Following on from our blog series by AHPs in NHS Lothian about how AHPs can provide rehabilitation for people with dementia the focus this time is on occupational therapy.
In our final blog of this series we are showcasing the contribution of Occupational Therapy and finish off with some thoughts from people with dementia about what rehabilitation means for them. The blog starts with Lynsey and she discusses Occupational Therapy Home Based Memory Rehabilitation (OT HBMR) and what difference this made to someone living with dementia and his wife.The second example is from Nikki, who works as an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner and she reflects on working with someone to help them learn to use new technology.
My name is Lynsey Robertson, and I am an Occupational Therapist working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with the Memory Assessment and Treatment Service in Edinburgh.
What does rehabilitation and dementia mean to you?
For me rehabilitation and dementia is about acknowledging that a dementia diagnosis is not the end, but rather a new chapter in a person’s life. It is about finding small changes to a person’s lifestyle that can make big differences in keeping them independent and taking part in the activities that are important to them. We are never too old to learn new things, and exercising your brain can help to keep it healthy in the same way that exercising your body keeps it healthy!
Can you tell us about a time you provided rehabilitation for someone with dementia?
The service that I work in uses a wonderful program called “Occupational Therapy Home Based Memory Rehabilitation”. OTHBMR SDWG YouTube – YouTube This involves working with an individual over a period of around six weeks and finding person centred, tailor made strategies which they are then supported to implement.
I worked through this program with a husband and wife and found some positive outcomes. One of which was, the wife of the person living with dementia was struggling to access meaningful activity as when she left the house her husband would worry about where she was, often telephoning her on multiple occasions when she was out. This was upsetting for both the person with dementia and his wife. We introduced a whiteboard with the recommendation that his wife could use this to note where she was, and when she was due back. This was placed next to an orientation clock to allow the husband to clearly see the details on the whiteboard, and the time alongside it. This small intervention had a big impact, allowing the wife to return to activities that she enjoyed and a significant reduction in stress for the husband who was able to relax and enjoy reading rather than worrying while his wife was out of the house.
Contributor – Lynsey Robertson, Specialist Occupational Therapist, NHS Lothian
I’m Nikki Ferrier and I work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner on older people’s mental health assessment wards in Edinburgh.
What does rehabilitation and dementia mean to you?
With the changes in policy, more people receiving a diagnosis of dementia and research into what helps people with dementia live well there is much more knowledge of the benefits of rehabilitation. This can include specific strategies to support people, including how to continue with everyday activities that are important, connecting with their communities and using existing or new technology. This is where a rehabilitation approach comes in.
Can you tell us about a time you provided rehabilitation for someone with dementia?
I’ve worked with people who have a diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment in many different ways. One of the areas I’m often asked to look at with people is how technology can support people to live safely and as independently as possible at home. This is also helpful for family carers as it can give reassurance and peace of mind. Families can often be a positive support to help people get used to using new technology and overcome any issues that might arise.
I worked with a gentleman recently who had never used a mobile phone and needed one for moving out of hospital and into his new accommodation. We looked together at what phones were available, what he needed it for and I accompanied him to purchase one, ensuring it was going to meet his needs and he would be able to use it. We set it up together and programmed useful numbers into it. I continued to meet with him regularly before he was discharged from hospital to practice using it and provided him with a prompt sheet to help him recall the key steps to making and receiving calls. He went from someone who was a little fearful and unsure of technology like this to someone who was able to use the phone confidently.
My advice to anyone who is thinking about trying to use technology would be to give it a go and try it, if it doesn’t work out there are always other options. You may also find that there are local groups or services in your community that can support people who are new to using technology or you can access national services such as ADAM through Alzheimer Scotland.
Contributor: Nikki Ferrier, Occupational Therapy Assistant Practitioner, NHS Lothian
Finally, to sign off this series of blogs we would like to share the thoughts of people with lived experience to illustrate directly the value of AHP input. This is outlined in the “Connecting People, Connecting Support: looking back, looking ahead report” in 2024 by the Scottish Dementia Working Group and the National Demetia Carers Action Network.
“A number of us have had direct access to AHPs. Their support, guidance and rehabilitation interventions have been invaluable to us, and we want to ensure that other people living with dementia, their families and carers also have access to their expert clinical experience.”
If you would like to see more about how people with dementia have integrated rehabilitation into their own lives have a look here: AHP Extract01 SDWG Rehab video
We hope you have enjoyed reading all the blogs about the difference that can be made by Allied Health Professions. If you would like to read more or access resources developed by us please have a look at the Alzheimer Scotland website – Allied Health Professionals – Alzheimer Scotland
Thank you to all the contributors who so generously shared their stories.
Morna Russell, AHP Lead for Connecting People Connecting Support, project on rehabilitation, NHS Lothian.
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