Occupational Therapy

Part 2

Time to go downstairs. How do you manage the stairs and steps? OTs look how you carry things downstairs, and whether you need to hold onto extra stair rails for support, and grab rails beside steps. They can also advise on stairlifts if they feel that you may fall or are unable to climb/descend the stairs. Alternatives to stairlifts are through-floor lifts or building extensions to the property. These solutions tend to be for people who need to use wheelchairs as their main way of getting around.

Breakfast time! OTs can help with all the things you do in the kitchen. Some ideas in the kitchen may include having a high trolley to help move equipment around the kitchen and take things from one room to another, a perching stool to help you sit in a semi standing position to help with worktop activities, different types of kitchen gadgets for example to help open jars, tins, or cut, and different types of cutlery and crockery. Lifting kettles, teapots, saucepans can be tricky too and again the OTs can advise. They can also look at the layout of your kitchen and may suggest different ways of storing things to avoid bending and stretching too much.

Off to work? Some OTs can advise employers whether your work environment or the way in which you work need to be changed a little to help you carry out your work.

Maybe like me, you stay at home, looking after your family. OTs can advise how to care for your baby, especially with all the lifting that is needed, for example in/out of the cot, and in/out of the bath. They can also advise on types of buggies, car seats, high chairs, ways of handling your baby including when feeding, clothes, and playing with him/her. It may be worthwhile to ask for a referral to OTs after your twelfth pregnancy week when you start to plan for your baby's arrival.

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