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Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Paediatrics Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Developmental Occupational Therapy The Play and Early Learning Handouts have been developed by DOT(WA) to demonstrate ideas using photos to promote the development of play and early learning skills for children. The ideas provided are fun, easy to include in normal everyday activities and are suitable for a range of ages and abilities. It is recommended the handouts be used in consultation with an occupational therapist or another professional with experience working with children. Funding for the development of these handouts was kindly provided by Non-Government Centre Support (NGCS). Susan Peirce, Occupational Therapist was appointed as the Project Officer to develop the handouts and is the principal author, having consulted with an expert panel of Occupational therapists: Leigh Dix, Jenny Dobe and Jodie Mazzucchelli; members of DOT(WA) Executive Committee: Rachael Fallows and Suzanne Wilkinson as well as more widely with the membership of DOT(WA). Thanks are extended to the children and their parents who agreed to have their photos included in the handouts and to the professionals and friends who contributed to the handouts by providing valuable feedback. Explore further > Double Time Docs Double Time Docs was developed by an experienced occupational therapist and software developer. Jason Gonzales has 18 years of experience in school-based occupational therapy in various US states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusettes, California and Hawaii. Scott Leisawitz is a web and software developer with 20 years of experience, who has worked with many of the biggest brands in the world, including Motorola, IBM, GE and more. Jason found a need and envisioned an idea of how to solve it and Scott made it into a reality. Working as a team, Jason and Scott developed Double Time Docs, so that occupational, physical and speech therapists can write an individualised narrative report in a fraction of the time. Explore further > Helping Hands Educational Resources Our mission: For all children to reach their full potential. Helping Hands Educational Resources is designed to help educate your children. We have taken the hard work out of it for you. We offer maths, literacy and fun activities. All items are personally made for you when you place an order. If you have an idea you want made, we will work alongside you to achieve this. [AUSTRALIA-BASED; DELIVERS WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Impact Learning Impact Learning is a training company directed at paediatric healthcare professionals, teachers and parents. We offer workshops and training accredited with the Health and Allied Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and (AHPCSA). We are currently applying for accreditation with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), encouraging all professionals to keep up to date with their CPD and CPTD points. Impact Learning’s vision is to bring all health and educational professions the latest key trends in Paediatric Medical Health Updates, Ethics and Paediatric Development . Presenters who are in the forefront of their fields offer practical take-home advice and ideas for the medical practice, therapy environment, home and classroom. [S.AFRICA; JOHANNESBURG-BASED] Explore further > Life skills 4 Kids Deb Hopper, our experienced in-house Occupational Therapist brings her passion and experience of over 20 years of working with children and youth. Deb and our team just want to be there with you on the ground and provide you with the best evidenced-based resources and empower you with high quality best practice knowledge, to help children with a range of difficulties - including children with autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder and learning difficulties. Explore further > Look Hear Australia Look Hear Australia focuses on bringing the top resources and resource pages, on children with complex and additional needs, together under one site. Our motto is "it's not hard to make it easy" and we strive to make the search for quality information, programs, equipment and resources easy. [AUSTRALIA-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Occupational Therapy For Parents & Carers A digital resource for parents, caregivers, educators and health and social care professionals seeking expert guidance and tools to support children’s success in everyday activities. The library houses an extensive collection of articles, videos, interactive activities and downloadable resources. These OT tools and strategies have been designed and published by the Norfolk & Waveney Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service. They aim to provide advice, strategies and equipment ideas to support children develop independence in everyday skills and to promote successful participation in both school and home life. [UK-BASED; ONLINE RESOURCES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Off The Record (Bristol) Off The Record, OTR Bristol opened its doors in 1965 and can justifiably claim to be one of the oldest established young people's mental health services in the country. We run services and projects to promote and improve mental health and wellbeing for young people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. All of them are delivered by a team of super-friendly staff and volunteers and have been designed with the help of young people. Our team come from a wide range of backgrounds and work in a variety of ways. They’ve all been chosen to work at OTR because whatever technique they have trained in, they will listen and won’t judge. Aims To support young people to empower and intellectually defend themselves through the provision of mental health services and development work To promote positive mental health and the resilience of all young people To challenge the wider social and structural inequalities that lead to poorer mental health and life chances [UK: BRISTOL CHARITY] Explore further > Paediatrics and Occupational Therapy: What you need to know (Understood.org) Understood.org is a website that addresses learning and attention issues. 'Occupational therapy, or OT, can help people of all ages do the activities of daily living (ADLs) they struggle to do. Occupational therapy for children can lead to big benefits, especially for kids with learning and attention issues. OT can help kids who struggle with everyday fine and gross motor tasks, like using a toothbrush, writing on a chalkboard and organising a backpack. It can also help kids who struggle with self-regulation and sensory processing issues. Here’s what you need to know about occupational therapy in a paediatric setting.... Read more > [FOUNDED IN THE US; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Raising Superstar Kids with ADHD In this guidebook on parenting children with ADHD, you'll discover: Game-changing strategies to make everyday life with ADHD easier for both you and your child A closer look at ADHD and how it affects the brain How to make sure you get the right diagnosis and the disorders commonly mistaken for ADHD Methods to help your child manage their symptoms long-term with medical and non-medical ADHD interventions How to help your child make friends and improve social skills, including how ADHD impacts your child’s social development Techniques to help your child manage intense emotions without tantrums - plus tips on expressing gratitude, building pride, and extending compassion for others The ADHD superpowers your child has, and how you can nurture these qualities in them The crucial role of routines in your child’s daily life - including a sample routine you can easily follow and apply How to set your child up for school success - and why it’s important to get teachers and classmates involved Explore further > Seirrah Occupational Therapy Based in our clinic in Cardiff, South Wales, Seirrah OT is a private provider of occupational therapy services for individuals aged 0 to 25 years of age with developmental challenges in their movement, play, learning, and behaviour. As part of our wider services we also work across the UK in homes, schools, and community settings to provide assessment, advice, treatment, and training. Each individual we work with receives a tailored programme according to his or her needs with our treatment programmes being fun and engaging. Our team enable each individual person overcome difficulties they are experiencing by increasing their motivation and adopting a 'there’s no limits' approach. [S.WALES-BASED; UK SERVICE] Explore further > Special Supplies Special Supplies was founded with a goal to address the difficulty parents and educators encounter when attempting to find reliable, safe and effective tools for children with special needs. We discovered that, by doing our due diligence to ensure that our products were effective and safe, we were taking a load off the shoulders of those most invested in the well-being of these children. All of our products are selected by a team of parents and experienced therapists, which helps us ensure we provide the very best in Oral Motor, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Daily Living, School and Sensory products. Our team is dedicated to providing customers with the best selection of products for children and adults with special needs. Our passion is not only to raise awareness about the issues facing those with autistic and sensory integration needs, but to offer a therapeutic solution at an affordable price. [US-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further > The Happy Handwriter We provide the knowledge and tools to empower you, to help your child master fine motor and handwriting challenges. With resources developed, designed and purchased goods by a highly experienced Occupational Therapist, have fun together as your child learns and develops. Have a closer look at The Happy Handwriter. Designed, published and sourced by an occupational therapist, The Happy Handwriter’s range ensures each aspect of fine motor, pre-handwriting and handwriting skills are established with care. Invest | Implement | Improve [S.AFRICA-BASED; APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The OT Strategist Kendra Garcia COTA/L, ECHM - The OT Strategist - is an Occupational Therapy provider specialising in the management of autism spectrum disorders, sensory integration, pervasive developmental delays, orthopaedic and other disabilities in children, from birth through young adult. Kendra is 'Amazon’s #1 bestselling author of the book Life beyond the Diagnosis. She is a public speaker, coach, Huffington Post & Autism Parenting Magazine contributor, IEP special education parent consultant, CEU instructor, autism mum and advocate. She works as a paediatric-adult occupational therapy provider.' The OT Strategist can be reached at: TheOTStrategist@gmail.com . To connect with her on social media: @TheOTStrategist (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Catch up on the latest articles from The OT Strategist at: bit.ly/HuffPost-OTStrategist and bit.ly/AutismParentingMag_Blog [US-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Health Promotion Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 'Preparing Physical and Occupational Therapists to be Health Promotion Practitioners: A Call for Action' International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Published: February 2018. Volume 15, Issue 2. Article authors: Morris, D. and Jenkins, G.R. Abstract 'Experts around the world support the integration of health promotion and wellness (HPW) services into traditional health care services. If successfully executed, the addition of HPW services would reduce rates of death and disability and significantly reduce health care costs. While all health care providers should be engaged in providing HPW services, many believe that physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) are uniquely positioned to provide these services. However, research suggests that clinicians in both fields may fall short in doing so. Likewise, research indicates that entry-level educational programs inadequately prepare PT and OT students to be HPW practitioners. The overall purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations to educators for preparing PT and OT students and clinicians to better meet the HPW needs of the clients and patients they serve.' This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. [INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL; UNIVERSAL ACCESS] Explore further > Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy We are an education business with a mission to help guide occupational therapy professionals to becoming more competent and confident addressing sexuality and intimacy in their clinical practice. We offer educational webinars to help clinicians translate knowledge into clinical practice. Through the Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy, we are building a coalition of sex and intimacy OT champions, to dismantle the restrictive norms around discussing sexuality and intimacy. Join us! [US-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mental Health at Work (Mind) Whether you work with 10 people, 10,000 people or just yourself, paying attention to mental health in the workplace has never been more important. Mental Health at Work is here to help you find the information and resources you need. Mental Health at Work is curated by Mind , the mental health charity, and funded by The Royal Foundation as part of their Heads Together campaign. [UK-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > MyLiferaft MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it. It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them. [UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Neurology Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Evidence-Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation (EBRSR) - Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery (CPSR) The 19th edition of the EBRSR (2018) now includes in-depth reviews of well over 4,500 studies, including over 2,170 randomised controlled trials. Parts of the EBRSR have been translated into a number of languages. We extend sincere gratitude to the Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery (CPSR), a joint initiative of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Canada's leading stroke research centres, for funding the EBRSR. [CANADA-BASED ORGANISATION; RESOURCE AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Lightbridge App The Lightbridge App is empowering Occupational Therapists who are helping individuals regain their independence in all areas of their lives. Lightbridge is a mobile app that focuses on promoting health and well-being through individualised routines. Enabling people to participate in the everyday occupations of life, such as self-care activities, including showering, dressing, preparing food; productive activities, such as education, work, volunteering; leisure/social activities, such as being part of a community group. We are honored to support Occupational therapists who play a particularly crucial role in enabling people experiencing disability to identify and implement methods that support their life and independence! Explore further > MEB Neurohabilitación MEB was born of the desire to find solutions for a better life. We are a group of professionals who come from the field of neurological rehabilitation - occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and other professionals from the health and social sector. We transfer to the clinic the current knowledge offered by neuroscience and social health research. From a clinical point of view, we bring our experience and specialisation of the nervous system, based on a constant updating of knowledge during the last twenty years. During this time, our objective has always been to find the best solutions to the unique circumstances of each patient, each person. Our intervention is aimed at people affected by acquired brain damage, neurodegenerative diseases, spinal cord injury, dysfunctional states of the nervous system and all those who, for any reason, have lost their level of autonomy. [SPAIN-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Occupational Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease For most individuals with Parkinsons disease, they will receive a multidisciplinary treatment plan including occupational therapy. The main role of OT is to increase performance and engagement in activities within the home or community that are valued by the individual. The aim of this is to improve functionality and overall quality of life.' Explore further > Ocupatea Occupational therapy and intervention for people with neuro-developmental disorders. A blog, documents and materials, with a focus on autism. Created by Sabina Barros, university lecturer in Spain. Website language: Spanish [SPANISH RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Raising Superstar Kids with ADHD In this guidebook on parenting children with ADHD, you'll discover: Game-changing strategies to make everyday life with ADHD easier for both you and your child A closer look at ADHD and how it affects the brain How to make sure you get the right diagnosis and the disorders commonly mistaken for ADHD Methods to help your child manage their symptoms long-term with medical and non-medical ADHD interventions How to help your child make friends and improve social skills, including how ADHD impacts your child’s social development Techniques to help your child manage intense emotions without tantrums - plus tips on expressing gratitude, building pride, and extending compassion for others The ADHD superpowers your child has, and how you can nurture these qualities in them The crucial role of routines in your child’s daily life - including a sample routine you can easily follow and apply How to set your child up for school success - and why it’s important to get teachers and classmates involved Explore further > Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARS) - Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland eLearning This e-learning resource provides a learning tool for health and social care staff to enable them to become more knowledgeable and skilful in the challenging area of stroke care. The resource is based on the Stroke Core Competencies which were published by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in 2005. The website provides a multidisciplinary resource which focuses on a wide range of core knowledge and skills required by all staff when delivering stroke care. The Core Competencies provide an interactive way of learning with quizzes, animations, video clips, and case scenarios. + Stroke Advancing Modules > [UK TRAINING RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The IAD Company The IAD Company are Architectural and Interior Design consultants practicing across England and Wales with experience designing environments for children and adults with additional mental and physical needs. IAD’s involvement can be anything from simple floor plans through to fully considered interior design layouts with colour schemes, electrical plans, furniture layouts and anything else that may be required. IAD provide a package following the OT assessment in conjunction with the OT who produced the report. We do not provide a one-size-fits-all package and will adapt our service to supplement the OT’s in whatever way is most beneficial to the project. [UK-BASED ORGANISATION; SERVICES AVAILABLE ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Social Prescribing Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry A connected society: A strategy for tackling loneliness (HM Government) The relationships we have with our friends, family, neighbours and colleagues are, for many of us, the most important things in our lives. Increasingly, we understand the link between having strong and meaningful social connections and living a healthy and successful life. And we see that having more connected communities means a more thriving, productive society, in which we can all contribute and live fulfilling lives. [PDF document from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] [UK GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Delivering a primary care-based social prescribing initiative: a qualitative study of the benefits and challenges (Br J Gen Pract) Authors : Skivington, K., Smith, M., Chng, N.R., Mackenzie, M., Wyke, S. and Mercer, S.W. Journal : British Journal of General Practice, 2018; 68 (672): e487-e494 Background: Social prescribing is a collaborative approach to improve inter-sectoral working between primary health care and community organisations. The Links Worker Programme (LWP) is a social prescribing initiative in areas of high deprivation in Glasgow, Scotland, that is designed to mitigate the negative impacts of the social determinants of health. Aim: To investigate issues relevant to implementing a social prescribing programme to improve inter-sectoral working to achieve public health goals. [UK JOURNAL; ACCESSIBLE AND RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Social Prescribing (NHS England) Social prescribing is a way for local agencies to refer people to a link worker. Link workers give people time, focusing on ‘what matters to me’ and taking a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing. They connect people to community groups and statutory services for practical and emotional support. Link workers also support existing community groups to be accessible and sustainable, and help people to start new groups, working collaboratively with all local partners. Social prescribing works for a wide range of people, including people: with one or more long-term conditions who need support with their mental health who are lonely or isolated who have complex social needs which affect their wellbeing [UK NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > What is social prescribing? (The King's Fund) Social prescribing, sometimes referred to as community referral, is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services. Recognising that people’s health is determined primarily by a range of social, economic and environmental factors, social prescribing seeks to address people’s needs in a holistic way. It also aims to support individuals to take greater control of their own health. Social prescribing schemes can involve a variety of activities which are typically provided by voluntary and community sector organisations. Examples include volunteering, arts activities, group learning, gardening, befriending, cookery, healthy eating advice and a range of sports. [UK-BASED ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Vocational Rehabilitation Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry AJOT: The Role of Occupational Therapy in the Vocational Rehabilitation Process This paper identifies the roles and responsibilities of occupational therapy to individuals involved in the vocational rehabilitation process. Explore further > BSRM: Vocational Rehabilitation: The Way Forward This document has been produced in the hope that it will contribute to the debate on work (within government, the health professions and other interested bodies) and lead to improvement in services for those for whom accident, illness or disability has led to temporary or permanent loss of work. Better practice within the National Health Service (NHS) and liaison with other agencies can prevent unnecessary sickness absence and job loss in view of the number of bodies involved in vocational rehabilitation. This report is wide-ranging in the hope that it may act as a resource for those entering the field without detailed knowledge of all the agencies involved. Explore further > British Association for Supported Employment The British Association for Supported Employment is the national trade association for the supported employment sector. Our purpose is to support, promote and develop the principles and provision of supported employment. BASE aims to: Assist people with disabilities by encouraging the provision of support into employment Endorse and promote quality standards in the delivery of supported employment Nurture and encourage the setting up of new supported employment services Promote the training of supported employment personnel throughout the UK Provide regular, detailed information including an advisory and development service to association members Liaise and negotiate with national and international government and non-government organisations, to promote the aims of the Association Explore further > Healthy Working Lives Find out about the basics you must have in place to manage health and safety in your organisation. Why supporting the mental health of your employees is important and ways to do this. Explore further > Personnel Today: Return to work through vocational rehabilitation A vocational rehabilitation model using occupational therapists challenges traditional OH approaches Explore further > The OT Practice : A professional’s guide to Vocational Rehabilitation This guide has been produced to assist case managers in understanding the place of vocational rehabilitation in occupational therapy. Vocational rehabilitation has been thoroughly explored in professional and academic literature and some suggestions for further reading are provided at the end of this guide. The present writer has been able to draw not only from that literature, but also from years of practical, clinical experience in the field, which itself sits at the very heart of occupational therapy. Explore further > UK Rehabilitation Council The UK Rehabilitation Council is a community of rehabilitation associations, rehabilitation providers, clients and other stakeholder groups. Our common goal is to ensure access to high quality medical and vocational rehabilitation services in the UK. Acting as an umbrella organisation for this broad community, the Council has been established to provide a united voice on issues of importance to us. The Council seeks to coordinate the efforts of its members, in order that our combined efforts have the greatest possible impact. Explore further > Vocational Rehabilitation Association The VRA is a multi-disciplinary UK-wide organisation supporting and promoting all those working in vocational rehabilitation whether in the public, private, voluntary or third sector. Explore further > Vocational Rehabilitation Services and Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities: A United States Study By Alo Dutta, Robert Gervey, Fong Chan, Chih-Chin Chou, Nicole Ditchman. This study examined the effect of vocational rehabilitation services on employment outcomes of people with sensory/communicative, physical, and mental impairments in the United States. Explore further > Vocational rehabilitation: scientific evidence review The aim of this review was to provide an evidence base for policy development on vocational rehabilitation, which is defined as, ‘whatever helps someone with a health problem to stay at, return to and remain at work’. It focused on: adults of working age the common health problems that account for two-thirds of long-term sickness work outcomes The review found a strong scientific evidence base for many aspects of vocational rehabilitation - and a good business case for it. Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Dementia Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 'Study: Memories of music cannot be lost to Alzheimer's and dementia' Some music inspires you to move your feet, some inspires you to get out there and change the world. In any case, and to move hurriedly on to the point of this article, it's fair to say that music moves people in special ways. If you're especially into a piece of music, your brain does something called Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR), which feels to you like a tingling in your brain or scalp. It's nature's own little "buzz", a natural reward, that is described by some as a "head orgasm". Some even think that it explains why people go to church, for example, "feeling the Lord move through you", but that's another article for another time. [INTERNATIONAL RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Connecting People, Connecting Support: Occupation Matters Designed to help you embed health promoting activities into your daily routine. Whether you are visiting because you have been told that you have mild-cognitive impairment, have been given a diagnosis of dementia, or want to keep well by taking steps to maintain good brain health, there is something here for everyone. The resources and activities have been tried, tested and recommended by people with dementia. The website was created by occupational therapists and design researchers, who are passionate about the role of occupation and meaningful activity, in enabling individuals to live well and continue to do the things that are important to them. [UK-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OT Flourish The Learning Lab Membership: helping you be skilled, creative, current & have the resources you need with hundreds of treatment idea videos, lists and links to patient handouts, tools, assessments, and evaluations, a journal club, exclusive community forum and fun bonuses - just for being a member! Seniors Flourish Podcast: showcasing relevant interviews, answering questions, current articles and hot topics, but also to getting OT practitioners excited about working with older adults, give actionable ideas that listeners can take and use in their own practice and have some fun along the way! OT Resources: find the CEU discounts, e-books, handouts, forms and products that you have been looking for to ramp up your practice! Blog: free treatment ideas, education and resources to learn, relate and grow as an OT practitioner and student. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Occupational Science Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Occupational Science Europe The aim of Occupational Science Europe is to support the development of occupational science throughout Europe. OSE aims to be a vibrant community for all people with an interest in occupational science. Anyone can join, it is free of charge and has no formal registration process. It aims to be a multidisciplinary group and it actively encourages the involvement of many disciplines. Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Manual Handling Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust : Moving and Handling Guidance This guidance is written to provide practical support for staff working with disabled children and young people from 0 - 18 years. Explore further > HSE : What you need to do - Moving and handling If risks from moving and handling are to be managed successfully, there must be support from those at the top of the organisation, whatever its size. This can be expressed in a clear statement of policy – supported by organisational arrangements – to ensure that the statement is implemented. Explore further > Healthy & Independent We are specialists in minor and major adaptations, manual handling people and mindfulness in social care. Teaching the correct handling techniques are essential, in order to minimise any risk of accident and to increase safety and dignity. We offer clinical support and workshops online and in situ. [SERVICES AVAILABLE IN SPAIN AND THE UK] Explore further > How to move, lift and handle someone else If you look after someone who has an illness or disability, you may need to help them move around. Explore further > Independent Living : Risk Assessment & Hoist FAQ Moving and handling risk assessment. Clearly, it is not possible to avoid moving a person who is unable to move independently, but it is possible to make the procedure safer with the right equipment. For this reason, risk assessment is extremely important. Explore further > London Group of the National Back Exchange: Therapeutic Handling Protocol Systems are in place for the rehabilitation process to enable the best clinical outcomes, whilst ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of the patient and the rehabilitation staff. Balanced decision making is essential. Therapeutic handling is an important part of this process. Explore further > Manual Handling Matters We work closely with our clients to provide Manual Handling Training and Occupational Therapy assessments to meet specific needs, reduce risks, promote safety and increase wellbeing. Explore further > The OT Practice : A Professional’s Guide to Moving & Handling This guide has been produced to assist case managers in understanding the mechanics of a moving and handling assessment including: when to commission one, what it involves and what should be delivered by the assessor. Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Models + Outcome Measures Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E) was developed by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists in 1997. It describes transactions and mutual influences between the dimensions of occupational performance. The main model illustrates the relationship between person, occupation and environment. Spirituality is the fourth dimension, placed in the centre of the model, to highlight its fundamental importance. Further information can be found through the following literature: Townsend, E.A. and Polatajko, H. J. (2007) Enabling Occupation II: Advancing an Occupational Therapy Vision for Health, Well-being and Justice through Occupation. Ottawa, ON: CAOT ACE. [CANADIAN MODEL OF PRACTICE; UTILISED WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure is an evidence-based outcome measure designed to capture a client’s self-perception of performance in everyday living, over time. [FOUNDED IN CANADA; APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > HOTheory HOTheory is a database that contains theories, models, frames of reference, and frameworks that are developed specifically by occupational therapists or for use in occupational therapy. This database is designed to help occupational therapy practitioners and students to find theoretical knowledge to inform their practice and learning. [HONG KONG-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Kawa Model The Kawa Model is a therapeutic model of occupational therapy practice, developed by Dr Michael Iwama and Occupational Therapists in Japan. It uses the natural metaphor of a river to depict one’s life journey. [FOUNDED IN JAPAN; MODEL APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mental Health Recovery Star The Recovery Star has been designed for use with adults managing their mental health or recovering from mental illness. The Recovery Star covers ten key areas: Managing mental health Physical health and self care Living skills Social networks Work Relationships Addictive behaviour Responsibilities Identity and self-esteem Trust and hope [INTERNATIONAL OUTCOME MEASURE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Autistic Spectrum Condition Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Garry Burge - Asperger Syndrome and Autism Advocacy Offering personal experience, through trial and error, to help raise awareness. Garry Burge was born in Brisbane, Australia in August 1972 and was diagnosed as having Asperger Syndrome in July 1998. Being diagnosed has helped him to understand who he is as a person and explained why he was different from other people and the world around him. His diagnosis helped to answer some of the following questions: Why it was difficult for him to make friends His constant obsessions in trains, pocket watches, orchids and history The difficulty in not being able to fit into and adjust to the school environment Why he was bullied and teased within secondary school Experience of having depression and social isolation earlier in his life Not having a lighter side Seeing things and taking comments from other people very literally Unemployment issues and not being able to find employment Visit Garry Burge's website to find out more and learn from his experiences. This includes autism and employment, Asperger Syndrome advocacy, links and support. [AUSTRALIA-BASED; INSIGHTS RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Look Hear Australia Look Hear Australia focuses on bringing the top resources and resource pages, on children with complex and additional needs, together under one site. Our motto is "it's not hard to make it easy" and we strive to make the search for quality information, programs, equipment and resources easy. [AUSTRALIA-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > National Autistic Society (UK) The leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families. Providing information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for autistic people. [UK-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Sex Ed for Self-Advocates | Organization for Autism Research A sexuality and sex education resource, written specifically for autistic people age 15 and up. Autistic people sometimes don't have the chance to learn about sexuality and sex in ways that work for them, so OAR created this guide as a starting point to change that. In each of the nine sections of the guide, self-advocates will be able to read articles and watch brief videos, before testing their knowledge about a given topic and practicing new skills. There's a lot to learn about these topics - more than we could fit in just this guide. You can use this information as a starting point for learning more about relationships and sexuality, keeping in mind that learning about sexuality and relationships is a lifelong process. [US-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Special Supplies Special Supplies was founded with a goal to address the difficulty parents and educators encounter when attempting to find reliable, safe and effective tools for children with special needs. We discovered that, by doing our due diligence to ensure that our products were effective and safe, we were taking a load off the shoulders of those most invested in the well-being of these children. All of our products are selected by a team of parents and experienced therapists, which helps us ensure we provide the very best in Oral Motor, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Daily Living, School and Sensory products. Our team is dedicated to providing customers with the best selection of products for children and adults with special needs. Our passion is not only to raise awareness about the issues facing those with autistic and sensory integration needs, but to offer a therapeutic solution at an affordable price. [US-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Fatigue Management Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Fatigue Management (Oxford University Hospitals) Learning more about fatigue and the strategies to manage it may be the first step towards assisting you to take a more active role in managing your fatigue. Read this PDF document to understand the core concepts. Explore further > South Coast Fatigue Occupational therapist-led specialist fatigue management service for NHS and private individuals based in the UK. Aiming to promote fatigue management strategies into general rehabilitation to help maximise outcomes. [UK; SOUTH COAST-BASED] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Other OT Platforms Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Double Time Docs Double Time Docs was developed by an experienced occupational therapist and software developer. Jason Gonzales has 18 years of experience in school-based occupational therapy in various US states, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusettes, California and Hawaii. Scott Leisawitz is a web and software developer with 20 years of experience, who has worked with many of the biggest brands in the world, including Motorola, IBM, GE and more. Jason found a need and envisioned an idea of how to solve it and Scott made it into a reality. Working as a team, Jason and Scott developed Double Time Docs, so that occupational, physical and speech therapists can write an individualised narrative report in a fraction of the time. Explore further > OT Flourish OT Flourish helps OT practitioners and students be the best they can be when working with older adults. We do this through: The Learning Lab Membership: helping you be skilled, creative, current & have the resources you need with hundreds of treatment idea videos, lists and links to patient handouts, tools, assessments, and evaluations, a journal club, exclusive community forum and fun bonuses - just for being a member! OT Flourish Podcast: showcasing relevant interviews, answering questions, current articles and hot topics, but also to getting OT practitioners excited about working with older adults, give actionable ideas that listeners can take and use in their own practice and have some fun along the way! OT Resources: find the CEU discounts, e-books, handouts, forms and products that you have been looking for to ramp up your practice! Blog: free treatment ideas, education and resources to learn, relate and grow as an OT practitioner and student. Connect with Seniors Flourish via mchamberlain@seniorsflourish.com , or social media. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OT Potential OT Potential exists to help occupational therapy practitioners provide the best care possible. What started as an occupational therapy blog has evolved according to practitioner needs. Today on the site you can find: A comprehensive guide to finding and landing the right OT job A store with digital forms, ebooks and handouts An overview of occupational therapy ...and more To receive updates, please sign up for the newsletter, via our homepage. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Ocupando los Márgenes Ocupando los Margenes - or Occupying the Margins is a website that promotes critical reflection in and from the margins of occupational therapy; it explores practice and principles outside conventional settings or countries. Occupational therapy is explored in relation to human rights, equality, occupational justice and social transformation. Content includes perspectives from life in Rwanda and interventions with child refugees in Greece. The blog aids to improve reflexive thinking about principle concerns which ought to be approached by occupational therapy. This website is in Spanish, but can be easily translated, through a Google Translate pop-up on your browser. [SPAIN WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > SPOTeurope - Student Platform Occupational Therapy Europe SPOTeurope aims to encourage and increase OT student connection across Europe. You can connect with other students to exchange experiences, opportunities, knowledge and ideas, all through SPOTeurope! A place for the future OT. The idea was developed at the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) Congress and since then has made huge progress! SPOT currently provides a blog (with news about the OT world), a forum (in which students can connect and ask questions), country representatives (who can answer OT questions in their country), Twitter, Facebook and more. Join in the discussion! [EUROPEAN PLATFORM; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Rest + Sleep Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 'Sleepwise: Addressing sleep disturbance in young children with developmental delay' (AOTJ) Abstract Disability SAs Early Childhood Service identified the need to address sleep disturbance in young children with developmental delay. Sleep disturbance has been clearly linked to reduced daytime functioning, increased problematic behaviour and increased family stress levels (Didden, Curfs, van Driel & de Moor, 2002; Honomichl, Goodlin-Jones, Burnham, Gaylor & Anders, 2002; Mindell & Owens, 2003). While sleep disturbance is common in typically developing children, there is an increased prevalence of sleep disturbance in children with devel- opmental delay that requires professional intervention (Stores & Wiggs, 2001; Williams, Sears & Allard, 2004). Early intervention and prevention of sleep disturbance in young children with developmental delay was consid- ered important to maximise children’s potential and facilitate family well-being. The purpose of this article is to outline the Sleepwise approach and report the initial findings from its implementation over 1 year within the Early Childhood Service.' Read more > Authors: Annie O’Connell and Kath Vannan Australian Occupational Therapy Journal > Volume 55, Issue 3 - September 2008 > Pages 212–214. [AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL ARTICLE; ARTICLE AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'The Role of Occupational Therapy in Sleep and Wellness' (Shoshanah Shear on Huffington Post) Every activity that we engage in has benefits and potential problems or risks that accompany it. Likewise, sleep has benefits to our health and well-being and problems that can occur when we lack sufficient quality sleep. The benefits and problems are directly connected to how many hours of uninterrupted sleep that we attain on a daily basis, together with the nature of that sleep. For adults to be healthy, sleep takes up approximately one third of every 24 hour day. That is a major chunk of time that begs for our acknowledgement and attention For babies and children, obtaining sufficient hours of sleep has a direct relation to their development. An important fact to take note of is that whether or not the hours of sleep were adequate and rejuvenating has a direct impact on our waking hours and our ability to effectively carry out our daily tasks. This is where occupational therapy (OT) has become recognised as having a role to play in the area of sleep and wellness.' Read more > Author: Shoshanah Shear Huffington Post > Healthy Living - 27th October 2016 [INTERNATIONALLY COLLABORATED WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Millpond Children’s Sleep Clinic We are passionate about teaching children to sleep - and have been since 2000. Millpond is the only sleep clinic working with children from babies right up to adolescence - and our trainers are all fully qualified medical professionals. The NHS trusts us to train their staff. You can trust us to help your child sleep.' [UK CHARITY. NATIONAL SERVICE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Sleep Doctor Sleep health is an emerging field of research, focused on how we sleep and the benefits it provides to our minds, bodies and lives. At Sleep.org, by the National Sleep Foundation, we are dedicated to starting a movement about the positive benefits of sleep health. Join us as we uncover sleep’s mysteries and create a sleep health movement, that empowers all of us to take back our sleep. Learn more about how you can feel better and start improving your sleep today. [US WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > SleepAbility SleepAbility, For Children & Teenagers with Sleep Difficulties. SleepAbility is a therapy and education service developed by Annie O’Connell (MSc OT) that aims to improve sleep for children, teenagers and their families. Sleep is an essential part of everyone’s daily routine and strongly related to quality of life, learning, health and emotional well-being. Sleep, like diet and exercise, helps us to grow, recover from the wear and tear of daily life and build immunity. While sleeping, the brain sorts and stores memories for future learning. Over 80% of children and teenagers with developmental disabilities have disturbed sleep that affects their development, daytime behaviour (hyperactivity, mood swings, lethargy, aggression, self-injury), learning and health. A child’s inadequate sleep can have a large impact on the whole family, with increased emotional and physical stress. Sleep-deprived parents and carers find it harder to manage family and work commitments. Parents' own health can be greatly impacted by poor sleep. SleepAbility can help families to develop better sleeping patterns for their children, with a family centred individualised sleep plan. [AUSTRALIAN SERVICE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > SleepOT Welcome to sleepOT.org, the information and networking site for occupational therapists interested in sleep. This site is aimed at everyone involved in occupational therapy practice and research, and for occupational therapists in all fields and all regions. Here you will find a growing body of information about sleep which is relevant to OT practice, contributed to by international experts in the field . You will find links and listing of online resources and literature relevant to your sleep-related practice, research or study. Explore further > The Children's Sleep Charity We are a national, award-winning charity, supporting children with sleep issues. We provide support for families and accredited training for professionals and commercial organisations. Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on emotional, physical and mental health. Many families seeking our support are approaching crisis point. We offer a range of services, from working directly with parents, to training professionals in the NHS. Our work is based on the latest research - and we have a team of experts, who input into our training materials and courses. We believe in working in partnership with families and offer a gentle approach to making lasting changes to your child’s sleep patterns. [UK CHARITY. NATIONAL SERVICE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Coronavirus Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry AOTA: Information Pertaining to Occupational Therapy in the Era of Coronavirus (COVID-19) To help all OT practitioners, educators, and students navigate through this uncertain time, we have lifted member-only access to this content. Explore further > CDC: Coronavirus reports update Novel Coronavirus Reports: April 3, 2020 (Early Release) Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Among Residents and Staff Members of an Independent and Assisted Living Community for Older Adults — Seattle, Washington, 2020 Rapid Sentinel Surveillance for COVID-19 — Santa Clara County, California, March 2020 April 1, 2020 (Early Release) Presymptomatic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 — Singapore, January 23–March 16, 2020 April 3, 2020 Preliminary Estimates of the Prevalence of Selected Underlying Health Conditions Among Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 — United States, February 12–March 28, 2020 Explore further > Gov.uk: Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital discharge service requirements Sets out how health and care systems and providers should change their discharging arrangements and the provision of community support during the coronavirus situation. Explore further > NHS Guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Coronavirus (COVID-19) contents: Advice for everyone Advice for people at higher risk Symptoms and what to do Self-isolation if you or someone you live with has symptoms More information Explore further > RCOT: Coronavirus FAQ The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) is closely monitoring the evolving COVID-19 emergency situation. The following frequently asked questions provide members with guidance on the changing situation. We urge members to read through the FAQs, and follow the advice given by the government, public health agencies and your employer. Explore further > WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) training: Online training Online training courses for: COVID-19: Operational Planning Guidelines and COVID-19 Partners Platform to support country preparedness and response Introduction to emerging respiratory viruses, including novel coronavirus Clinical Care Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Health and safety briefing for respiratory diseases – ePROTECT Explore further > WHO: Country & Technical Guidance - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) All technical guidance by topic: Critical preparedness, readiness and response actions for COVID-19 National laboratories Risk communication and community engagement Early investigation protocols Naming the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Country-level coordination, planning, and monitoring Clinical care Operational support and logistics Virus origin/Reducing animal-human transmission Humanitarian operations, camps and other fragile settings Surveillance, rapid response teams, and case investigation Infection protection and control / WASH Guidance for schools, workplaces & institutions Points of entry / mass gatherings Health workers Maintaining Essential Health Services and Systems Scientific Briefs Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Accessibility + Adaptation Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Access Sport Access Sport enhances the life prospects of disadvantaged children by providing opportunities to experience and enjoy the power of sport. Our unique experience across a wide range of sports in London, Bristol, Manchester and Oxford have led us, in the twelve years since we were established, to become nationally recognised as an innovative leader in the field of community sport. Our work supports young people aged 5-25, with a particular emphasis on under 18’s who are disabled, disadvantaged or excluded from society. We do this by building thriving community sports clubs, led by inspirational volunteers, in the most disadvantaged urban areas. These clubs then provide life-changing opportunities for local, vulnerable young people, whilst creating a lasting, locally-owned community resource. We have a multi-sport approach, which recognises the importance of different sports in different settings for different participants, enabling maximum inclusivity and impact - from BMX to boxing; from running to rugby; from sitting volleyball to sailing. To find out more information please visit our website or find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. [UK CHARITY] Explore further > AccessAble The UK's leading provider of access information. Providing independence and choice. On our website you'll find detailed access information to thousands of venues across the UK and the Republic of Ireland: shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. Our mission is to maximise independence and choice for disabled people in accessing their local area and the places we all want to visit. We work on behalf of Local Authorities, top Universities, NHS Trusts and private sector organisations to publish detailed access information on well over 125,000 places of interest across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We also have a number of prominent strategic partnerships, particularly in the travel and tourism sector, with organisations such as Visit England, Visit London (London & Partners/Greater London Authority), Tourism For All and Open Britain. Developed by disabled people, for disabled people . We go the extra mile because disabled people have told us: a venue which self-reports its access can all too often miss, overlook or fail to appreciate the reality of the access they provide the majority of venues do not have the expertise or the time to go into the detail that many disabled people need to have to make an effective judgement about the suitability of access. Finally because what’s accessible for one person is not necessarily accessible for another, our independence means “we say as we see it”, providing the facts so you can make an informed choice. