Occupational Therapy FAQs
For your convenience we have listed Frequently Asked Questions about the Occupational Therapy service, please use them to get answers to common questions quickly. If you cant find what you are looking for, please contact us for further information.
Occupational Thearapy: FAQs
- I am having problems getting in/out of my Chair/Bed/Bath/or Managing the toilet. Can you help?
- Can I get help to put in a shower?
- I have nowhere to keep my electric scooter. Can you help?
- I can’t carry things because I use a walking aid. What can I do?
- I need a commode. Can you help?
- I want to buy some equipment myself. Where do I get it?
- I need to borrow a wheelchair. What should I do?
- I am having problems seeing to read and watch TV, can you help?
- I can’t hear my phone ringing or hear the TV… or, I can’t hear people talking on the phone, can you help me?
- I need a walking stick. Where can I get one?
- My relative is having falls and I am worried about them. Can we have a Community Care Alarm?
- My child needs equipment because of a disability, where do I go to get this?
- I am having problems getting dressed. Can you help?
- I feel unsafe using my front door, I think a rail would help me. How do I get one?
- I need another banister on my stair, can someone help?
- I am going to be on peritoneal dialysis. I need a shower to keep my stoma site clean, what do I do?
- I want a ramp at my door, can you help?
- I no longer need my Occupational Therapy equipment. How do I return it?
- I am having problems when working in the kitchen. Is there any help I can get?
- Can I borrow some equipment for someone who is staying with me on holiday?
- My doctor says I need to raise one end of my bed for health reasons. Who can help?
- Further information.
I am having problems getting in/out of my Chair/Bed/Bath/or Managing the toilet. Can you help?
Someone from the Occupational Therapy Section can visit you at home. They may be able to make some suggestions or provide some equipment that might help.
Contact the Orkney Health and Care Duty Worker. Telephone: 01856 873535.
Can I get help to put in a shower?
If you cannot manage your bath you might be eligible for some help to install a shower, or you might prefer equipment so that you can still use your bath.
An Occupational Therapist will be able to advise what is most suitable for your needs. If you are in a private property, then Orkney Care and Repair may be able to help advise you on possible funding sources. A link to go to the Orkney Care and Repair website can be found within the Related Sites section.
I have nowhere to keep my electric scooter. Can you help?
The Council will not fund storage space and access improvements for privately purchased scooters. Your Occupational Therapist may be able to seek charitable funding for you if you are unable to afford these works.
Orkney Care and Repair may be able to help you organise a contractor to assist. See the Related Sites section.
I can’t carry things because I use a walking aid. What can I do?
A trolley or a zimmer “caddy” might help. Someone from the Occupational Therapy Section can visit to make sure it is a safe option. Contact the Orkney Health and Care duty worker on Tel: 01856 873535.
I need a commode – can you help?
You need to contact your Community Nurse, via your GP Surgery, about getting a comode.
I want to buy some equipment myself. Where do I get it?
The Occupational Therapy Team can lend essential equipment to you or can give you information on where to buy things.
There is a lot of information about equipment and suppliers on the internet. The Disabled Living Foundation has a lot of good information about different types of equipment.
It is usually better to discuss what you think you need with an Occupational Therapist before your buy it if you can, as equipment can be expensive and different things suit different people.
I need to borrow a wheelchair, what should I do?
If you need to use a wheel chair a lot you should ask your GP if you can have one of your own. The Red Cross can lend you a wheel chair if they have a suitable one in stock. Shopmobility may be able to let you hire one short term, contact them via Dial-a-bus.
I am having problems seeing to read and watch TV, can you help?
Our Rehabilitation Officer, who works with people who have a Sensory Impairment, can come and see you. She can let you try out different equipment to help you see the TV and to read.
Our Rehabilitation Officer, who works with people who have a Sensory Impairment, can come and see you. She can let you try out different equipment to see if it will help.
I need a walking stick. Where can I get one?
You should contact the Physiotherapy department at the Balfour Hospital for this.
My relative is having falls and I am worried about them. Can we have a Community Care Alarm?
You need to contact the Orkney Health and Care duty worker to discuss this. Call Tel: 01856 873535.
My child needs equipment because of a disability, where do I go to get this?
The Paediatric Occupational Therapists at the Peedie Sea Children’s Centre should be asked for advice.
I am having problems getting dressed. Can you help?
Occupational Therapists may have equipment that could help you or they may be able to help you look at a different method to try.
I feel unsafe using my front door, I think a rail would help me. How do I get one?
Someone from the Occupational Therapy Team can visit and organise improvements for you if necessary.
I need another banister on my stair, can someone help?
Someone from the Occupational Therapy Team can visit and organise improvements for you if necessary.
I am going to be on peritoneal dialysis. I need a shower to keep my stoma site clean, what do I do?
NHSO may fund an over bath shower for someone on dialysis. This is usually organised by the Renal Unit in Aberdeen. You should contact them to discuss your needs.
I want a ramp at my door, can you help?
If you are unable to manage to walk up/down steps and have an NHS wheelchair the Occupational Therapy Team may be able to help. Contact the Orkney Health and Care Duty worker on Tel: 01856 873535.
I no longer need my Occupational Therapy equipment. How do I return it?
Contact our Occupational Therapy Admin Worker on Tel: 01856 873535, who will organise it to be collected for you or let you know where it can be taken. Please do not bring it into the Council Offices as there is no where to store it there.
I am having problems when working in the kitchen. Is there any help I can get?
Occupational Therapists may be able to lend you equipment to make things easier or suggest different ways of working. Contact them via the Orkney Health and Care Duty worker on 01856 873535.
Can I borrow some equipment for someone who is staying with me on holiday?
The OT Team is happy to lend basic items for a holiday loan providing they are available in stock. Contact them via the Orkney Health and Care Duty worker on 01856 873535.
My doctor says I need to raise one end of my bed for health reasons. Who can help?
The OT Team are not able to lend equipment to only raise one end of a bed. We would recommend discussing this further with your Community Nurses and to find someway of raising your mattress (e.g. with a foam wedge) rather than the whole bed frame as this can make it unsafe.
For further information on Occupational therapy, please contact Orkney Health and Care on Tel: 01856 873535, or visit our contact us web page within the Related Links section at the side of the page.