Helen is frail.

 

Since Dad’s death last year, my mother, whose name is Helen, has lost weight, had a couple of falls and stays at home a lot more. I worry about her being alone in the house and admire that she is determined to stay put and keep her independence. One thing I’ve noticed is that she has lost her interest in cooking – something she used to enjoy, for herself, and the whole family. She can have groceries delivered or go out to the store herself, but I suspect she eats toast and drinks tea most days. I also worry about her not being able to complete all chores by herself, as Dad used to be so helpful around the house and garden.

Helen needs an OT.

DEPRESSION, ISOLATION and GRIEF are three common outcomes from the loss of a spouse. And without a partner to share the responsibilities and worries, difficulties in meeting the needs of everyday living can emerge.

The occupational therapist helped Helen to:

  • Talk through and identify ways to adjust to her new life. Get out into her community, reconnect with friends and visit with grandchildren. Make a plan for exploring new activities. Invite a neighbour for lunch, pursue a hobby or ride the bus to a wellness program for seniors.

  • Identify and address the main challenges to keeping up with household chores. Create a new structured daily schedule at a pace that Helen can manage. Pick a favourite recipe, write a short grocery list, and plan how to get to the store or place an order. Set aside time to cook the recipe the following day.

  • Support Helen in asking family for help with some bigger chores, like gardening.

  • Find local, affordable and reliable services for other larger tasks. Find a neighborhood snow shovelling service through the local community centre.

  • Resume cooking. The OT and Helen cooked together and the OT suggested adaptations based on her difficulties, like installing brighter lightbulbs in the kitchen, learning a safer technique to chop vegetables, and suggesting Helen take breaks between tasks in the kitchen.

Because of occupational therapy, Mom is cooking our favourite recipes!

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) provides a searchable national directory of occupational therapists for all Canadians to find the occupational therapy services they need.

Occupational therapy. Making the everyday possible.