After completing the screening questions, you need to make a plan with the person about next steps.
You can record the plan at the bottom of the screening form.
Screen for
If the person has other areas of difficulty and would benefit from a screen for other assistive products.
Use the screening questions and/or tools from the other TAP introduction modules to help you.
Assess for
The person’s answers to the screening questions will indicate whether they may benefit from:
- A walking aid
- A portable ramp
- Grab bars in their home
- A transfer board
- Therapeutic footwear.
Agree with them if they would like you to assess further.
If after assessment it is clear that the product is suitable, provide the product.
Use the four step TAP process:
![TAP graphic showing numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4.]](https://www.gate-tap.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/TAP-Logo-numbered-03.png){kind=logo}
- Select
- Fit
- Use
- Follow up
Remember: How to carry out an assessment, fit the product for the person, teach the person how to use and care for the product, and key things for follow up, are all covered in the TAP product modules.
Question
What can you do if you do not have these products (walking aids, portable ramp, grab bars in the home, transfer board)?
- Keep a record of the need for different products and discuss with your supervisor
- Identify whether there are other services which can supply these products
- Discuss with the person whether they are able to get the products
- See whether wheelchair / prosthetic / orthotic workshops are able to make any of these products.
Teach about
The person’s answers to the screening questions will indicate if they would benefit right away from advice about
- How to care for their feet
- What kind of suitable shoes to wear and why.
Information about caring for the feet and suitable shoes to wear and why is in the next topic.
Refer to other service
Some people may need more specialised care than you or your service can provide.
Knowing when you should refer someone, and where you can refer them to, is very important.
The person’s answers to the screening questions will indicate whether a referral will be helpful.
Remember that making referrals should always be discussed and agreed with the person.
Reflection
What services are there available for you to refer people to?
Think about what person or service you would refer to if a person needed:
- Health care
- Wound care
- Rehabilitation – for adults
- Rehabilitation – for children
- Diabetes care
- Foot wound clinic
- A wheelchair
- Repairs to a prosthesis
- Assessment for a prosthesis.
Are these services readily available? Do you know how to refer a person to these services?
Meet Firoz
Firoz is 9 years old. He cannot walk and has been referred for a wheelchair.
The service provider also knows that there is a rehabilitation service nearby that offers advice and therapy programs for children with disabilities, and caregiver support groups for parents. With the permission of Firoz and his mother, the service provider refers them to the rehabilitation service.
Follow up
Everyone benefits from follow up. However, follow up is most important for:
- Children, because they are still growing
- Anyone at risk of developing a foot wound or pressure wound because these are a serious health risk
- Anyone who has a progressive condition because their needs will change
- Anyone who has difficulty with any of the training or instruction given to them.
The timing of follow up depends on the needs of the person and how quickly those needs might change.