When I worked as an Occupational Therapist (OT), most of my phone calls started the same way. I’d introduce myself, explain I was calling to set up an evaluation after a hospital stay, and the patient would say, “I don’t need an Occupational Therapist. I’m retired.”
Sometimes with a laugh, but usually not. And…I got it, the title certainly didn’t help. Over my 15 years I was called a PT, a nurse, and a bath lady, and very few patients understood OT well prior to our meeting.
During visits, I would look at how older adults got through an ordinary day…doing things that occupy them. Smaller things like getting out of bed, getting up and down off the toilet, and opening the fridge, as well as bigger tasks, like taking a shower or making a meal. All of those visits came after a fall or a hospital stay, and more than once I stood in a house thinking that this family could have used some help before it got to this point.
I’m not practicing anymore, but I never stopped noticing how people do things. I notice the chair someone pushes up from three times before standing and the walker that gets left at the bathroom door. I can’t turn it off, so I figured I should share that knowledge…and maybe it can help a family before they end up with a hospital stay. I’m not providing therapy services or consultations - just what I learned walking into people’s homes.
That’s what this account is. Not a service, just the noticing part. What to look for in your parent’s home and what small change can help. You don’t need a diagnosis or an assessment to start paying attention. You just need to know what you’re looking at.
If you want a place to start, there’s a free bathroom guide in my bio.