hospital based OT & community OT - can they do the same?

Wonkylegs

Just wondered if anyone has experience of the two different kinds of OT's & if one can offer different things to the other?

The last time I saw an OT (6-7 years ago) it was organised by my GP & they came to my home and saw me there. Got things to adapt the house on long term loan.

ON THursday I am seeing the OT at the hospital for an assessment, after a referral by my rheumy nurse. That happened because I asked about more wrist splints & they said I had to have a proper assessment first, despite having had splints for a long time.

just wondered if I can ask about stuff around the house with her on Thursday .... .well I'm making a list anyway as I want to know what they can do to help with the bath etc :roll:

just thought I'd ask what others had been helped with.

thanks a lot
Wonky

jaspercat

Hi Wonky, I found that the hospital O/T is good for help with splints etc, mine does offer to come to the home but there is a long waiting list, when I wanted my half step and shower I rung up the O/T atached to Social Services, they helped me with a grant etc love Jaspercatxx

woodbon

Hello,
I had my wrist splints from the community OT, but she was based at a local Medical Centre, all she did was measure me and give me the splints. Here, OTs do a lot of home visits and they tend to observe and assess the type of appliences or help they think you need.
Love Sue

Wonkylegs

thanks both of you for taking the time to reply.

I guess I will have to see what is on offer when I get there .... I know that they are going to do an assessment of about an hour, so can't imagine they can spend that long on my hands!

I'll let you know what does happen!

hugs
WOnky

minky67

Hi Wonky, Im waiting for the same, OT at the hospital.
I did have a social services assessment well over a yr back but she wasnt very helpful. My Rhymy has refered me as i now need a lot more help around the house than i did.
Ive got the 2nd bannister rail & 1 bath rail.so far.
The social services lady did offer the walk in shower but i like the bath to soak my muscles. I have Fibromyalgia as well as the OA, so my muscles are always stiff,I find a bath helps more than a shower.
The housing assossation needs an assessment done so we can get the ball rolling for a downstairs toilet to be built, failing that i can have the stair thingy.(chair)

Hope you get your appointment through soon & get the help you need.
luv debs.

Wonkylegs

minky67 wrote:

Hi Wonky, Im waiting for the same, OT at the hospital.
I did have a social services assessment well over a yr back but she wasnt very helpful. My Rhymy has refered me as i now need a lot more help around the house than i did.
Ive got the 2nd bannister rail & 1 bath rail.so far.
The social services lady did offer the walk in shower but i like the bath to soak my muscles. I have Fibromyalgia as well as the OA, so my muscles are always stiff,I find a bath helps more than a shower.
The housing assossation needs an assessment done so we can get the ball rolling for a downstairs toilet to be built, failing that i can have the stair thingy.(chair)

Hope you get your appointment through soon & get the help you need.
luv debs.

HI Debs,

thanks fro your reply.

I'm off in the morning to see the OT - had a wait of about 2 1/2 months though to see someone.

I have chair raisers, a bath board & cutlery handles from social services last time

We also have arranged a second banister rail ourselves, and I also bought a bath seat (which I can only use sometimes) and an over-bed table that I use more downstairs as it gets stuck under the bed and I can't move it :roll:

I really need help with my hands & wrists now, but I'm also going to ask about help getting into and out of the bath (wrists and arms are too weak at times to heave myself up :oops: let alone what my knees are like) & I do wish I could get into a bath properly for a relaxing soak. Our bath is small though, so that doesn't help.

I want to ask for advice about a chair for the computer and desk use .... so confusing about what to choose.

ANd help with the car ..... but I think I am asking too much

I'll let you knwo how I get on tomorrow

hugs
Wonky

trisher

Hi Wonkey

Regarding your hands and wrists. It might be a good idea to ask if you can see a hand therapist.

They gave me some exercises to do, as I can. She also gave me splints for my wrists and hands.

They measure how much you can use your hands. Then I went back and dhe measured them again. Then they made splints to wear at night. I have to wear the other ones during the day.

Because of my operation, I have been in a cast for nearly 3 months. They have given me smaller one now.

They are so good Wonky, they give you the right type of splints, also they make them to fit you, while you are there.

Good luck
love Trisher xxx

Wonkylegs

trisher wrote:

Hi Wonkey

Regarding your hands and wrists. It might be a good idea to ask if you can see a hand therapist.

They gave me some exercises to do, as I can. She also gave me splints for my wrists and hands.

They measure how much you can use your hands. Then I went back and dhe measured them again. Then they made splints to wear at night. I have to wear the other ones during the day.

Because of my operation, I have been in a cast for nearly 3 months. They have given me smaller one now.

They are so good Wonky, they give you the right type of splints, also they make them to fit you, while you are there.

Good luck
love Trisher xxx

I hope that they will do that for me ....... at the moment my wrists scream if I do the slightest thing.

Need to give thema chance to rest .... so being really careful what I do.

fingers crossed (wish I could at the mo :roll: ) that they are helpful tomorrow. I have my list of questions!!!!!

glad your cast is lighter now.

hugs
WOnky

minky67

Hi Wonky, when i was at my last Rhymy appointment he fitted me with a thumb splint instaed of the wrist splint.
The thumb splint digs into my hand & breaks the skin, so thats another reason that i need to see the OT as i need some splints made up.
My wrists are so small the wrist splints come up to big & the thumb splints come up to small/ tight. Ive always been a bit odd

I hope you get on well at your appointment.
luv debs

Wonkylegs

minky67 wrote:

Hi Wonky, when i was at my last Rhymy appointment he fitted me with a thumb splint instaed of the wrist splint.
The thumb splint digs into my hand & breaks the skin, so thats another reason that i need to see the OT as i need some splints made up.
My wrists are so small the wrist splints come up to big & the thumb splints come up to small/ tight. Ive always been a bit odd

I hope you get on well at your appointment.
luv debs

hey Debs you don't have the only 'odd' bod! I am constantly told I am slightly odd (hubby says slightly is not the right word )

but I prefer to think that we are unique
If we were a work of art we would be rare and sought-after .......

good luck with your problems .... mine are the opposite - my hands are now bigger than they are meant to be for the size of my wrists - used to be so swollen that my wrists were too big :roll: :roll: :roll: arthur keeps chainging his mind :roll: :roll: