Occupational Therapy News July 2020 | Page 10

NEWS Patients share their love of music through DJing and dancing on an adult mental health rehabilitation ward A mental health unit in Llandough is regularly rocking to tunes provided by a patient, after an occupational therapist helped her find something to do during lockdown. Rhian Arnold, a band five occupational therapist in the rehabilitation service at Hafan-Y-Coed Hospital near Cardiff, says the team there has had to think of new ways of working since restrictions from the coronavirus meant that patients were unable to engage in some of their valued occupations in the community. ‘We normally do lots in the community, where we focus on enabling individuals to re-engage in meaningful occupations, supporting them to achieve their occupational goals in preparation for living in the community, such as building confidence with using public transport or supporting individuals to engage in voluntary projects,’ she says. ‘But now with the restrictions, we are limited to the ward environment and the hospital grounds, and instead it’s about making use of the resources in the ward environment itself.’ One lady who is now on the ward used to DJ in the community and found it a really valuable occupation, but since a deterioration in her mental health, resulting in her admission to hospital, she lacked engagement in leisure occupations on the ward, including DJing. Rhian says: ‘Remotivation is a part of the Model of Human Occupation, which we have recently introduced into the rehab service and has allowed us to work with patients in a different way.’ She began to work with the lady to reignite her love for music by using her playlists, working with her to use the playlists on her phone and play them on speakers, and helping her to organise how she would get song requests from patients and staff, as well as putting up posters on the ward to advertise the DJing. © GettyImages/Feodora Chiosea ‘It’s really lifted people’s spirits, and you can see other patients enjoying the music and dancing,’ says Rhian. ‘And we supported the patient to gradually build responsibility for it all. Whereas she initially relied on staff to get the things she needed, she now takes the lead.’ Easy songs to dance to, including the Macarena, Cha Cha Slide, Greased Lightnin’ and the YMCA, have all proven big hits in getting patients moving. ‘It’s a really lovely communal thing we can share together, and it was good to have something that promoted fitness too,’ says Rhian. This has also had a positive effect on staff moral too. Other projects on the ward have included supporting a man to work towards his long-term goal of becoming a gardener, helping him to build up his stamina and concentration, all of which he had previously struggled with. He is now hoping to volunteer as a gardener once the restrictions have eased. Occupational therapy students join Huddersfield telehealth scheme to support lone older people Occupational therapy and physiotherapy students at the University of Huddersfield will take part in a scheme to support older people struggling by themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. 32 students under supervision will offer specially-tailored advice and encouragement to help older people preserve and boost their physical and mental health for six sessions over three weeks, focusing on goals that the participants want to achieve such as around anxiety or not sleeping well. Paula Bee, chief executive of Age UK Wakefield District which provides referrals for the students, said: ‘We are delighted to be collaborating with the team at the University of Huddersfield on this innovative programme. The pandemic has deeply impacted on the wellbeing of our older people. This programme offers a great opportunity to provide evidence-based intervention, to support wellbeing in these difficult times.’ It is anticipated that telehealth skills will remain part of the teaching after the end of the pandemic. Apply to be an external assessor for the RCOT Annual Awards RCOT is seeking to recruit two members as external assessors for its Annual Awards for Learning, Development and Research. Assessors will work alongside an internal RCOT assessor to review applications for one of the RCOT Annual Award categories and agree which applications will go forward to the assessment panel meeting. This opportunity is suitable for occupational therapists that have experience of reviewing grant and award applications or academic assessment and have an understanding of research governance, including ethics, data protection and confidentiality. The assessment of the award applications normally takes place in November each year, with assessments returned by mid-December, ahead of the panel meeting in January. Assessors normally serve a three-year term. Interested applicants can email for more information and get an application form to submit by Friday 28 August from: kinza. [email protected]. 10 OTnews July 2020