Occupational therapy for dementia
If you or a loved one are living with dementia, occupational therapy can improve your daily functioning and overall quality of life. Occupational therapy is a drug-free type of healthcare that helps manage the symptoms of dementia.
From simplifying existing tasks to helping you improve your emotional well-being, occupational therapy can help you overcome the difficulties of dementia and other life-limiting conditions or disabilities.
Learn more about how dementia occupational therapy can maximise your independence and help provide structure and stability to your day.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a type of healthcare that helps individuals living with illness or disability develop, recover or improve the skills needed for everyday life. It helps people solve problems they encounter in daily life like getting dressed, moving around their home, or enjoying hobbies and activities they love. Occupational therapy can bean important part of the rehabilitation process after a serious injury or illness.
Occupational therapy and dementia
People with dementia often experience difficulties with day-to-day tasks like dressing, bathing, or preparing meals. An occupational therapist will work with you to identify areas in your life where you may be having difficulties and create a plan to help you overcome them.
An occupational therapist can help with more than just physical tasks, they can also provide people living with dementia and their families the “tools” to retain their cognitive and emotional functioning for as long as possible.
Occupational therapists can also work with you to make your home a safer place. They can help you adapt or modify your home by sourcing useful equipment like dementia clocks, grab bars for your bathroom, or other mobility aids.
On top of providing practical guidance and advice, an occupational therapist will advocate for your overall health and wellbeing. They can work with your family members or caregivers and provide them with guidance and tips on how to manage your care. They can also provide emotional support and information about other resources and support networks available.
Occupational therapy goals for dementia
Occupational therapy can help you identify areas in your life where you are struggling and help you find solutions, as well as help you establish and meet goals for yourself.
Here are some of the ways occupational therapists can support people living with dementia:
- Providing you with new techniques to help you live independently as your condition progresses.
- Helping you develop and maintain a regular schedule.
- Providing guidance on longer-term recommendations that you might need to ensure your home remains a safe and secure environment as your condition progresses.
- Fatigue management to help you deal with the fatigue often caused by dementia.
- Reminiscence work and memory strategies to help you with memory loss or confusion.
- Orientation strategies.
- Assisting family members and caregivers adapt to their changing roles.
Occupational therapy led live-in care
If you or your loved one are living with dementia, then you may benefit from live-in care. A dedicated live-in carer working alongside an occupational therapist can help improve your quality of life and overall well-being.
At The Good Care Group, we’ve been providing award-winning dementia care for over 10 years. We know that receiving support in the comfort and familiarity of home from a professional and well-matched carer improves the wellbeing and outcomes of people living with dementia. On top of providing you with practical and daily support, a live-in carer provides companionship and friendship when you need it most.
Occupational therapy plays a fundamental role in the dedicated dementia care we provide. Our in-house Occupational Therapist, Jackie Cooper, will work with you to make your home a safe and secure environment. Jackie is well placed to give advice and guidance to help people living with dementia move safely around their homes while preventing injuries and falls.
As your condition progresses, Jakie will review your ongoing function and will provide new recommendations and advice as needed. Jackie, along with other dementia care experts such as our full-time Consultant Admiral Nurse, Dr Jane Pritchard, are there to provide practical and emotional support to your family as you navigate any new or ongoing challenges that come up as a result of dementia.
Do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about how our one-to-one dementia care can improve the quality of your life.
Talk to us about your care needs
To talk about your care needs contact one of our friendly advisors. Calls from landlines are free.