Adapted kitchen

[gus]

Hi all hope you all had a nice xmas and new year. I had a fall a week before xmax landed straight down on my rear end my legs just gave way. The pain is still quite bad right in the area of the coccyx hopefully just bruised.

I am wondering if anyone can clarify if information I was given by my OT is correct. Over several years I have had some adaptations and aids fitted a wet room with multiple grab rails, stair lift and Clos-o-Mat toilet. I asked my OT if I could have some adaptions to my kitchen she said "you are not a full time wheelchair user so no you cannot have any adaptions". Is this correct? she is not the best OT and made lots of mistakes when dealing with the stair lift and Clos-o-Mat.

[lankou]

What is an OT please? (I assume NOT an expert on benefits or disability.)

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants

[gus]

What is an OT please? (I assume NOT an expert on benefits or disability.)

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants

OT is short for "occupational therapist"

[Sunshine Meadows]

Hi Gus,

Sorry about you fail I hope that the pain decreases soon. We also got a number of adaptions like a wet room done a few years ago. I dont know if you remember back in 2017 when Mr Sunshine broke his leg but we had an OT assessment back then too. The OT's attitude was awful and it took a lot to persuade her to even help and then she could not even get a quote for changing the height of a piece of worktop. We ended up feeling worse for asking for help than when we struggled on.

The OT's conclusion was we should move to a bungalow, something that is impossible given we still have a huge mortgage and even if that was paid off the house is not worth what a bungalow costs.

[Monic1511]

Hi
The adaptations offered by the local council are a perching stool , sometimes if you have visual impairment you get more help regarding cooking etc.  It will depend on what type of aids you’re looking for.

[gus]

Hi Gus,

Sorry about you fail I hope that the pain decreases soon. We also got a number of adaptions like a wet room done a few years ago. I dont know if you remember back in 2017 when Mr Sunshine broke his leg but we had an OT assessment back then too. The OT's attitude was awful and it took a lot to persuade her to even help and then she could not even get a quote for changing the height of a piece of worktop. We ended up feeling worse for asking for help than when we struggled on.

The OT's conclusion was we should move to a bungalow, something that is impossible given we still have a huge mortgage and even if that was paid off the house is not worth what a bungalow costs.

The pain is slightly better today thanks.I know what you mean about the OT this last one was constantly saying "you will have to move to a bungalow" even though she had been told there were no two bed bungalows available.. My first OT for the wet room was appalling everything I said about my problems she said "prove it". I got annoyed with her and gave her dozens of pages of medical evidence she soon shut up but her attitude stunk. She was down right rude, I think she had a bad reputation because another OT asked who first assessed me I mentioned her name and the new OT pulled a face.

[gus]

Hi
The adaptations offered by the local council are a perching stool , sometimes if you have visual impairment you get more help regarding cooking etc.  It will depend on what type of aids you’re looking for.

I was given a perching stool and told the OT it would not be any good I have spinal problems and as well leg problems. The stool could not provide back support and I found it difficult to get on and off so it was useless. The problem I have is I cannot get any items out of the base units and cannot use the oven.Anything below worktop height is out of reach.

 

[auntieCtheM]

I've got the OT coming round tomorrow to see if I need anything adapted after the stroke.  Actually I am nearly back to normal.  But there are things I had stopped being able to do before this happened so I will be interested to see if they can offer any help with those things.

[lankou]

Actually I am nearly back to normal. 

No you aren't. (Don't even mention it.)

[Fiz]

I'm supposed to have my OT assessment sometime this month. The plan being to remove my bath and create a wet room with a rubber footed stool and shelves. I'll definitely need a second hand rail too.

I'd love them to chuck some concrete on my drive too because every year I have to do battle with weeds coming through the gravel everywhere and trying to deal with it is excruciating plus a risk of falls. I don't know whether I'm wishing for too much for that though.

[auntieCtheM]

Well the OT came and the physiotherapist.  I'm not sure what they came for.  I just told them how I was.  I told them about the things that I cannot do.  and then they went.  Someone else is coming around this Thursday, but I am not sure why.  It was all rather odd.  I shall wait and see what happens next I suppose.

[Fiz]

That's not good communication of the professionals auntie. When they came to discuss putting a shower over the bath when they I knew exactly what was going to be done and where the handrail would be etc as things were marked out and all drawn onto their graph paper. So it does seem that you have been left in the dark rather. I was told my plan had to be approved by the panel so I knew it wasn't definite but at least I knew they understood what my needs are and what the plan was so it was just waiting for approval.

I'm supposed to have my assessment in January though I've not heard anything about an appointment yet. It's all a waiting game.

[Sunshine Meadows]

Gus,

It sounds to me like we both got a 'good' OT who did things we needed eg the wet rooms and maybe that raised our expectations when it came to needing work doing in the kitchen. Until the horrible OT came I had thought when I ended up having to use the wheelchair when I was in the kitchen they would do things like put a lower sink and run of kitchen units in and maybe those frames for the cupboards that can be pulled out and down so I could get to the contents of the cupboard. The last OT did say I could get them from Ikea  >yikes< She made it clear that the expectation was that I use the care component of my DLA to pay for allsorts of things I thought the OT service helped with. Gosh I am feeling ranty now the stupid woman suggested we heat the shower room using a heater she said went into the light fitting, pity about the shower rail and plastic/polyester shower curtain that would not work so well after being scorched and melted  >steam<

The report she wrote said things like ' Sunshine makes many meals in a slow cooker' I cant safely lift the thing to move or clean it, and I can't prepare that meal everyday or every other day pfffft

Auntie,

I think there are two types of OTs the ones like the one I last saw who are there to arrange things like perching stools and hand rails and other ones who arrange for Disabled Facilities Grants and things like wet rooms. It seems like people eg Gus and myself have the first type of OT come out initially and then if that OT sees a need they arrange for the other type of OT to get in touch. It sounds to my like you and Fiz are going to see the second type of OT.

[Fiz]

I'm after a wet room now though, removing the bath and adding more hand rails in the wet room and outside the entrances and exits of the house. My hob stopped working many months ago and I had thought that rather than replace the cooker when it comes to it, I will need an eye level fan oven and an electric induction hob neither of which I can afford. My current cooker no longer has any working gas rings. But I still consider myself blessed with what I do have. And to have a garden to sit in on Sunny days would be incredible. A cooker is surplice imo!