Bridget Jeffery, Occupational Therapist with the Assistance Dog charity opens up about the vital work that she does on behalf of her charity and provides insight into what she believes are the most useful products available to purchase on the Manage At Home website.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I qualified as an occupational therapist (OT) in 1985 and I spent fifteen years working in health and education with individuals living with physical disability and mental illness, before training to be a psychotherapist and working in this field for over twenty years. I returned to my OT roots after I retired from the NHS in 2021. I remain state registered, and a member of The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
I am passionate about supporting individuals to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible and to live satisfying and fulfilling lives. I am also fully aware of the increasingly complex health and social care systems and supporting people to navigate their way through these systems is also very satisfying. Working as an occupational therapist has given me a range of skills to achieve this.
How did you get involved with Dogs for Good?
My husband became a puppy socialiser for the charity in 2018 and so far, he has socialised 4 puppies. Being a puppy socialiser means we have the puppy from 8 weeks of age, for about twelve months, and then they return to the charity to be trained to be an assistance dog. As a socialiser, his job is to take the puppy to as many different environments as possible and give them different experiences. He also teaches basic commands and obedience, with very specific guidelines to follow from the charity.
When I retired from the NHS, I wanted to offer my professional skills voluntarily to a charity close to my heart and one I believe in. I love animals and I am passionate about enabling individuals to live the most fulfilling and satisfying life they can and utilise their skills and abilities. Dogs for Good share this passion, and as they hadn’t worked with an OT before within the charity, they thankfully wanted to see how my skills could support their work, and as they say, the rest is history.
Click here for more information about the charity and becoming a puppy socialiser.
What does Dogs for Good offer?
Dogs for Good supports people with diverse health and social care needs, enabling them to make everyday life possible in so many extraordinary ways.
The charity trains and nurtures dogs to enable people to overcome the challenges of disability, autism, dementia and other differences, so they can live happier, healthier, more independent lives. These are dogs that open doors, that connect people in communities, that bring families together.
Their dogs help in many ways. Dogs for Good provide expertly trained dogs to support individuals and families at home, at work, and out in their communities. They’re incredibly practical and emotional enablers, helping people to live more independently and feel more confident and visible in their communities.
Some are specially trained to support autistic children and their families, providing an emotional anchor, a calming focus and an intuitive friend.
Other dogs work alongside expert handlers to help people overcome specific challenges in all sorts of social care settings. Together they support people with dementia to keep active and connected with their families and communities. They enable people who’re socially isolated to build the confidence to leave their homes again. And they encourage people with learning disabilities to be more aware of their surroundings and get out and about safely.
They also provide workshops to enable families with an autistic child, and people with a dementia diagnosis, to get the best out of their relationship with a pet dog. People who attend benefit from expert knowledge, practical advice and a network providing long-term support.
What is your role as an OT with Dogs for Good?
I receive requests from the Dogs for Good instructors, the skilled staff who work with the dog and the applicant, or existing dog partnership, and they explain the difficulties the individual is experiencing. I then carry out a home visit, telephone or video call to gather more details and establish if and how I can help support the individual.
I am a problem solver and aim to work with the individual to consider their own unique set of requirements. These can include environmental, social, physical and mental health needs. Together, we arrive at a suitable plan that aims to improve their lives and make all aspects of daily life more manageable and satisfying.
I support client applicants and partners across the country and my main role is to consider their priorities, suggest alternative ways of doing a task that someone might be struggling with, recommend a particular piece of equipment that can make doing an activity easier, refer to other health or social care professionals who can offer the support needed, signpost to other agencies or write letters of support.
It’s about finding the right solution for individuals. For some people, they may come to us thinking they want an assistance dog because that’s what they have some knowledge about, but when you talk to them you find it’s not necessarily going to be the right fit for them. This is where I come in. Sometimes we receive calls from individuals who struggle with a few practical activities that could be achieved using small pieces of equipment or by changing the method of doing the task.
Sometimes we begin by offering some sessions with one of our community dogs and an expert handler to explore how a dog could help. We want to get things right for the individual and their family.
What are the most common reasons you are asked to be involved?
