Goal Setting for a New Year!

Well we are just about to reach a new year and so it seems appropriate to think about the year ahead and the subject of setting goals.

2018 has been a really positive year for Independence Found Ltd in terms of achievement of it's own service goals and the many varied goals of the clients it serves.

Setting goals is an important feature of occupational therapy intervention. The process helps to ensure the therapist and client are working collaboratively. Setting goals helps to create structure for a birds-eye view of what is required to influence participation and independence. Goal setting also provides a focus for intervention and the anticipated outcomes of therapy.

Goals are powerful - whether short term or long term they provide a clear structure for understanding what therapy is attempting to achieve. It is important that goals are set during the early stages of therapy and that they follow a results orientated SMART format: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-framed. It's also important to review goals regularly and consistently and communicate who is accountable and what is required to work towards goals set.

This year I have been privileged to support my clients to work on a variety of goals. These have included goals relating to fundamental activities such as being able to manage ones own toilet hygiene on a daily basis or being able to maintain sitting posture to support self feeding for 3 meals each day. Other goals have included being able to stand wearing ones prosthesis to prepare ones own breakfast everyday, returning to work for specified hours and being able to travel to France to visit family as a one off event.

When I set goals with my clients, it really seems to help clients and their relatives to make sense of what I am working on with them and reassure them that I have listened to what is important for them at, what is often, a time of crisis. Not all goals are fully achieved at the conclusion of therapy however they are always worked towards, considered and acknowledged. I consider that it is better to have goals that you partly reach rather than meeting all your goals with potential to spare.

For 2019 I need to set goals for the business as well as with clients. I need to apply the well used goal setting structure to set business goals in order to focus business development and continued improvement of services. After seeking business advice, I have been quite surprised to find the goal setting process for business is similar to that for rehabilitation clients, so I should find it straightforward to transfer the strategies and techniques from a clinical to a business perspective.

A priority goal is to recruit Associate OT's to work with Independence Found Ltd in order to continue to expand the client reach and continue to provide quality OT service to an increasing number of people in and around the West Midlands and surrounding areas.

I wish you luck if you are setting your own goals for 2019 - please follow the above SMART principles for success!.

Best Wishes for 2019!

Hayley

hayley@independencefound.co.uk

www.independencefound.co.uk