Better Support at Lower Cost

The College of Occupational Therapists (COT) fully supports the conclusions of the Social Services Improvement Agency recent publication “Better Support at Lower Cost” (SSIA 2011)

Occupational therapists have a role key in delivering reablement services (Welsh Assembly Government 2011). They promote individuals’ self-reliance and resourcefulness, engaging with them as active participants in their communities and services.

60% of older people who enter a reablement service do not require further services after a 6 week intensive period of help and assistance. (SSIA 2011)

Occupational therapists add value to social care providing expertise in delivering a wide range of services, for example:

reablement and community rehabilitation
collaborative person-centred objectives (personalisation)
assessing for and improving confidence to use equipment, assistive technology devices effectively
engaging with local communities to reduce social exclusion
providing accessible homes through designing appropriate housing adaptations
training others to move from a ‘care to enabling’ approach
prevention, for example; falls, youth crime, re-offending
care management for complex cases
ensuring care homes provide personalised, meaningful and purposeful activity
leading on return-to-work initiatives

Download Better Support at Lower Cost Position Statement

References
Welsh Assembly Government (2011) Sustainable Social Services: A Framework for Action. WAG, Cardiff
Social Services Improvement Agency (2011) Better Support at Lower Cost. SSIA, Cardiff
Other sources of evidence and information on occupational therapy and reablement include:
College of Occupational Therapists (2010) Position statement: Reablement the added value of occupational therapists. (available at: http://www.cot.org.uk/position-statements/reablement-added-value-occupational-therapists-0
College of Occupational Therapists (2010) Reasons to use OT services: Reablement (available at: http://www.cot.org.uk/ot-helps-your-client/reablement or: direct link (http://www.cot.org.uk/sites/default/files/commissioning_ot/public/Occupational-therapists-contribute-to-reablement-and-positive-outcomes-in-social-care.pdf )
College of Occupational Therapists (2008) Position Statement: The value of occupational therapy and its contribution to adult social service users and their carers. (available at: http://www.cot.org.uk/position-statements/adult-social-services-users-and-carers )
College of Occupational Therapists (2010) Changing lives changing practice. COT (available at: http://www.cot.org.uk/publication/books-z-listing/changing-lives-changing-practice-occupational-therapy-social-work-enabli )
Riley, J.M. (2008) Enabling Everyday Lives. College of Occupational Therapists. London (available at: http://www.cot.org.uk/publication/wales/enabling-everyday-lives-report-occupational-therapy-social-services-departments-wa )
SCIE (2010) At a glance 27: Personalisation briefing: Implications for occupational therapists in social care (available at:
http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/ataglance/ataglance27.asp
Heywood F and Turner L (2007) Better outcomes, lower costs: Implications for health and social care budgets of investment in housing adaptations, improvements and equipment: a review of the evidence. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office