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Accessibility Guides (Transport for London) A range of guides in alternative formats to help you plan and make journeys. All guides are free of charge. + Contact ahead and request a member of staff to support someone when they arrive, if they are travelling independently. [UK; LONDON TRANSPORT INFORMATION] Explore further > Branch Properties Are you having problems finding an accessible property to rent or purchase for your client? We provide a personal, specialist service designed for those requiring accessible homes and can offer advice and project manage adaptions or modifications. Let us do the hard work, so you don’t have to. Explore further > Design Council - The principles of inclusive design Inclusive design aims to remove the barriers that create undue effort and separation. It enables everyone to participate equally, confidently and independently in everyday activities. This guide explains the principles of inclusive design, and gives examples of inclusive design methods for new buildings. Explore further > Freedom by Symphony Freedom is a multi-generational accessible kitchen concept designed and manufactured by the Symphony Group. The Freedom range embraces both specialist design features and the latest kitchen styles to create attractive, accessible and Doc-M compliant kitchen designs. Freedom kitchens can be designed to your clients requirements, combining unrivalled functionality and style to create the perfect kitchen, without any limitations. Symphony has developed Freedom in collaboration with the UK's leading expert in accessible design, Adam Thomas. Adam has an unparalleled reputation, with over 35 years of design experience alongside years of research in the field or accessible and multi-generational living. Explore further > Have Wheelchair Will Travel Surely we cant be the first people to do this?- I kept asking our travel agent, the airline and our therapists. We certainly are not the first family with a disabled child to travel to America, but at times it felt that way. That was when the idea for this website came to me. Why not share all my research and great discoveries with others who are either, planning a trip, or are feeling nervous about giving it a go.' Julie Jones combines her skills as an ex-travel consultant with her experiences travelling with her family, including her son who lives with cerebral palsy. Have Wheelchair Will Travel has an engaged community with a range of backgrounds, including people living with a disability, therapists, educators, teachers and tourism representatives. This brings a wealth of information and experience to the website and Facebook page. - Bupa Travel Blog Award: Winner - Ausmumpreneur Heart & Edge Award: Winner - ASTW Best Travel Blog: Finalist Explore further > Healthy & Independent We are specialists in minor and major adaptations, manual handling people and mindfulness in social care. Teaching the correct handling techniques are essential, in order to minimise any risk of accident and to increase safety and dignity. We offer clinical support and workshops online and in situ. [SERVICES AVAILABLE IN SPAIN AND THE UK] Explore further > Innova Care Concepts Founded with the mission to enhance quality of life through innovation, Innova Care Concepts is dedicated to finding exciting, new ways to provide healthcare solutions to a range of environments. With hospital beds, pressure care mattresses, and hidden hoist systems in their product portfolio, they can find subtle smart solutions for every customer. [UK: LEEDS-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > LendoCare LendoCare makes it easy to find and book rental equipment for patients. Explore the wide range of products available across the UK. Our mission is to make equipment access easy, affordable and flexible to match the patient's needs throughout their treatment. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Let’s Talk Makaton Being able to communicate is one of the most important skills we need in life. Almost everything we do involves communication; everyday tasks such as learning at school, asking for food and drink, sorting out problems, making friends and having fun. These all rely on our ability to communicate with each other. Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order. With Makaton, children and adults can communicate straight away using signs and symbols. Many people then drop the signs or symbols naturally at their own pace, as they develop speech. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Maisha Outreach Therapy Organisation (MOTO) We aim to make rehabilitation services in Africa more accessible and enhance the lives of vulnerable and marginalised people through quality care, therapy and advocacy. We facilitate volunteer placements and use occupational therapy as a tool to support and empower. [AFRICA-BASED; SERVICE AVAILABLE CONTINENT-WIDE] Explore further > Medequip Medequip Assistive Technology is the leading provider of community equipment services to local authorities and the NHS across the UK, delivering a wide range of equipment and support to people in their own homes, keeping people independent for longer. This experience enables Medequip to be an ideal partner/supplier to any care provider including Nursing and Residential homes, Charities and Sheltered Housing as well as wholesale supply to Retailers and direct to Consumers through our ecommerce website www.manageathome.co.uk Explore further > Muggi Muggi is an innovative new product which enables hot and cold drinks to be carried safely in any environment. This unique tray enables up to four mugs to be carried safely in one hand, leaving the other hand free to support the user. Muggi also fits on to walking frames and can be conveniently placed on the lap of wheelchair users. It catches unwanted spillages and features non-slip rubber feet; finger and thumb holds make it easy to carry for young or old hands. An increasing number of occupational therapists, sufferers of Parkinson’s, arthritis and wheelchair users are finding muggi invaluable in their daily lives. Made from lightweight, but extremely tough Polypropylene, muggi comes in seven vibrant colours blue, grey, red, purple, green, pink, a black recycled material. Explore further > Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC) The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user. Who should attend? Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations. The list of exhibitors we have exhibiting with us is endless. For instance:- The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), Handicare, Guldmann Hoists, Kingkraft, SensoryKraft, Capia PIP, Careflex, FRANKE, Clos-o-Mat, Impey, Safespaces, Triton showers, Geberit, Mangar, Langham GE, AKW, DLF, Otolift...and many more. You can see the full details and listings on our website. Our event is a FREE Event for Delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite. [UK-WIDE CONFERENCES] Explore further > RCOT: Minor adaptions without delay This practical guide is for housing associations involved in fitting ‘minor adaptations’ for tenants, such as stair rails. It gives technical specifications, examples of good practice, identifies characteristics of best practice and sets out to dispel some of the myths that result in failure to meet the needs of older and disabled people. Explore further > Remap Remap is a national charity that works through local groups of skilled volunteers. We help disabled people achieve independence and a better quality of life by designing and making equipment for their individual needs. This tailor made equipment helps people to carry out essential daily tasks without having to ask for help, or helps them take part in leisure occupations or sports that would otherwise be impossible. Our focus at Remap is to give people independence because we know how important this is. Many people have a physical impairment of some sort. But your life changes if you have to rely on others all the time. By making a piece of equipment specifically for an individual, tailored to their needs, we can often help them become that bit more independent. Remap gives disabled people the joy of independence. We are pleased to give people our equipment free of charge. This is because we are a charity and are not trying to make money. All our running costs are covered by donations and support from charities and our volunteers give their time for free. [UK-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further > SGN Locking Cooker Valve SGN manages the network distributing natural and green gas to 5.9 million homes and businesses across the south of England and Scotland. Our free locking cooker valve helps customers living in vulnerable circumstances across the UK retain their independence at home and provides reassurance to carers and relatives. The simple safety device is fitted to existing gas cooker pipework. When the valve is locked, the gas supply to the cooker is stopped and eliminates the risk of the cooker being unintentionally turned on or left on when the carer or relative leaves the house or the room. [UK GAS NETWORK; LOCKING COOKER VALVE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Signalong Signalong provides training and resources to assist those with communication difficulties and English as an additional language. Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word. Explore further > Stiltz Home Lifts Stiltz Home Lifts give occupational therapists the chance to independently recommend an innovative through the floor domestic lift during in-home OT assessments as an aid for those who need to adapt their homes to help make their lives easier. The Stiltz Trio+ Home Lift is the only freestanding home lift on the market with no supporting walls needed as the lift travels through the floor on unique and discreet self-supporting vertical rails. The lift is powered by a quiet self-contained motor with no hydraulics required. Stiltz Home Lifts are simple to install and easy to use. Home adaptations can be partially or fully funded depending on the individual’s circumstances, by a Local Government Disabled Facilities Grant. [UK; SERVICE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > The Able Label Who are we? Our clothes are not just any clothes. Stylish - yes... comfortable - absolutely. However, what makes us different is that our high-quality garments have specifically been designed to make dressing easier. The quality fabrics, discreet adaptive designs, innovative fastenings and hidden extras make dressing easier for those who may suffer from restricted movement or lack of finger dexterity. The design of the garments has also taken carers' requirements into account so assisted dressing is quicker, easier and safer. Yet when they're being worn, no one would know they were adapted... it's our secret! Explore further > The IAD Company The IAD Company are Architectural and Interior Design consultants practicing across England and Wales with experience designing environments for children and adults with additional mental and physical needs. IAD’s involvement can be anything from simple floor plans through to fully considered interior design layouts with colour schemes, electrical plans, furniture layouts and anything else that may be required. IAD provide a package following the OT assessment in conjunction with the OT who produced the report. We do not provide a one-size-fits-all package and will adapt our service to supplement the OT’s in whatever way is most beneficial to the project. [UK-BASED ORGANISATION; SERVICES AVAILABLE ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES] Explore further > The Platform Lift Company Offering one of the biggest ranges of home lift solutions, including open residential platform lifts and cabin style residential lifts. Whether you want to achieve access to the different floors within your home or to overcome an architectural barrier, such as a flight of steps, The Platform Lift Company will give you a variety of options to suit your individual needs and living space. [UK-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > The Pool Lift Company Supplying portable and fixed pool lifts products for swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. The Pool Lift Company is committed to providing the right pool lift solutions, so that people with disabilities, the elderly or someone who is recovering from injury or an operation, can enjoy wet leisure activities and the benefits of hydrotherapy. [UK-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > We Care Home Improvements Our aim is for people to live comfortably and independently at home for as long as they choose, enabling them to enjoy their lives in the surroundings they love. Our support includes specialist advice on home adaptations and accessible bathrooms. We also provide home improvement and repair services in the Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire areas. We help for individuals that are leaving hospital and completing minor repairs such as fixing a leaking tap. Explore further > accessibleGO The leading travel platform aimed at helping to make the world of travel more accessible to people with disabilities. The website has reviews, travel tips and booking capabilities so that people with disabilities finally have a community that addresses their travel needs. [US-BASED PLATFORM; ACCESSIBLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > vivid.care Established in 1972 with the aim to find and supply the best mobility and independent living aids available, vivid.care (formerly Yorkshire Care Equipment) provides high-quality products to people across the North of England. We specialise in everything from wheelchairs and scooters, to made-to-measure seating and bespoke bathrooms. [UK: HARROGATE-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Networking Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC) The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user. Who should attend? Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations. The list of exhibitors we have exhibiting with us is endless. For instance:- The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), Handicare, Guldmann Hoists, Kingkraft, SensoryKraft, Capia PIP, Careflex, FRANKE, Clos-o-Mat, Impey, Safespaces, Triton showers, Geberit, Mangar, Langham GE, AKW, DLF, Otolift...and many more. You can see the full details and listings on our website. Our event is a FREE Event for Delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite. [UK-WIDE CONFERENCES] Explore further > SPOTeurope - Student Platform Occupational Therapy Europe SPOTeurope aims to encourage and increase OT student connection across Europe. You can connect with other students to exchange experiences, opportunities, knowledge and ideas, all through SPOTeurope! A place for the future OT. The idea was developed at the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) Congress and since then has made huge progress! SPOT currently provides a blog (with news about the OT world), a forum (in which students can connect and ask questions), country representatives (who can answer OT questions in their country), Twitter, Facebook and more. Join in the discussion! [EUROPEAN NETWORKING] Explore further > The Occupational Therapy Show Benefit from: The Occupational Therapy Show is dedicated to informing, inspiring and investing in all Occupational Therapists. This truly is an event not to be missed! Venue: NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT, UK Visitor cost: Free Join the UK's largest, free-to-attend, dedicated event just for OTs! This CPD education and trade show will be taking place at Birmingham’s NEC over a two day period. Don't miss out! Access over 100 OT focused and interactive lectures, seminars and practical workshops View the conference programme by clicking here Gain over 80 hours accredited CPD education Learn from world-renowned speakers and experts Update and refresh your learning across physical, mental health and learning difficulties, children and families, neurology in practice, housing and innovation, plus many more hot topics, specialist areas and new research relevant to OTs in practice Research and source new products and services, through a network of over 270 trade exhibitors and suppliers. Providing information and advice for all your questions and need [BIRMINGHAM, UK; NATIONWIDE, ANNUAL CONFERENCE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Older People Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry AccessAble The UK's leading provider of access information. Providing independence and choice. On our website you'll find detailed access information to thousands of venues across the UK and the Republic of Ireland: shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. Our mission is to maximise independence and choice for disabled people in accessing their local area and the places we all want to visit. We work on behalf of Local Authorities, top Universities, NHS Trusts and private sector organisations to publish detailed access information on well over 125,000 places of interest across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We also have a number of prominent strategic partnerships, particularly in the travel and tourism sector, with organisations such as Visit England, Visit London (London & Partners/Greater London Authority), Tourism For All and Open Britain. Developed by disabled people, for disabled people . We go the extra mile because disabled people have told us: a venue which self-reports its access can all too often miss, overlook or fail to appreciate the reality of the access they provide the majority of venues do not have the expertise or the time to go into the detail that many disabled people need to have to make an effective judgement about the suitability of access. Finally because what’s accessible for one person is not necessarily accessible for another, our independence means “we say as we see it”, providing the facts so you can make an informed choice. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Alzheimer Scotland - Action on Dementia Alzheimer Scotland is the leading dementia organisation in Scotland. We campaign for the rights of people with dementia and their families. We provide a wide range of specialist services, community activities, information and advice - for people with dementia and their carers, at every stage of the dementia journey. [UK SERVICE; AVAILABLE ACROSS SCOTLAND] Explore further > Bristol Older Peoples Forum BOPFs aim is that every older person in the city is an equal, valued, participating member of the community who can influence the decisions which affect their lives. (Read more on the About Us pages). Our manifesto , launched in 2016, sets out the priorities in achieving our aim through influencing key providers and decision makers in the city, and by working with others. It is fully supported by Mayor Marvin Rees, Kerry McCarthy MP, many councillors and others. Please read it and let us know what you think – it belongs to all older people in the city. Explore further > CareFlex CareFlex offers an expert, free, no-obligation assessment service, to ensure the client gets the right chair to meet their needs; considering the key criteria: posture and stability, functionality, pressure relief and, of course, comfort. Our chairs are custom built in Devon, by a workforce that has a strong sense of responsibility to provide well-made chairs that will last. We are an ethical company - not solely profit focused - and we want to make a difference. Through providing pioneering, high quality products and education, we want every individual to have access to the best possible posture and pressure management product for them – to improve their quality of life and provide reassurance for their care providers. In recent clinical trials by the University of Salford, our chairs were found to be comfortable and to aid occupation and feelings of wellbeing. Our WaterCell Technology® - which is at the heart of our seating - proved to be effective. It provides a reliable and continuous low-pressure solution, for people at medium to high risk of pressure damage. Remember, 95% of pressure ulcers are preventable, which can save considerable pain and anguish for patients - and save the NHS literally billions of pounds a year. [UK-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Enabling activity in palliative care: focus groups among occupational therapists BMC Palliative Care (Open Access) Authors : Tavemark, S., Hermansson, L.N. and Blomberg, K. Published : 7 February 2019 Background Activity participation may support clients in palliative care to maintain dignity and quality of life. Literature and policy documents state that occupational therapists should be part of the team in palliative care but provide limited guidance on how interventions should be employed. Thus, the aim was to describe occupational therapists’ experiences of enabling activity for seriously ill and dying clients. Methods In a descriptive, qualitative study, three focus groups with occupational therapists (n = 14) were conducted. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results The findings showed that occupational therapists enabled activity in clients in palliative care while considering the client’s individual preferences. Motivation was seen to facilitate activity, while environmental restrictions were thought to act as barriers. The occupational therapists wanted to bring activities physically closer to the clients and felt a need for more client contact to enable activity. Conclusions Occupational therapists’ interventions in palliative care include prioritising and planning activities according to clients’ preferences and capacities. The individual nature of these activities makes it impossible to create standardised protocol for interventions, but the study results can be used to describe occupational therapists’ strategies and to guide their work, especially for occupational therapists without experience in palliative care. Explore further > Mental Capacity Act - e-Learning course (SCIE) This resource from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) explores the UK's Mental Capacity Act 2005. It includes best interests decision-making, and how to support people to make their own decisions. The course is for everyone who looks after or cares for someone, for example, doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers, and family members. [UK ORGANISATION; E-LEARNING COURSE RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Muggi Muggi is an innovative new product which enables hot and cold drinks to be carried safely in any environment. This unique tray enables up to four mugs to be carried safely in one hand, leaving the other hand free to support the user. Muggi also fits on to walking frames and can be conveniently placed on the lap of wheelchair users. It catches unwanted spillages and features non-slip rubber feet; finger and thumb holds make it easy to carry for young or old hands. An increasing number of occupational therapists, sufferers of Parkinson’s, arthritis and wheelchair users are finding muggi invaluable in their daily lives. Made from lightweight, but extremely tough Polypropylene, muggi comes in seven vibrant colours blue, grey, red, purple, green, pink, a black recycled material. Explore further > MyLiferaft MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it. It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them. [UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > OT Flourish OT Flourish helps OT practitioners and students be the best they can be when working with older adults. We do this through: The Learning Lab Membership: helping you be skilled, creative, current & have the resources you need with hundreds of treatment idea videos, lists and links to patient handouts, tools, assessments, and evaluations, a journal club, exclusive community forum and fun bonuses - just for being a member! OT Flourish Podcast: showcasing relevant interviews, answering questions, current articles and hot topics, but also to getting OT practitioners excited about working with older adults, give actionable ideas that listeners can take and use in their own practice and have some fun along the way! OT Resources: find the CEU discounts, e-books, handouts, forms and products that you have been looking for to ramp up your practice! Blog: free treatment ideas, education and resources to learn, relate and grow as an OT practitioner and student. Connect with OT Flourish via mchamberlain@seniorsflourish.com , or social media. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Seating Matters Together with a team of clinicians, engineers and designers, Seating Matters have designed the world’s leading range of specialised seating, to improve comfort and quality of life for those with postural and pressure management needs. Martina Tierney - Occupational Therapist and Clinical Director - has specialised in seating throughout her career. However, she struggled to find chairs to meet the clinical and functional needs of her patients. Martina realised that her patients needed pressure care chairs which were designed to properly fit the patient’s size and were easily adjustable in order to meet their long term needs. She and her team design and produce therapeutic chairs that meet pressure management, posture, comfort, mobility and functional requirements. Her sons have created a person-centred organisation that has the patient at the heart of every decision. To change the world of healthcare seating, Seating Matters are increasing the knowledge available and sharing it freely, to improve patient care and encourage evidence based practice. [IRELAND-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Sheffield Shamblers Do you enjoy walking but want to do this at a leisurely pace? Fed up with walking groups that want to beat the clock over the distance of the walk? Or maybe you are new to walking and fear that you won't be able to keep up with experienced walkers? Then come and join the Sheffield Shamblers walking group! Health walks are an ideal introduction to walking for those who haven't been walking before, are bored at home, or perhaps recovering from an illness or operation. We are a group of people of all ages, from every walk of life, who enjoy walking and having a good time. Pleasant company and a good sense of humour is essential on all our walks. If you are looking for formal walks organised with military precision and strict codes of conduct, then this club is not for you! Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a lead at all times. [UK: SHEFFIELD ORGANISATION] Explore further > Stroke Core Competencies - Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARS) This e-learning resource provides a learning tool for health and social care staff to enable them to become more knowledgeable and skilful in the challenging area of stroke care. The resource is based on the Stroke Core Competencies which were published by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in 2005. The website provides a multidisciplinary resource which focuses on a wide range of core knowledge and skills required by all staff when delivering stroke care. The Core Competencies provide an interactive way of learning with quizzes, animations, video clips, and case scenarios. + Stroke Advancing Modules > [UK TRAINING RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Music Therapy Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry In the Groove: An Evaluation to Explore a Joint Music Therapy and Occupational Therapy Intervention for Children with Acquired Brain Injury By Karen Twyford & Samantha Watters An acquired brain injury in children disrupts brain development and neural pathways, which may have serious implications on occupational role performance. Assessment and management of children with neurological disorders is complex and treatment requires the engagement of a multidisciplinary team. Increasing evidence indicates that both occupational therapists and music therapists work effectively towards similar goals with children with acquired brain injury. This evaluation investigated the effectiveness of a joint music therapy and occupational therapy group in promoting the development of self-regulation skills in children with an acquired brain injury or neurological condition, as part of a pilot project at a regional paediatric hospital in Australia. Explore further > Music & Sound Therapy Music is a very powerful sensory modulation tool! The therapeutic effects of music on the nervous system are well researched. Literature states that a 60 beat per minute pulse can help entrain healthy internal rhythms. Some important considerations before using music in the environment or during OT treatment sessions include the following: diagnosis, age, culture, environment, personal preferences, sensitivities, and personal history. Explore further > Music and the inner self | James Rhodes | TEDxMadrid In times of superficiality and exteriority we need to learn to look into ourselves, and truly listening to music is a great way of doing this. Music is a trustable friend that can save you even in