How our service can help you
The Living Well with Psychosis team is made up of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. We are a community service supporting older people who are experiencing psychosis.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is here to help you live life to the fullest. It is a science-based profession, regulated by the Health and Care Professionals Council, that focuses on supporting people to do the things that matter most to them. Whether it’s keeping on top of housework, enjoying hobbies, or staying connected with friends and family, occupational therapists work alongside you to build confidence, independence, and wellbeing.
Our role is to provide the right level of support at the right time, helping people with serious mental illnesses to maintain independence and enjoy the best possible quality of life.
What do we do?
We base our occupational therapy intervention on a person-centred approach to help people improve their quality of life and wellbeing. This focuses on helping a person to live a satisfying life despite challenges they may face. It emphasises hope, personal responsibility, empowerment and building a sense of identity and purpose.
What can I expect?
Your occupational therapist will work with you to identify individualised goals. We will work with you to develop a care plan that reflects your priorities and aims to improve your quality of life.
You will have regular reviews with your occupational therapist to measure progress. These reviews are an opportunity to agree changes to your treatment plan. We work closely with your multi-disciplinary team including you, your family, nurses, social workers, psychologists, carers and psychiatrists.
Support that we may agree on can include:
- Support to identify and engage with local community groups and activities.
- Identifying and organising other sources of support.
- Developing skills, confidence and motivation.
- Promoting peer support and community engagement.
Who is the service for?
This service is for people currently under the care of older people's mental health services within CPFT and have an existing care co-ordinator or responsible clinician.
They are usually over the age of 65 with a long-term psychosis who are experiencing difficulties in their everyday activities or in achieving their goals.
We work with people with the following diagnoses:
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective disorder
- Bi-polar
- Disorder with psychotic elements
- Psychotic depression
- Delusional disorder
What area does this service cover?
The service covers people who are registered with a GP in Cambridgeshire with occupational therapists in Huntingdon, Peterborough, Cambridge and Fenland.
Where will this service be delivered?
This service is delivered in the community. We can come to your home, or you can meet us at one of our offices if you prefer.
Do I have to pay for the service?
This service is provided by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust, so you will not be charged for the service itself. However, there may be some additional costs, such as certain activities or travel expenses. If these arise, we will discuss and clarify them with you in advance.
Contact the service
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E-mail: OPMHLWP@cpft.nhs.uk
Referral Information
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Please speak to your care co-ordinator or mental health professional if you would like to be referred to our service.
If you are not currently receiving care from CPFT you can speak to your GP about a referral to the Older People's Mental Health team.
For professional referrals, please write to OPMHLWP@cpft.nhs.uk.
Carers Information
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A carer is anyone, including children and adults who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they give is unpaid.
At Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, we value the often life-long support carers provide and recognise them as equal care partners. We want to offer as much guidance and reassurance as possible, to help you in your caring role. You can find general information and support for adult carers, young carers and parent carers by following this link.