Occupational therapy support workers

Your role as an occupational therapy support worker is to help people who struggle with day-to-day activities to live a full and independent life following illness, injury, disability or ageing which can make ordinary tasks harder for some people. Occupational therapy (OT) support workers work with occupational therapists to help carry out these tasks. They help people find ways to continue with activities which are important to them. This might involve learning new ways to do things. Or it might mean changes to the environment to make things easier.

As an OT support worker you may work with people of all ages and situations with a range of conditions. For example, helping:

• Someone adapt to life after major surgery such as a hip replacement
• Children with disabilities take part in school and play activities
• Dementia sufferers develop strategies
• Stroke patients
• People suffering from mental illness get back into everyday activities such as work or volunteering
• Elderly people stay in their own homes by providing adaptation such as level access showers or stairlifts

You may help people to use aids and equipment, including assistive technology. Assistive technology helps profoundly disabled people communicate, use IT, get about and control household services and equipment (lights, TV, etc).

OT support workers may also be known as

• OT assistants
• Rehabilitation assistants
• Technical instructors/OT technicians

OT support workers can be based in hospitals, clinics, and GP practices. They may also visit patients in their homes or in residential or care homes.