your darkest moments Explore further > Music, Physical and Occupational Therapists: How We Can Work Together As the music therapy profession grows, so does the opportunity for collaboration among other therapists. This post will address two specific therapists in particular: physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs). Music therapists can (and do) work with PTs and OTs in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities co-treating patients/students as they work towards their therapeutic goals. Though all work towards similar goals and therapeutic outcomes, each therapist has a different specialty. Explore further > OT Innovations - Music Therapy Occupational Therapy has grown significantly as a profession since it’s conception in mental health. The current work of many dedicated practitioners and educators promises an explosion of information and research, which will continue to transform our theoretical models, frameworks, practices, and perspectives on occupation and mental health altogether. It is the mission of this website to promote embodied, comprehensive, and person-centered practice by providing a platform for global networking, resource sharing, and educational offerings. Explore further > Occupational therapy and the use of music tempo in the treatment of the mental health care user with psychosis The mental health care user (MHCU) with psychosis has restrictions in occupational performance components and occupational performance areas, causing impaired activity participation, compromising the achievement of Occupational Therapy (OT) goals with this population. The effect of slow versus fast tempo music during OT treatment of the MHCU with psychosis was investigated by means of a quantitative, experimental study. Explore further > Should Music Be Used Therapeutically in Occupational Therapy? Occupational therapy addresses the dysfunction found in a wide variety of psychiatric, developmental, and physical disorders. The motor, sensory, cognitive, social, and emotional components of a person's functional perfonnance are all addressed. Considering the holistic phLiosophy of occupational therapy, its broad client base, and its traditional use of creative and purposeful activity, music would seem to be an ideal modality Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Career Development Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Boutique Learning Experience Boutique Learning Experience provides continuing education while on retreat! A company founded by an OT created with OTs in mind. We combine professional development with a retreat providing meaningful activities, enjoyment and being present! Experts in niche areas of practice provide in-depth training balanced with the daily mindfulness, adventure and relaxation activities. This is where you do you and return to work invigorated with a plethora of new strategies and networks. You will explore tools to help rejuvenate your body and mind. Yes, you deserve this! The experience is all about quality learning and enjoying the moment! What we offer: Quality, interactive continuing education tailored to the group to facilitate expertise in the specific topic area Proactively addressing burnout through mindfulness practices and revisit one's own life balance Develop a network of experts and talented forward thinking therapists Online seminars are held the year following a retreat to deepen learning, problem solving, creation of research ideas and continued collaboration; the opportunities are endless! A retreat nurtures the whole self. Take time to relax, be pampered and just be Learn about mindfulness. See how it may apply to you and your clients Come live life and learn more with us! [US-BASED; RETREATS WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Career Development Framework: Guiding Principles for Occupational Therapy (RCOT) The recently published career Development Framework: Guiding Principles for Occupational Therapy is an over-arching set of guiding principles for occupational therapy. It offers a structured process to guide careers, learning and development within our profession. It contains four interacting Pillars of Practice each with nine Career Levels: · Professional Practice · Facilitation of Learning · Leadership · Evidence, Research and Development It can support you to identify the things you have already learnt and areas for continuing professional development. The framework can be used at different levels; on an individual level, you can map current level of experience and plan future learning and on a service level, you can identify strengths in the team and future needs when recruiting. [UK PROFESSIONAL BODY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Helen Sanderson Associates (+ One-page profiles) A one-page profile captures all the important information about a person on a single sheet of paper, under three simple headings: what people appreciate about me, what’s important to me and how best to support me. We believe that one-page profiles are the foundation of personalisation and can lead to positive change for people, whatever their age or circumstances. They provide us with an at-a-glance way of knowing what really matters to people, that can be taken with them as they move through services and come into contact with people. Getting started with one-page profiles (PDF) > One-page profiles: Getting them right (PDF) > We support individuals, teams and organisations to put people - and what matters to them - at the heart of the work they do every day. We do this because we believe in a world where everyone is valued and appreciated as an individual - and we know we can make it happen, one step at a time. We work with customers large and small, from lots of different backgrounds. These include charities and companies specialising in health and social care, education, and criminal justice. As a social enterprise, we invest our profits into person-centred charities, through our charitable arm, the HSA Foundation. Because of this, our customers aren’t just creating a more person-centred world themselves - they’re also supporting others to do the same. Want to know more about how we can work together? Get in touch for a chat. [UK-BASED] Explore further > Impact Learning Impact Learning is a training company directed at paediatric healthcare professionals, teachers and parents. We offer workshops and training accredited with the Health and Allied Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and (AHPCSA). We are currently applying for accreditation with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), encouraging all professionals to keep up to date with their CPD and CPTD points. Impact Learning’s vision is to bring all health and educational professions the latest key trends in Paediatric Medical Health Updates, Ethics and Paediatric Development . Presenters who are in the forefront of their fields offer practical take-home advice and ideas for the medical practice, therapy environment, home and classroom. [S.AFRICA: JOHANNESBURG-BASED; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE Explore further > Jacqueline Webb As Britain’s No.1 provider of Care and Occupational Therapy Expert Reports, we provide detailed opinion on the long-term needs of the claimant as a result of catastrophic injury, as part of a personal injury or clinical negligence claim. Occupational Therapists are best placed to make these recommendations and we encourage them to explore this exciting professional development opportunity. [UK: WILTSHIRE-BASED; SERVICES PROVIDED NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Mental Capacity Act: e-Learning course (SCIE) This resource explores the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including best interests decision-making, and how to support people to make their own decisions. The course is for everyone who looks after or cares for someone, for example, doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers, and family members. [UK GOVERNMENT ACT; UK RESOURCE; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OT ECHO In the Spring of 2019, Dr. Kate Barlow founded this international interprofessional mentorship program. Currently, once a month, Dr. Barlow hosts an hour meeting that includes a 30-minute presentation followed by a case study presentation. Therapists are then put in break-out rooms to discuss treatment strategies. Presenters are experienced clinicians from different disciplines, such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language pathologists presenting within their area of expertise. Clinicians are also encouraged to ask any mentoring questions they have about their current caseload. Membership in the mentorship group is free. If you would like to join, please email Dr. Kate Barlow at kate.barlow@aic.edu . Please state your first name, last name, discipline (OT/PT), and the country where you work. You can also register directly through OT ECHO via the button here. [US-BASED; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OT Flourish OT Flourish helps OT practitioners and students be the best they can be when working with older adults. We do this through: The Learning Lab Membership: helping you be skilled, creative, current & have the resources you need with hundreds of treatment idea videos, lists and links to patient handouts, tools, assessments, and evaluations, a journal club, exclusive community forum and fun bonuses - just for being a member! OT Flourish Podcast: showcasing relevant interviews, answering questions, current articles and hot topics, but also to getting OT practitioners excited about working with older adults, give actionable ideas that listeners can take and use in their own practice and have some fun along the way! OT Resources: find the CEU discounts, e-books, handouts, forms and products that you have been looking for to ramp up your practice! Blog: free treatment ideas, education and resources to learn, relate and grow as an OT practitioner and student. Connect with OT Flourish via mchamberlain@seniorsflourish.com , or social media. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OT Potential OT Potential exists to help occupational therapy practitioners provide the best care possible. What started as an occupational therapy blog has evolved according to practitioner needs. Today on the site you can find: · A comprehensive guide to finding and landing the right OT job · A store with digital forms, ebooks and handouts · An overview of occupational therapy · ...and more! To receive updates, please sign up for the newsletter, via our homepage. [US-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OTA Guide Have questions about an occupational therapist assistant (OTA) career? Our free tools will answer any questions about OTA salaries, licenses and school programs in your location. Explore further > OTCoach We “coach” OTs themselves and also help OTs develop a coaching approach to their work. [BRISTOL/SW ENGLAND BASED; COACHING AVAILABLE UK-WIDE] OTCoach inspiring and supporting OTs to develop creative and courageous OT practice. OTCoach has been working with individual OTs, OT services and educators since 2005, during which time we have seen the amazing power of a "coach approach." Interest in coaching in occupational therapy continues to grow, as both professions aim to help people live their lives with balance and purpose. Purchase our OTCoaching book [UK-BASED RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC) The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user. Who should attend? Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations. The list of exhibitors we have exhibiting with us is endless. For instance:- The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), Handicare, Guldmann Hoists, Kingkraft, SensoryKraft, Capia PIP, Careflex, FRANKE, Clos-o-Mat, Impey, Safespaces, Triton showers, Geberit, Mangar, Langham GE, AKW, DLF, Otolift...and many more. You can see the full details and listings on our website. Our event is a FREE Event for Delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite. [UK-WIDE CONFERENCES] Explore further > Ocupando los Márgenes Ocupando los Margenes - or Occupying the Margins is a website that promotes critical reflection in and from the margins of occupational therapy; it explores practice and principles outside conventional settings or countries. Occupational therapy is explored in relation to human rights, equality, occupational justice and social transformation. Content includes perspectives from life in Rwanda and interventions with child refugees in Greece. The blog aids to improve reflexive thinking about principle concerns which ought to be approached by occupational therapy. This website is in Spanish, but can be easily translated, through a Google Translate pop-up on your browser. [SPAIN PLATFORM; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLD-WIDE] Explore further > SPOTeurope - Student Platform Occupational Therapy Europe SPOTeurope aims to encourage and increase OT student connection across Europe. You can connect with other students to exchange experiences, opportunities, knowledge and ideas, all through SPOTeurope! A place for the future OT. The idea was developed at the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) Congress and since then has made huge progress! SPOT currently provides a blog (with news about the OT world), a forum (in which students can connect and ask questions), country representatives (who can answer OT questions in their country), Twitter, Facebook and more. Join in the discussion! [EUROPEAN PLATFORM; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Securing a Sustainable Future (Council of Deans of Health) The Council of Deans of Healths Securing a Sustainable Future - Strategic Plan 2018-2021 (PDF). The Council of Deans of Health (CoDoH) represents the UK’s university faculties engaged in education and research for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (including Occupational Therapists). We are the voice of nursing, midwifery and AHP higher education and research. Operating across the UK at the heart of policy and political debate, we aim to lead policy