Occupational therapists mark World OT Day on 27 October, then take an aids and adaptations challenge to Talking Points in town on 2 Nov and Birchwood on 4 Nov.
Occupational therapists who work for Warrington’s health and social care services will be at two Talking Points sessions in early November, the first in the town centre on Monday 2 November and the second in Birchwood on Wednesday 4 November. Visitors can ask what help is available, try a quiz on specialist equipment and enter a prize draw.
The visits are part of the borough’s plans for World Occupational Therapy Day on Tuesday 27 October. This year’s theme is “Participation Matters”: helping people keep doing the activities, roles and routines that matter most to them.
When and where
- Monday 2 November, 9.30am to 3.30pm: the Talking Points session at the Living Well Hub. The council’s announcement places it on Market Street; the hub itself is on Horsemarket Street in the town centre.
- Wednesday 4 November, 1pm to 3pm: Birchwood Talking Points, Birchwood Shopping Centre, WA3 7PG.
At both, visitors can take the OT Aids and Adaptations Challenge, which tests how well they know specialist equipment, and enter a prize draw. The council has not said what the prize is.
What occupational therapists do here
Occupational therapists work with people of any age living with illness, injury, disability or a long-term condition. In Warrington they work in assisted living services for adults and children, intermediate care, urgent community response and community rehabilitation, hospital discharge and reablement, and housing, adaptations and assistive technology.
The council says their work, through rehabilitation, specialist equipment, home adaptations and advice, helps people avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, get home safely and keep living independently.
One change it points to is the One Front Door Model. Assisted living services sit alongside social workers, the sensory and telecare services, Living Well and Talking Points, so someone who gets in touch can talk directly to the right professional on first contact rather than being passed along. Each day assisted living services put a senior occupational therapist and a community care worker into the hub. They give quick assessments to people whose needs are less complex, which the council says gets them help sooner and leaves specialist teams free for people who need a fuller assessment.
To mark the day, senior leaders and occupational therapy staff from across the services will also take part in a SOAR masterclass (strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results), looking at the difference the teams make and where the profession goes next.
What families told the council
The council shared two comments from people its occupational therapists have helped. One service user said:
“Since receiving an MND diagnosis, we have had support from the Urgent Response and Social Services teams. Tina, the Occupational Therapist, has been unfailingly helpful, providing equipment, advice and support when we needed it most. She is knowledgeable, responsive and compassionate, and we could not have received better care from her and the wider team.”
The daughter of another said:
“The occupational therapist quickly identified the problem and found a simple solution. Mum can now get in and out of bed safely, and it’s helped her stay independent in her own home.”
Councillor Tony Higgins, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, said:
“Occupational Therapists make a real difference to people’s lives, often at some of their most challenging times. Whether helping someone return home safely after a hospital stay, supporting a child to reach their potential or enabling an older person to remain independent, their impact cannot be overstated.
“On World Occupational Therapy Day, we celebrate the dedication of our Occupational Therapy teams and the vital support they provide to residents and families across Warrington. Their work truly demonstrates how participation, independence and wellbeing go hand in hand.”
What it means for you
If you or someone you care for is finding everyday tasks harder at home, getting in and out of bed, washing or getting about, either Talking Points session is a chance to ask an occupational therapist face to face what equipment, adaptations or support might help.
The team is also inviting anyone thinking about a career in occupational therapy to come and talk to them at the sessions about the job and the ways into it. The Royal College of Occupational Therapists sets out the routes into the profession.
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