Dressing Assessment and Dressing Practice

In order to clarify the input of Occupational Therapy on the inpatient wards in Bradford, we would like to establish clear guidelines concerning these two common forms of therapy.

Occupational Therapy is therapeutic intervention with specific aims and objectives which utilises purposeful activity as its therapeutic medium. As such, the focus of therapy is on the skills required to perform specific tasks, not on the complete execution of any given activity.

The chosen activity, i.e. dressing, washing, shaving, is utilised as a means to an end, not an end in itself. The activity will be used both as an assessment and as a treatment tool. A graded program of treatment may be devised following assessment.

All intervention is agreed with the patient. Priorisiting objectives for therapy is an integral part of treatment planning and requires the individual's co-operation and agreement.

Personal care activities are not essential to therapy, but provide purposeful, meaningful activity to most patients.

Below are listed some aspects assessed during a dressing assessment and which later form the base of any therapeutic intervention by the Occupational Therapist.

•  Cognition
•  Aphasia; receptive/expressive
•  Colour recognition
•  Figure/ground discrimination
•  Spatial awareness
•  Body image
•  Vision
•  Apraxia
•  Balance/posture
•  Dexterity
•  Range of Movement at specific joints
•  Strength
•  Object recognition
•  Sequencing
•  Mood
•  Motivation

The aim of Occupational Therapy is to facilitate the return of function and to achieve the highest possible level of independence in the individual. This is within the limits of disease processes, social circumstances, previous functional level, patient motivation and choice. Where necessary, aids may be suggested (and demonstrated ) to enable activity otherwise limited by reduced strength or range of movement.

It must be emphasised that because personal care is being utilised as a therapeutic tool, the therapist may select a single aspect on which to focus therapy. We can not guarantee to undertake all the patients' personal care needs during therapy.
Unless specified, we will ensure that those patients with whom we work, are fully and appropriately dressed. We will encourage, but not enforce, appropriate hygiene. A patient has the right to choose. We will, at all times, ensure the patients' safety.