Person, Environment and OCCUPATION. #ROARdementia INTRODUCTION Occupational therapists work to enable people and communities to live their best lives. They work with people of all ages, focusing on the ways in which time spent influences health and well-being, this could be playing sport, through going to work and or a caring for others. But perhaps most importantly, occupational therapists focus on the areas which are identified by people as most important to them, working further to support and enable the person to lead a purposeful, fulfilling life. Irrespective of practice setting, occupa ..read more

As I come to the end of my journey as an art therapist trainee, I have learned various skills and techniques that shaped my understanding and practice when working with people with dementia. Here are the top five lessons gained from my placement experience. First and foremost, I understand the significance of building and warming up the therapeutic relationship. Creating a safe space for clients extends beyond the physical surroundings, it involves establishing clear time boundaries. To enhance this, I make it a practice to gently remind the client when there are only 5 minutes remaining in o ..read more

Little things which can enhance the quality of person-centred communication By Frank O’Hagan “Everything starts and ends with successful communication.” (Anonymous) Introduction Carers always need to be mindful that, as far as dementia is concerned, communication can be both complex and tricky. It calls for careful consideration being given to aspects of talking, listening, reading, writing, and technological usage. Each of these forms of communication are multi-faceted and overlap to some extent. Thoughtfulness and sensitivity are required in the use of both verbal features such as speaking ..read more

The Technology Wall at the Alzheimer Scotland Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre, Kirkcaldy, Fife. Hello! My name is Eva O’Callaghan and I’m an MSc in Occupational Therapy student at Edinburgh Napier University. I completed an eight-week placement between NHS Fife and Alzheimer Scotland at the end of last year, where I spent two days of each week at the Alzheimer Scotland Brain Health and Dementia Resource Centre in Kirkcaldy. I am keen to share my learning with you from my time with Alzheimer Scotland as it relates to the Person Environment Occupation Model of Occupational Therapy (Law ..read more

https://www.brainhealth.scot/ Brain Awareness Week is a global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science. This year’s theme is: “Never too early, never too late” and with this theme we are highlighting  how people of all ages can take care of their brains. For all of us, the week is an opportunity to spread key messages of prevention and practical ways people can look after their brain health. If we eat, exercise and sleep well we can help keep our brains healthy and fuelled with oxygen and nutrients. No matter our age, we need to stimulate our brains by being wit ..read more

Eating and drinking are really important to us all not just for nutrition and hydration but also for the patterns of our day, comfort and socialising. People living with dementia may find that they experience changes and difficulties around eating and drinking that impact all of these things. These can include changes to appetite, attention, and their ability to swallow. People may experience subtle changes that do not initially have a big impact but that over time significantly change their relationship with food. People may develop difficulties with the mechanics of eating and drinking and w ..read more

https://www.brainhealth.scot/amazingbrain The My Amazing Brain Programme is a forward-thinking schools programme that teaches kids how to look after their brain health. The messaging is based on the fact there are as many connections between brain cells as stars in the galaxy. Through animations and activities, children imagine their brain as being full of stars, and learn that healthy habits like social activity, nutritious food, sleep, relaxation and head safety will keep their stars shining. The programme has been co-designed with parents, teachers and people with lived experience of dement ..read more

Clinical guidelines are a great way of making sure that the treatments we provide and receive are based on the best available evidence. In November 2023 SIGN 168 Assessment, diagnosis, care and support for people with dementia and their carers was published. It is a significant development, given it has been 20 years since we had a dementia guideline. We both had the privilege to be part of the multi-disciplinary, multi-agency development group which had representation from all sectors, as well as from people with lived experience of dementia. The guideline is available in several formats, so ..read more

Image © University of Plymouth, 2021 Introduction: Air travel is a remarkable and often challenging experience, especially for those with living with dementia and their travel companions. In this blog post, we delve into recent research that sheds light on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by individuals with dementia when navigating the skies. We will also share practical advice that can be put in place to have a more enjoyable flight. Research to Understand the Challenges: Improving access to air travel for people living with dementia and their companions has been a priority area ..read more

Introduction My name is Tom McKeever and I am a second year PhD student at Edinburgh Napier University and also a practicing physiotherapist. I also lecture on the MSc Physiotherapy programme, supporting the training of aspiring physiotherapists. My PhD research field is in the medical and pathway management of the concussed youth athlete in Scotland. I am currently running all my major PhD studies, working with youth athletes, and aiming to scope the ‘state of play’ for concussion management of our youth sportspersons. The aim of my research is to explore the challenges of grass roots c ..read more