Occupational Therapy

"Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health." Mary Reilly

Mary Reilly

What is an Occupational Therapist?
Occupational Therapy department in St. Patrick’s University Hospital
How can Occupational Therapy help you?
How can I access the Occupational Therapy services?

What is an Occupational Therapist?

An occupational therapist is a member of the multidisciplinary team who are responsible for your care and treatment in Hospital. Occupational therapists are concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation. Occupation is everything people do to occupy themselves. This includes looking after themselves (self-care), enjoying life (leisure) and being productive (work/school/college/volunteering). The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable you to participate in activities of everyday life that are important to you throughout your lifetime.

Occupational Therapy department in St. Patrick’s University Hospital

The Occupational Therapy Department in St. Patrick’s University Hospital has 10 occupational therapists who are assigned to multidisciplinary teams. In addition to individual and group Occupational Therapy intervention, the department also has a number of activity instructors working in the Hospital’s art, craft, and pottery and computer rooms as well as in the Gymnasium.

The department primarily uses the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) to help guide assessment and treatment. MOHO is an internationally recognised model of practice used by Occupational Therapists which places you at the centre of your therapy.

How can Occupational Therapy help you?

If you are referred to occupational therapy this may be in a group setting or you may work on a one to one basis with an occupational therapist. Working with an occupational therapist can help with:

Goal setting and identifying lifestyle changes.
Support you to live as independently as possible, for example money management, using public transport, shopping and meal preparation..
Offer information and advice about your daily routine and structure.
Offer ideas/information to help you to engage in new/ previous leisure or community activities.
Help you to organise your time more effectively.
Assist you to develop stress management techniques to cope with everyday life.
Understand current social supports that you have and to help you develop new social outlets.
Help you to prepare for discharge from hospital and to stay well at home

How can I access the Occupational Therapy services?

Referrals to Occupational Therapy are made during multidisciplinary team meetings. Not everyone who comes into Hospital is referred for occupational therapy as referral is based on your individual needs. As a service user you can request an Occupational Therapy assessment through discussion with your multidisciplinary team. Find out more about how to access our services

For more information on Occupational Therapy see the following websites:

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The atmosphere of the hospital is very bright, cheerful and friendly. The staff are excellent, uniformly helpful without exception and a credit to the hospital

There is a very good atmosphere at St. Patrick's. Communication is very good between patients and staff and should be maintained on an informal basis. Food is very good and is a very good morale booster for everyone. I would like to thank everyone in St. Patrick's for input and kindness while I have been here

I had 10 unforgettable days with prime quality care and facilities. Most of all, I've met really nice people and hopefully not being wrong made some friends. Good work, keep it up

It was a turning point in my life and a good one. I will always have fond memories of my stay here because the overall feeling was of peace.

Today I'm sad as I leave ye all, but the sadness is one that I like, Because after 8 weeks on the bay, it's time for me to take a hike, thanks to all the nurses and students, to the staff in the kitchen and OT's too, to the lovely ladies who clean the ward, to the doctors where a bond we grew.

The Cleaners kept my room beautifully clean and the Temple Centre was spotless. The staff were so helpful and caring and gave me as much time as I needed. All in all I was very well cared for. Thank you very much

Excellent staff have finally helped me overcome my illness with the correct treatment and also using the recovery psychosis programme which opened my mind to what I suffer from. I have had this for 10 years but now I feel relaxed, free of all fear thanks to the A team. St Pats sets the standard for others to follow.

I do not have a single negative to pass on the time I have spent under the care of the staff of St. Patrick's Hospital other than to say that it varied between very good and exceptional. I came to hospital feeling broken and despairing and leave now feeling renewed and well and looking to the future.

I was most impressed with the care given to my daughter during her stay here. The ambience in the hospital is relaxed and caring. From the cleaners to the nurses, doctors and administrators everybody is on first name terms all working to a common goal of getting people better. Congratulations on a job well done