Occupational therapy and rehabilitation

Bexley Care Trust - working in partnership to ensure the best health and social care for the community.

Who can get help?

If you are an older person, or have a physical disability, and have difficulty staying independent in your own home, we may be able to help.

What help can I get?

We may be able to help by showing you a different way to carry out every day tasks, including personal care. We could provide you with special equipment, or help you to make adaptations to get around your home more easily.

Some services are provided by Care Partners Trust and some are are provided by Bexley Care Trust. This will depend on the type of service you need.

How do I get help?

Please contact Care Central using the contact details provided on the right.If you or anyone you know would like information in another language please contact our Interpreting Services using the contact details provided.

What happens next?

An occupational therapist or rehabilitation assistant will make an appointment to visit you to carry out an assessment. You will then be given a chance to discuss how your difficulties affect your daily life. You may be asked to demonstrate how you carry out day to day activities, this may include pouring the tea, climbing the stairs, reaching switches, turning taps, washing and bathing.

What happens after an assessment?

After the assessment, an action plan will be drawn up so that you know what help you can expect. A copy of this will be left with you. Account will be taken of your current problems as well as those you might experience in the future.

Some people will just need information and advice to help them resolve their problems, others may need some special equipment.

Not all equipment comes from social services. Some equipment is provided by the voluntary sector or health services, you will be advised of the variety available and where you can obtain it.

How much will it cost?

All equipment will be demonstrated to you and will be issued on loan at no charge.

Where equipment is not enough, minor adaptations to your property might be necessary (ie widening doors for easier access, installing stair rails or constructing ramps and rails). These may be paid for by a grant, but you would need a financial assessment first.

Some people will have difficulties which can only be resolved by major adaptations (ie. home-lifts, ground floor bedrooms or wheelchair accessible showers). These may be paid for by a disabled facilities grant. An occupational therapist will visit and recommend work which is necessary and appropriate, taking into account your disability, how it affects you and your carer, and the age design and structure of your home.

If you apply for a disabled facilities grant you will have a financial assessment and may need to make a contribution.

The mobile bath assessment service

This is a special service for people who are having difficulty getting in and out of their baths, providing basic equipment to make this easier.

After you receive an appointment for this service, a rehabilitation assistant and a technician will visit you together. An assessment will be made and all the necessary equipment and rails will be provided at the visit.

If you need a bath hoist this would have to be ordered, but you could try a hoist out at the first visit. You do not need to get undressed or have a bath to try this.

If your mobile bath service assessment showed you were having other problems in your home, or you needed other adaptations, arrangements would be made for a full assessment of your needs.

Referrals to other services

There are many services in Bexley which offer help to support elderly people and people with disabilities. If necessary, and with your consent, we may refer you to another appropriate service.