What support can the occupational therapist provide with your proton beam therapy treatment?
Occupational therapists help you to engage in daily activities and ensure that you can continue with your treatment. They also reduce the need for an inpatient admission and help ensure you access appropriate community services following discharge.
An occupational therapist offers several services to help you maintain independence and quality of life.
These may involve:
- Completing an initial assessment to establish your needs and any potential difficulties with daily activities and function
- Collaboratively setting appropriate goals to ensure that you are engaging in meaningful and purposeful activity
- Developing a programme of support and interventions to enable you to maintain your function safely throughout treatment
- Providing advice and coping strategies to help with managing physical symptoms such as fatigue, sleep issues, pain and/or weakness
- Providing advice and coping strategies to help with psychological and cognitive changes such as anxiety, body image, low mood, changes in confidence levels and/or memory difficulties
- Identifying any current or ongoing equipment needs, offering advice and/or arranging for equipment provision to make it easier for you to take part in daily activities – for example, wheelchairs, bathing equipment or feeding aids
- Offering advice and support with adaptation of activities/environment to promote independence
- Completing any relevant referrals and liaising with your local services after your treatment for further support
The occupational therapist will discuss your needs with you and the team to make sure that your discharge from the proton beam service is safe.
The occupational therapy service is available to patients aged 16 and over.
