in/ out of your house, getting out of your chair, in/ out of the bath or to the toilet we have a range of strategies and advice to help you remain as independent as possible. You can also find advice on getting the right equipment yourself without the need for an Occupational Therapy assessment below.

We will visit you in your home, or invite you to one of our Assessment Clinics, to see what we can do to help promote your safety and independence.

How can the Occupational Therapy Team benefit you?

  • We will work with you to help you find a new way of doing a task such as preparing a meal or drink, dressing and personal hygiene, getting in, out and around your home, please see the following page Homecare STEPS team
  • Discuss specialist equipment to aid your daily living
  • Provide minor adaptations such as grab rails, if you are thinking about purchasing your own equipment please visit finding the right equipment for yourself
  • Arranging major adaptations such as ramps or stairlifts
  • Working with your carer to offer them advice in the best way to support you
  • With your consent, we can signpost you to relevant services who may be able to help or you can use our online self-help guide providing expert advice and information on products and equipment for older and disabled people please AskSara

Am I eligible?

  • Residents who live in the Doncaster area
  • Residents who are permanently and substantially disabled
  • Residents who have significant difficulties in their daily life and want to be more independent
  • Carer/s for a disabled person/s and who are experiencing difficulties

How do I apply?

You can do this yourself, or get someone like a friend, relative, advocate, or any health or social care professional to call us on 01302 737391 between 8.30 am – 5 pm Monday - Friday. If you have a sensory impairment, please contact the Adult Sensory Team. We will contact you as soon as we can to arrange a clinic appointment or a home visit.

We will then look at the information you give us to decide if we can help. If so, we will then contact you to arrange a clinic appointment, a remote telephone or video assessment or a home visit.

What is an assessment?

A member of the Occupational Therapy team will talk to you about how you manage with everyday tasks in and around your home. We will work with you, and your carer, if appropriate, to identify your goals and help find ways to achieve these. The assessment usually takes about an hour. If English is not your first language, we can arrange for an interpreter to be there. After the assessment, we will send you a written summary of what is agreed. If your needs change or you move house, please let us know as soon as possible by ringing our Integrated front office on 01302 737391

Is there a charge?

The assessment and any minor adaptations recommended are free of charge. Any equipment provided will be on a long-term loan basis and is also free of charge. If you are assessed as needing major adaptations to make your home accessible, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant towards the cost of these. This is a means-tested grant and you may need to pay a contribution. We will explain how this works. If you are a council tenant, adaptations will be free of charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to come to a clinic? Can’t you come out and see me at home?

A clinic is held at the Stirling Centre for people who might need equipment and/or minor adaptations such as grab rails. There is a very high demand for this service and the clinic was set up so that we could help people more quickly. If there is a genuine reason why you are unable to come to the clinic, you will be offered a home visit.

Do you provide walking sticks and walking frames?

No, you would need to ask your GP to refer you to Physiotherapy.

Do you provide wheelchairs?

No, you would need to ask your GP to refer you to the Wheelchair Service.

Where am I on the waiting list and when will I be seen?

The team receive a high volume of requests for support and unfortunately have a waiting list. If you are waiting to see an Occupational Therapist and you feel that your condition has changed or your needs have increased, then please contact us and we will look again at your request. You can also explore this website if you would like to look into organising help yourself. If you no longer need our service, then please let us know.

How do I get to speak to my Occupational Therapist?

Please ring 736000. When prompted, please dial zero and say the name of the person you want to speak to. You will be automatically put through.

Can I arrange to have some unwanted equipment collected?

Please ring NRS, our equipment store, on 0300 100 0243. Alternatively you can drop off mobility aids provided from NRS at recycling centres and some recycling bins

My equipment is not working – how do I get it replaced?

Please ring NRS, our equipment store, on 0300 100 0243

The equipment I was issued no longer meets my needs. What should I do?

Please ring 737391 to make a new referral to our service.

When will my stair lift/shower/rails be fitted?

Please ring our Adaptations Team on 737388 or 735757.

Can I have a dropped kerb as it is hard to park in my street?

We sometimes recommend dropped kerbs for people who have severe difficulty walking, but you would have to have an assessment by one of our Occupational Therapists who would decide whether you qualified for this. If the only problem is difficulty in parking on your street, we would not provide a dropped kerb. However, you could visit the following dropped kerb page to see whether you could fund this yourself.

My shower is finished; how do I get a shower seat?

Please contact your Occupational Therapist who will order this for you.

Can I have an adaptation such as a level access shower or a ramp removed from my St Leger home?

You would have been allocated an adapted property because this meets your needs. Adaptations will therefore not be removed.

The following video shows how we help people to live and not just exist:

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Last updated: 17 June 2024 14:32:32

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