Occupational therapy ‘ gave me my confidence back ’, says service user
Right circle : Donna enjoying her milkshake . Above : Donna and her OTA
Donna , a service user at Cygnet Hospital Sheffield , has spoken about how engagement with the occupational therapy team set her on the right path and improved her confidence , communication skills , awareness of self and others , community skills and developing her trust in trying new things .
The 55-bed hospital offers a low secure service for women and CAMHS services for male and female adolescents over three distinct wards . Having been admitted to Spencer Ward in October 2022 , Donna reflects that it took her nearly three months to engage with the occupational therapy team . ‘ I ignored their initial attempts to get me involved in meaningful activities ,’ she says .
‘ At previous services , others would always try and get me to do things that I didn ’ t want to do . It was never around my interests ; it was generic activities that everyone else had to do . The team would always try , but I would just ignore them and say , “ I don ’ t do OT ”.
However , staff kept on trying and Donna says she ‘ started to talk more to them ’, about what she liked and what she wanted to do .
Having said that she liked sea life , Donna ’ s occupational therapist suggested taking her to The Deep , in Hull . ‘ This was the first time I had gone anywhere since being on Spencer Ward , as I had been too scared before ’ she says .
With the support of her OT , Donna then started to use her leave . ‘ I had a lot of anxiety about being by myself and being out in the community ,’ she says . ‘ We worked on spending time alone , with the OT initially staying with me … I ’ d work up to 15 minutes alone , to then my full 30 minutes . This really helped , I became more confident in being in my own company in the community .’
Working with her OT on the ward in the occupational therapy kitchen , led to Donna and her OT visiting some quiet cafes . ‘ I was anxious and I didn ’ t want to order my own drinks ,‘ she remembers .
‘ However , I continued to go out for weekly milkshakes , and my team encouraged me to try different venues . Eventually , I went somewhere and requested a table for three and managed to order everyone ’ s drinks . This gave me the confidence to try new places .’
She adds : ‘ I love Disney , so when my OT asked me where I would go if I could choose anywhere , I replied “ Disneyland ”. The following day , my OT approached me and asked if I would like to go to Disney on Ice at Sheffield Arena . I was quite anxious about this , but they reassured me and said I could select the staff to support me .
‘ On one of my community leaves , we drove to the arena , so I could see where it was , and how big it was . This really helped and they explained how many people would be there , and how it would look inside .’
I feel really proud of myself for achieving what I did . My advice to someone considering engaging with occupational therapy is to give them a chance , you won ’ t regret it .”
Donna had such a fantastic time – ‘ I was so pleased with myself for being around over 8,000 people ’ – further trips were planned , included going to see Diversity with the OT assistant , where Donna overcame another goal of eating out for the first time ; something , she says , ‘ I am usually really conscious about ’.
Other activities the OT team have supported Donna with have included nutrition , shopping and cooking . She concludes : ‘ I feel really proud of myself for achieving what I did . My advice to someone considering engaging with occupational therapy is to give them a chance , you won ’ t regret it .’
10 OTnews May 2024