Olive’s life is so much better thanks to adult social care
Olive Langton from Littlemore has seen her day to day life and her independence transformed with a little help from her ‘friends’.
Occupational Therapists from Oxfordshire County Council have been working with Olive, 86, to increase her confidence and assist her with moving safely around her home.
She said: “I feel ever so grateful for all the help I’ve been given and often think how lucky I am. I use the trolley I have been provided with every day to help me walk. It helps me carry my pills and necessities. Without it life would be so much more difficult.”
Nikita Bassi, an Occupational Therapy student with the City Adult Social Care Team has planned and implemented a programme to maintain Olive’s independence, preventing the need for an increase in care, maintaining her dignity and increasing her social engagement opportunities to prevent social isolation.
She said: “It’s also important to reduce the risk of falls which may lead to a hospital admission. We’ve spoken at length to Olive about what she values in her life and what are the most important things for her.
“My skills and knowledge, learned whilst on placement, have allowed me to work with Olive to establish what is important to her and has led us to provide her with solutions, including equipment and advice that have made the world of difference to her quality of life.”
Nikita is originally from Canada and works with qualified Occupational Therapist Hetti Ashby. She added: “We have also identified that Olive would benefit from some rehabilitation from the Community Therapy Service and also to a befriending service. All in all we’re proud of the difference we’ve made.”
Kate Terroni, Director for Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is just one example of the great work that our Occupational Therapists do within Adult Social Care. Their main focus is to identify an individual’s strengths and offer practical solutions such as equipment to maximise independence, wellbeing and social engagement which is an important component of the work completed by the County Council.”
“Every person we work with is different and we take a very flexible approach as we strive together to find the best solutions to meet people’s identified outcomes.”