Outdoor and garden work therapy group – ULPU
Ulpu is the hospital’s largest, 74-place, work therapy unit, containing 60 patient places in the outdoor work group, and 14 places in the garden work group. Seven tutors work in Ulpu, each of whom has nursing training. Patient care and rehabilitation is based on Ulpu’s care philosophy and steps to rehabilitation.
Work therapy tasks at Ulpu cover a range of disciplines, and we work across the entire hospital sector. Work therapy tasks at Ulpu are divided into 5 different modules: the garden, the forest working group, the park areas maintenance group, the transport group and the waste disposal and laundry group. In addition we collaborate with the sports instructor and physiotherapist in providing exercise and recreational activities.
Hospital wards apply for a work therapy placement for patients by issuing a referral to Ulpu, following which the patient is accompanied by a member of staff on a visit to a work unit. Referrals and matters related to work therapy activities are dealt with in Ulpu’s care team, which includes both tutors and ward personnel. If necessary, the work therapy unit’s immediate superior and the doctor responsible for work therapy participate in the care team.
If necessary, tutors and patients can relocate within the work therapy unit. Changes inside the unit are determined according to the needs of work tasks and patient care. A patient’s location in the work therapy unit is primarily determined according to his or her rehabilitation needs.
Enhanced support group-activity
The rationale is to provide enhanced support sessions to patients on the most secure wards, each 45min in length, in order to support transition to regular work therapy. Ulpu’s tutors collaborate together with ward staff in holding these sessions.