Home visits - Question 1
Q: The occupational therapist has mentioned a home visit. What is this for?
A: Before you are discharged from hospital, it is often useful for you to have a visit home with the occupational therapist. This will enable you to get some idea of how you will manage when you are at home again. It will also provide some ideas about possible problem areas. The occupational therapist will be able to advise on any special equipment that might help you - in the kitchen, the bathroom or any other living area. The therapist will also be able to check safety aspects such as loose carpets, the need for extra stair rails and so forth.
Sometimes the occupational therapist will first visit your home without you, just to look around and get an idea of the skills you must have before being discharged from hospital. Closer to the time of your discharge a further visit will often be done with you to check exactly where the difficulties are.
If you are going to need some help from a carer when you are home, it is helpful if your carer can be there for the visit so that they can be shown what is planned and what their role is going to be.
