Preparing for your first occupational therapy appointment

What an occupational therapist does

Occupational therapists help people who find everyday activities hard because of illness, disability or ageing, with the aim of more independence in daily life. They work with all ages, from babies to older people.^[1] An OT can assess how you manage tasks such as dressing, washing and eating, look at your home, and recommend aids, equipment or changes to the house. An OT report is also what you need to apply for the Housing Adaptation Grant.^[1] In mental health services an OT looks at the routines, roles and activities that give your day structure and meaning.^[2]

Occupational therapy and physiotherapy are separate professions with separate CORU registers; many people see both. This guide covers how to get an appointment and what to bring, not what treatment involves.

Public or private

Public OT is provided through HSE primary care centres and hospital teams. You can be referred by a GP, public health nurse, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist or hospital, and some services take self-referrals. Waiting lists are common and are prioritised by need.^[1][3] Aids and appliances prescribed by a public OT are free with a medical card, a Health Amendment Act card or the Long Term Illness Scheme.^[1]

Private OTs usually take direct bookings without a referral. The Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland keeps a directory of private practitioners.^[1] FairCare lists private practices with the age groups, assessments and delivery methods that each practice’s own website confirms.

Check the register

Occupational therapists in Ireland must be registered with CORU, the regulator for health and social care professions, and only registered professionals may use the title.^[4] You can search the register on CORU’s website, and complaints about a registered professional’s fitness to practise go to CORU.^[4][5]

What the first appointment involves

The first session is usually an assessment. Expect questions about your daily routine, how you move and get around, how you cope, your home and work or school, and what matters to you. From that, you and the OT agree goals together.^[1][2] For a child, bring school reports and any earlier assessments. For an adult, bring a list of medicines, your medical card if you have one, and notes on what has become difficult and when.^[6]

Ask before the appointment how long it will take, whether a parent or carer should stay in the room, and whether the OT will visit your home as part of the assessment.