Primarily the people I speak to live with a variety of physical health conditions, which impact their mobility and function. Some of the daily tasks that are particularly difficult include: Getting in/out of bed, holding a door open whilst going through with a wheelchair, unlocking doors, picking up dropped items, getting attention if they fall, reaching into a washing machine or dryer to retrieve clothes, standing at work surfaces to prepare food or in the shower and rising from a chair,
There are also pet-related tasks that can be challenging such as bending to pick up dog poo, giving the dog treats from the usual treat bag/dispenser, bending to reach the dog bowls, grooming a dog with the usual grooming brush and self-propelling a wheelchair whilst safely holding the dog lead.
Between us, we can usually work out a solution or find someone who can help.
How did you find out about Medequip?
Medequip has been around for years, and I have used their equipment on loan for clients in the community.
In recent years, social services have reduced the range of small items that they provide free of charge, leaving individuals to self-fund. Many outlets stock these items, and Medequip’s Manage At Home e-commerce store is such a valuable resource. Many of the items on sale can help with some of the problems mentioned above. The items that can be particularly useful include:
Key turners: Particularly helpful for people with limited grip, dexterity, reduced strength and/or sensory changes. They provide a bulkier item to grasp and improved leverage.
Perching Stools: These are particularly helpful for those with poor balance or limited standing tolerance. There are so many types of perching stools that I would always recommend speaking to an OT for advice. Do you need armrests, back support, adjustable height, flat or angled base, folding or rigid design?
Furniture raisers: There are several ways of making rising from a seat easier. Height is just one factor, but a soft or firm base will also make a difference. The position you adopt to stand, and whether the seat has arms are also important considerations.
Personal Alarm: Many people who live alone or who have poor balance and/or mobility are often fearful of falls and how to seek help. Once again, many devices on sale can help with this, and advice should be sought before purchase. Your GP can also refer you to a specialist in fall management who can offer advice on staying safe.
Bed grab rails: These can be very helpful for those who need a little extra support to get in and out of bed or find changing positions whilst in bed difficult.
Dressing aids: The most usual difficulties are bending and reaching to put clothes and footwear on and off. Some simple gadgets can help with this including a dressing stick, sock and stocking aid and long-handled shoehorn.
Reachers and Grabbers: There are so many reachers and grabbers on the market, and they all have different features. Some will be more helpful for your particular needs than others. When choosing a reacher, it is helpful to consider what exactly you want to use it for and your own abilities now and whether they are likely to change. I would recommend considering the following features before purchase:
- Do you have the strength and grip to use the reacher?
- The weight of the reacher, is it too flimsy or too heavy?
- Whether short or long length, usually either 26″ or 32″
- How much weight the reacher will lift?
- The stability of the jaws of the reacher when loaded with weight?
- Whether the jaws will pick up very small items?
- What do you want to use the reacher for? If you are using it for wet washing out of the
- washing machine, it needs to be sturdy.
- The strength of the grip when the jaw is closed, and will it hold heavier items?
- If the jaw locks to hold in a fixed position and your ability to manage thelocking mechanism?
- Does the handle angle?
- Does the jaw rotate to 180 or 360 degrees?
- Does the reacher have a hook that you could use as a dressing stick?
- Does the reacher have a magnet?
- How far does the jaw open?
AskSARA
If you struggle with any of the above tasks or any other daily activities, you can use the Medequip self-help guide called Ask SARA
AskSARA is a series of questions to guide you to a range of equipment that might assist you with daily living tasks.
If I want to support Dogs for Good, what can I do?
Visit the website’s “Get Involved” page, and you will see all the different options from volunteering, fundraising, puppy sponsorship, gifts in a will and donations in memory. You can also make a donation at www.dogsforgood.org/donate.
Get Involved With Our Charity | Dogs for Good
Even if you aren’t looking to support the charity, please take a look at the amazing work they do and watch some lovely video clips of the dogs in action. You can find out more at www.dogsforgood.org.
Please note: I would always recommend that you purchase items from a reputable and reliable source, from specialists who understand their products and understand how your health condition can impact your ability.
For a full independent assessment of your needs, contact an occupational therapist or other trained health professional before purchasing some specialist items. Your GP can refer you to appropriate services or many reputable online stores have OT or technical advisors available to offer advice.