Powys County Council In Partnership With Powys Teaching Health Board

How difficult is it to return home after a period of time in hospital following an illness or injury? We don’t often consider how our day to day living can be so drastically impacted upon, and even the simplest of tasks become difficult to do. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Powys County Council, in partnership with Powys Teaching Health Board, have a county wide Reablement Service that offers intensive support to help people who are recovering from an illness or injury to regain their independence. The teams include an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, and trained support workers. Working closely together, the team will develop a plan that supports an individual from as early as possible, all the way through discharge and on to home, the place they love most and want to be. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has produced a digital story which highlights Eirian and Maureen at home during their Reablement with Donna Owen, a Reablement Support Worker at Powys County Council and Keith Lewis, Lead Occupational Therapist from Powys Teaching Health Board. They explain how working together between health and social care can make a real difference to helping people remain independent and able to support themselves in the place they would rather be, home. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

For Eirian, the team visits and adaptations made a big difference after losing her confidence, Eirian said; “It did help to have the team come in. They encouraged me and gave me the confidence to try harder. Being home, with your warm surroundings you get better quicker.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Stephen Hayes, Portfolio-Holder for Adult Services commented: “A single team of health and social care professionals working together can make a real difference in enabling someone to remain at home and independent for as long as possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Small adjustments to someone’s home, like changing the way they get ready in the morning or preparing a meal, can make a significant difference to their wellbeing, help them remain at home and a valued member in their community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​