The Ageing Population

The average life expectancy is increasing. As we get older, our minds do not feel our age, but our bodies do and unfortunately the two do not always cooperate!
Every day activities can be more difficult to carry out which can be frustrating. An OT can assist with this to enable a person to remain as independent as possible.
The government have been pushing for people to remain at home rather than going into care, which is what most people want. If a person requires a lot of care at home, this can be very costly. An OT can sometimes provide equipment or adaptations to reduce the need for care by enabling the person to be more independent or to make it easier for family carers to assist.
Dementia affects a large number of people as they get older. This can be very distressing and stressful for family proving care. An OT can put telecare equipment in place to reduce pressure on carers. A lot of this equipment alerts the carer through a pager if the affected person has attempted to get up or had a fall etc. The carer can carry on with normal routines and will be alerted when there is a problem, rather than needing to be with the person all the time. For example, infra red sensors can be placed beside a persons chair and if they try to get up, the beam will be broken, and the pager will go. The carer can be anywhere in the house or garden and still be alerted, allowing them to carry on with their daily tasks.
An OT can work with people to put strategies in place to help them cope with memory loss. There are also clinics available through the NHS that have different professionals available to assist in different areas.
If you have any concerns about yourself or a loved one, the first thing to do is contact your GP who will be able to refer you onto appropriate services.