Learning disabilities

Occupational therapists see people with all types of learning disabilities to help them continue with life skills, work and leisure activities as independently as possible

They aim to look at how people with learning disabilities spend their time and suggest activities to maintain health. Occupational therapists will concentrate on enabling people with learning disabilities to be active by looking at new or different ways to engage in activity.

• work with individuals, families and support workers so they understand the importance of taking part in everyday activities
• work with support workers to find ways that people with learning disabilities can get involved around the home, for example, in cooking
• help people to live independently by, for example, providing diaries and prompts for tasks
• help people learn how to use public transport so they can better access community facilities
• help people to use mainstream leisure facilities or places of worship
• support people into mainstream voluntary work or employment
• support people to develop parenting skills
• liaise with other occupational therapists for equipment or adaptations to help people live at home

Paul, a young man with profound learning disabilities and autism, moved into a residential home at the age of 18

However, he was unhappy in his new environment, and resorted to self-harming behaviour, losing weight and interest in the world around him. Paul was referred to an occupational therapist, who developed an intensive interaction programme for him - mimicking and responding to the noises and actions Paul made as a way of communicating with him. Once this had been established, the occupational therapist involved him in activities that he enjoyed and that he could understand, such as playing with sand and water, painting, swimming and horse riding. Paul is now healthier, and no longer resorts to self-harm. He indicates when he wants to eat or play, whereas before he had no interaction with the support workers at his residential home.