Occupational therapy strategies for people

living with HIV/AIDS

If you or someone you care about is living

with HIV or AIDS and finds it difficult to do Strategies to help with changes in your
thinking and mental health
daily activities or participate in the communi-
Many people experience
ty, occupational therapy may be able to help. changes to their brain which
Occupational therapy can provide strategies can affect their thinking and
their emotional state. People
to help manage living with HIV/AIDS.
with HIV/AIDS may find their
judgment, attention, motiva-
Strategies to help with physical tion and ability to deal with
emotional situations have
challenges
changed. They may also
HIV can affect the entire body and may involve the mus- experience some form of
cles, bones, nerves, stomach and/or heart. About one- depression or difficulty
third of people with HIV develop problems with their coping with the life changes
feet, which can include numbness, burning pain and resulting from the illness.
muscle weakness. The person with HIV/AIDS may also These are some occupational therapy strategies to help
experience pain in other parts of their body. Other with these changes:
physical challenges may include fatigue, problems
moving around and managing daily activities such as
• To help remember activities, try using verbal or
written cues or memory aids such as a journal or
bathing, preparing meals or doing errands in the calendar.
community. These are some occupational therapy
strategies to help with these physical challenges:
• Develop a routine and structure to your time, for
example on a regular basis try to meet with
• Save energy by planning your activities, as well as someone for support.
modifying your home or work environment. This • Develop healthy coping strategies to assist with
will help you do the activities that you value. life situations.
• Be comfortable by choosing the right chair.
• Get around easier by using a cane, walker,
wheelchair or scooter.
Fast facts about occupational
• Consider trying adaptive devices and resources to therapy
make it simpler to dress, bath, go to the bathroom,
shop and cook. • Occupational therapists help people
• Find out about different types of transportation if to engage in daily activities and
participate in any other activities
you have problems walking.
they find meaningful.
• If your feet hurt, try to have good foot care, • Occupational therapists are regulated
footwear, protective insoles, and in some cases
health care professionals with post-
custom-made foot orthotics to help with the pain.
secondary education.
• To manage pain, try using relaxation techniques, • As more people live longer with
pacing and planning your activities.
HIV/AIDS, they will require more
• Be more aware of your safety by noticing your foot rehabilitation services including
position on stairs and the temperature of the
occupational therapy.
water when bathing.

32 occupational therapy now volume 9.2

Strategies to help with returning to Strategies to help with housing
work concerns
As life expectancy increases for people living with Many people living with
HIV/AIDS, they may want support to begin working or HIV/AIDS have a need for
return to work. But for many people living with this affordable, supportive
disease, there are significant employment problems and accessible housing
based on stigma, discrimination and risk of continued options. Currently the
medical and financial support should they need to few Canadian facili-
leave work. Other barriers with returning to work ties in large urban
include significant gaps in time from previous employ- settings are filled to
ment, loss of previous job title, changes to job capacity and waiting
demands and technological advances. These are some lists are extensive.
occupational therapy strategies to help with these These are some occupational
changes: therapy strategies to help with housing concerns:
• Gradually increase the ability to cope with the • Home adaptations and/or renovations can assist
physical, cognitive and social demands of the job. with making housing accessible, easy and safe for
This may be achieved by vocational rehabilitation. moving around, as well as supporting independence
• An occupational therapist can help with this in home activities.
process by keeping in touch with employers, • Occupational therapists can assist clients and fami-
advocating, explaining ergonomic issues and job lies to explore the best housing options and assist
matching. with successful transitions.
HIV/AIDS has now become a chronic disease.
People living with HIV may have periods where they
are feeling healthy, but also times where their health
Fast facts about HIV/AIDS is poor. Occupational therapists have the expertise
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets to work with people with people who have these
types of episodic problems. The chronic nature of HIV
the body’s immune system. People can live many
years without any symptoms, but over time their and AIDS will likely mean that occupational thera-
immune system becomes weak and their body is pists will be more involved with this population.
not able to fight off illnesses or infections. If you are experiencing some of the difficulties
• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) discussed above, please contact an occupational
describes a collection of symptoms and infec- therapist, your health care team and/or physician
tions caused by the HIV. An individual with AIDS about rehabilitation and how to access an occupa-
lives with a chronic, life-threatening condition. tional therapist.
• More than 56,000 people in Canada are living
with HIV and include men, women and children Visit www.otworks.ca and click on OT Finder to
from all regions of Canada. locate an occupational therapist closest to you.
For more information on occupational therapy
• Some people in Canada have been living with and HIV/AIDS visit the website for the Canadian
HIV for more than 20 years.
Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation:
www.hivandrehab.ca. The Canadian AIDS Society,
CATIE (Community AIDS Treatment Information)
and local AIDS organizations can provide access
to resources, advice and support.

CAOT wishes to acknowledge the work of Debra Cameron, Todd Tran, Gillian Bone and Sheila
Thomas for assisting with this consumer tip sheet.

read full colour version @ www.caot.ca 31