Occupational Therapy in the Bedfordshire and Luton Older Adults Services

The Older Adults Team work with service users age 65+ with a mental health diagnosis and anyone with a diagnosis of dementia to support their mental health and well-being both in the community and within inpatient settings.

Community Mental Health and Memory Assessment Teams

Our Community OT’s work across both the community mental health teams and the memory assessment services within Bedfordshire and Luton. Within the memory assessment service, OT’s will complete functional assessments to support in the overall diagnosis, as well as provide advice of cognitive skills to support independence. The assessments are completed 1:1 in a service user’s home, therefore in a familiar environment. Within the CMHT, we focus on enabling individuals to regain independence, engage in meaningful activities, and develop life skills. CMHT intervention work consists mainly of 1:1 sessions either in someone’s home or in the community. The OT teams are also providing and developing group sessions across the localities which focus on increasing participation in meaningful occupations, whilst facilitating social interaction in the community.

Inpatient Services

Our Inpatient Occupational Therapy (OT) teams operate across two wards in Bedford and Luton, supporting individuals with mental health conditions and dementia. The teams carry out comprehensive assessments to evaluate each service user's functional abilities and collaboratively develop strategies to enhance coping and daily living skills, facilitating a safe and effective transition back into the community.

In dementia care, the OT team works closely with carers and ward staff to gain a thorough understanding of each individual's personal history, enabling interventions that promote meaningful engagement during their inpatient stay.

Interventions are delivered through both one-to-one sessions and structured group activities, ensuring a flexible and person-centred approach to care.

How do we work?

Alongside our specialist occupational therapy assessments, we provide a combination of one-to-one interventions and group-based activities across our inpatient wards and community teams. Our approach is practical, creative, and focussed on meaningful therapeutic goals. Sessions will be based around the following areas:

Daily living skills and rehabilitation
Creative arts
Animal-assisted interventions
Sensory regulation
Cognitive Stimulation

We work closely alongside our Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) — including Consultant/Doctors, Nurses, Support Workers and Psychologists. We also link in regularly with community and voluntary sectors to support service users.

What our Service Users/Carers say:

"Now your visits have come to an end we wanted to take this opportunity to tell you just how much we appreciate everything you have done. You seem to have worked some sort of miracle where others have previously failed over the years. Your kindness, enthusiasm, and ability to draw him out of his shell have resulted in a new found confidence in him. The work you did and the effort you put in far exceeded our expectations, and the evidence is in the results, and even though you gave him all the credit, we know he wouldn’t have achieved so much self-improvement without your encouragement. Thank you again, you did a wonderful job." – CMHT Service User and Carer

“Thank you for all you help and support during my inpatient stay to help me return home. The group sessions have helped to build my confidence and try new things. Having your support with returning home has helped to reduce my anxiety and I now feel ready to live independently again in the community” – Service User on an inpatient ward

“My OT was very friendly and easy to talk to, I always felt relaxed and less anxious when she visited and she was always on time. I couldn’t fault my OT for anything, she’s been so good for me and a great support” – CMHT Service User

What Our Team Says

‘I love being an OT in the older adults CMHT and MAS. I feel I am able to be very person-centred in the way that we support people. I am able to be creative when it comes to interventions, but also enjoy the more formal assessment approaches used for memory assessments. The OT team and wider MDT are all really friendly and supportive, which makes it a very happy place to work’ – Community OT staff member

“I enjoy being an Occupational Therapist in the older adult’s team because I get to support individuals in discovering their strengths, and help them live meaningful lives. It’s not just a job; it’s a passion that drives me to make a difference in the lives of the service users. It is a deeply fulfilling and enriching experience to be a part of a team that values compassion, creativity, and holistic care. Every day is a chance to make a difference, and that is what I love most about my job”. – OT, Inpatient Older Persons