Housing LIN celebrates Occupational Therapy Week 2024 with resources and more!

This week marks Occupational Therapy (OT) Week, an initiative led by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) to highlight the invaluable contributions of Occupational Therapists. The week aims to raise public awareness and appreciation for the ways occupational therapy professionals transform housing, health and social care.

To coincide with OT Week, RCOT has launched a campaign titled “The Power of Occupational Therapy – Transforming Health and Social Care.” This campaign highlights the critical role occupational therapy plays in healthcare and social services.

At Housing LIN, we have long supported the work of Occupational Therapists in the housing sector by actively promoting the inclusion of accessible and adaptable design in housing, particularly for new and/or refurbished builds aimed at older, vulnerable and disabled people. As part of this commitment, we have developed dedicated OT resource pages, offering guidance on embedding accessible design principles and prioritising adaptive features in residential projects.

This OT week, we draw your attention to the following resources and insights:

• Adaptations Without Delay Report: This guide, produced by the Housing LIN and co-authored by Dr. Rachel Russell, Marney Walker, Ian Copeman, and Jeremy Porteus, offers a practical framework for planning and delivering home adaptations. It is designed to assist practitioners and organisations across the UK in supporting disabled and elderly individuals, as well as their families, with home adaptation advice and resources.
  
  Read here

• HAPPI Hour Webinar Recording: Titled Assessing for the Home Setting: Trusted Approaches to Accessible Homes, this session, held on 29/10/2024 explored the significance of the Trusted Assessor process in adaptation decision-making. It highlighted innovative approaches for equipping housing providers to assess tenant needs while freeing up OT teams for more complex cases. The session also showcased successful adaptations that have enhanced accessibility in residential settings.
  
  Watch here

• TAPPI Personal Story: Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) aims to equip caregivers and professionals with knowledge and tools to support ageing populations effectively through innovative technology. Elisabeth Hart, an OT involved in the TAPPI project at Housing 21’s Dairy View, works with residents to explore how technology can help them feel safer and more independent, improving their wellbeing and confidence
  
  Read here

We’d love to hear your stories about the impact Occupational Therapists can have in housing! Share your experiences with us by emailing info@housinglin.org.uk.

Learn more about RCOT's OT Week here (opens new window).