Occupational Therapy thinks about the person as a whole, taking their physical and mental health and well being into consideration.
Occupational Therapist’s help people get back to their normal activities, which can include self care, hobbies, leisure and work. Part of the Occupational Therapists role in Cardiac Rehabilitation Lothian is to support people to return to work.
Work can be good for both physical and mental health and so helping people return to work after a heart event, is important. Lots of the people using the cardiac rehabilitation service are still working and benefit from support and guidance on how to return in a safe and timely manner.
Returning to work after a heart event can be challenging for a variety of reasons, whether physical or psychological. Physical issues such as pain, fatigue and reduced strength/fitness impact on our ability to do the things we sometimes take for granted. Equally psychological issues such as anxiety and reduced confidence may affect how and when you return to work.
For people who have a physically demanding job, a work assessment can be offered. This is a face to face appointment carried out in our workshops by one of the occupational therapists. Here we are able to let you do some of the physical tasks that are commonly found in manual handling jobs, such as lifting, carrying and push /pull tasks. We will measure blood pressure and pulse and assess how you manage in a work environment. These assessments help us to advise on the timing of returning to work as well as give information on any physical difficulties that a person might have. Completing a work assessment can help reduce anxiety and therefore increase confidence with returning to work.
After the work assessment, the Occupational Therapist can give support with how to return to work. This can be verbal and written advice. The Occupational Therapist can use a report similar to a GP sick line (Fit Note) to give this written information. They may also encourage returning to work in a gradual way, called a phased return, which can ease you back into your work and also help reduce fatigue and anxieties around going back to work after being off sick.
For further information from the British Heart Foundation:
Work and a heart condition and Returning to work with a heart condition