at national and UK level, promoting the essential contribution of our members to health and social care. Our strategic priorities · Influence policy UK-wide · Secure sustainable funding for our disciplines · Foster leadership and innovation [UK ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Stroke Core Competencies - Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARS) This e-learning resource provides a learning tool for health and social care staff to enable them to become more knowledgeable and skilful in the challenging area of stroke care. The resource is based on the Stroke Core Competencies which were published by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in 2005. The website provides a multidisciplinary resource which focuses on a wide range of core knowledge and skills required by all staff when delivering stroke care. The Core Competencies provide an interactive way of learning with quizzes, animations, video clips, and case scenarios. + Stroke Advancing Modules > [UK TRAINING RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > TED + TEDx Talks Playlist TED and TEDx Talks by former and current members of the occupational therapy community. All in one YouTube playlist. Compiled by Bill Wong (OTR/L), a 2x TEDx talker, who specialises in autism and social media. + SEE ALSO: A growing LGBTQ+ TED/TEDx Talks YouTube Playlist . [INTERNATIONAL RESOURCE] Explore further > TRAMm CPD The TRAMm* (Tell , Record , Apply , Monitor and measure) Model and its tools the TRAMm Tracker and TRAMm Trail, collectively known as TRAMmCPD have been developed by Occupational Therapists to provide health and care professionals with a framework to meet the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). CPD is a personal and subjective journey, as well as a professional responsibility and mandatory requirement. In order to be effective you need to Tell others, Record and Apply your learning, Monitor your progress and measure* the impact. The TRAMm Model is a dynamic, interactive model which encourages your engagement in CPD (Hearle and Lawson 2019 ) whilst the TRAMm Tracker and TRAMm Trail have been designed as tools to enable you to record your CPD, keep track of your progress and measure the outcomes of your learning. We have received feedback from health and care professionals who have successfully submitted their CPD Profile for the HCPC Audit using TRAMmCPD as a structure. The new, fully updated edition of our book A Strategic Guide to Continuing Professional Development for Health and Care Professionals: The TRAMm Model (2nd ed) is available to buy in paperback or ebook formats and is free to read for members of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) as an eBook (once logged in: Library Resources - eBooks - eBook Central - search for TRAMm Model). Doctoral research is currently being undertaken to provide underpinning evidence for TRAMmCPD. Updates to the TRAMm Model is ongoing based on the results of our research, the latest TRAMmCPD information, resources and tools are free to download from our website. [*Please note that the lower case ‘m’ is used to denote measure purely to differentiate it from Monitor. It has no significance in terms of importance]. [UK RESOURCE; APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The Fund To Promote Awareness of Occupational Therapy (FPAOT) We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organisation, committed to ongoing resource development to support targeted education, research and professional development opportunities - that will increase the public’s understanding of occupational therapy. The Fund exists to achieve greater understanding, availability and use of occupational therapy and to promote the profession’s contributions to health, wellness, participation, productivity, and quality of life in society. [US ORGANISATION; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The OT Practice The OT Practice has the largest team of independent occupational therapists in the UK, specialising in providing high quality services nationwide to private, statutory and business clients. Our practice is based on our reputation for building trusted relationships with our clients, and we are always looking for talented individuals to join our team. Whether you are thinking about taking the first steps into private practice or are an experienced private practitioner, working with us could be just the answer. If you aren’t sure where to start, we can guide you through the process and provide tools to help manage your workload. Our office-based client management team help find, allocate and administer cases, leaving you time to focus on providing clients with the highest level of care. [UK: HAMPSHIRE-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > The Occupational Therapy Show Benefit from: View the conference programme by clicking here The Occupational Therapy Show is dedicated to informing, inspiring and investing in all Occupational Therapists. This truly is an event not to be missed! The Occupational Therapy Show 2018, 21st and 22nd November. Venue: Hall 9, NEC Birmingham, B40 1NT, UK Visitor cost: Free Join the UK's largest, free-to-attend, dedicated event just for OTs! This CPD education and trade show will be taking place at Birmingham’s NEC over a two day period. Don't miss out! Access over 100 OT focused and interactive lectures, seminars and practical workshops Gain over 80 hours accredited CPD education Learn from world-renowned speakers and experts Update and refresh your learning across physical, mental health and learning difficulties, children and families, neurology in practice, housing and innovation, plus many more hot topics, specialist areas and new research relevant to OTs in practice. Research and source new products and services, through a network of over 270 trade exhibitors and suppliers. Providing information and advice for all your questions and need. [BIRMINGHAM, UK; NATIONWIDE, ANNUAL TRADE SHOW/CONFERENCE] Explore further > Violence in the Occupational Therapy Workplace - Learning Module (University of Alberta) The 7 units in this module provide detailed information about violence in health care workplaces. They include a clear definition, a description of the factors that increase the risks of violence and realistic actions and resources that can be used, to prevent and manage wide-ranging forms of workplace violence. + CPD certificate available This free, online learning module was developed by Occupational Therapists, for Occupational Therapists. The work was carried out at the University of Alberta, with funding support from the Government of Alberta, Canada. We would like to thank all of the Occupational Therapists and occupational therapy students who contributed to this project - your input was invaluable. [FOUNDED IN CANADA; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Housing Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Branch Properties Are you having problems finding an accessible property to rent or purchase for your client? We provide a personal, specialist service designed for those requiring accessible homes and can offer advice and project manage adaptions or modifications. Let us do the hard work, so you don’t have to. [UK: LONDON-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Design Council - The principles of inclusive design Inclusive design aims to remove the barriers that create undue effort and separation. It enables everyone to participate equally, confidently and independently in everyday activities. This guide explains the principles of inclusive design, and gives examples of inclusive design methods for new buildings. [UK-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Freedom by Symphony Freedom is a multi-generational accessible kitchen concept designed and manufactured by the Symphony Group. The Freedom range embraces both specialist design features and the latest kitchen styles to create attractive, accessible and Doc-M compliant kitchen designs. Freedom kitchens can be designed to your clients requirements, combining unrivalled functionality and style to create the perfect kitchen, without any limitations. Symphony has developed Freedom in collaboration with the UK's leading expert in accessible design, Adam Thomas. Adam has an unparalleled reputation, with over 35 years of design experience alongside years of research in the field or accessible and multi-generational living. Explore further > Healthy & Independent We are specialists in minor and major adaptations, manual handling people and mindfulness in social care. Teaching the correct handling techniques are essential, in order to minimise any risk of accident and to increase safety and dignity. We offer clinical support and workshops online and in situ. [SERVICES AVAILABLE IN SPAIN AND THE UK] Explore further > Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC) The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user. Who should attend? Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations. The list of exhibitors we have exhibiting with us is endless. For instance:- The Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Handicare, Guldmann Hoists, Kingkraft, SensoryKraft, Capia PIP, Careflex, FRANKE, Clos-o-Mat, Impey, Safespaces, Triton showers, Geberit, Mangar, Langham GE, AKW, DLF, Otolift ...and many more. You can see the full details and listings on our website. Our event is a FREE event for delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite. [UK-WIDE CONFERENCES] Explore further > SGN Locking Cooker Valve SGN manages the network distributing natural and green gas to 5.9 million homes and businesses across the south of England and Scotland. Our free locking cooker valve helps customers living in vulnerable circumstances across the UK retain their independence at home and provides reassurance to carers and relatives. The simple safety device is fitted to existing gas cooker pipework. When the valve is locked, the gas supply to the cooker is stopped and eliminates the risk of the cooker being unintentionally turned on or left on when the carer or relative leaves the house or the room. [UK GAS NETWORK; LOCKING COOKER VALVE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > The Platform Lift Company Offering one of the biggest ranges of home lift solutions, including open residential platform lifts and cabin style residential lifts. Whether you want to achieve access to the different floors within your home or to overcome an architectural barrier, such as a flight of steps, The Platform Lift Company will give you a variety of options to suit your individual needs and living space. [UK-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Virtual Reality Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 'Advances in Occupational Therapy Technology: Rehab Week 2017' - The future of OT (OT Potential) There is no better place to take in emerging technology in occupation therapy than Rehab Week. I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 conference in London and I am excited to update you on the technology advances that are coming to rehabilitation. Whether you are looking to invest in new rehab tech or simply feel inspired, this post is for you.' Author: Lauren Sheehan, OTD, OTR/L OT Potential > OT Blog - 14th September 2017 [US-BASED WEBSITE; BLOG AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'How virtual therapy can lead to real-world healing' (Newsy.com) How virtual therapy can lead to real-world healing Virtual reality s promise doesn't end with games and movies. Researchers and doctors are turning to VR for everything from neuroscience, to psychiatry, to occupational therapy. Virtual reality headsets and cameras can supplement - and in some cases even improve - occupational therapy... Author: Evan Thomas Newsy.com - 19th May 2017 [US-BASED WEBSITE - ARTICLE + VIDEO AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'I build games for survivors' - Dr Rachel Proffitt (A Stroke Focus Podcast) Episode 14:Develop VR Games For Stroke Survivors, Interview With Dr Rachel Proffitt In this interview, Dr Proffitt shares her work and the experience that led her to become a passionate “game nerd” working for survivors. A Stroke Focus Podcast - Episode 14 [PODCAST RECORDED IN THE US - AVAILABLE TO LISTEN WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Incorporating the Wii into Occupational Therapy Treatment' (My OT Spot + Grant Mitchell) Effective implementation of virtual reality (VR) as a treatment modality needs to be practical, accessible, and affordable to the client. The Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect are two examples of systems that demonstrate those traits comparatively to the high-end VR products that can cost upwards of $75,000.' Read more > Author: Grant Mitchell - Millennial OT A guest blog on My OT Spot [US WEBSITE; BLOG AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Learning from experience: shared constructs in virtual reality and occupational therapy' (IJTR) Rehabilitation professionals have long accepted the belief that engagement in meaningful activity contributes to human development and can enhance health and wellbeing. More recently, theorists have begun to discuss the importance not only of engagement in such activities, but the experience one has while engaging in them. With this shift, it is important for scholars of rehabilitation, in particular occupational therapy theorists and clinicians, to develop better ways to describe and measure occupational experience. Considering how an understanding of occupational experience can be enhanced by taking up constructs in virtual reality theory that are similar to those in occupational therapy and occupational science, such as immersion, presence, flow, and embodiment. Correspondingly, the growing field of virtual reality can benefit from occupational therapists' and occupational scientists' work on occupational presence, therapeutic occupation, and the adaptation of contexts (including virtual contexts) to fit individual needs.' > To read more, log-in to IJTR with your institution's account - via OpenAthens or Shibboleth - to access the full text. Author: Amanda C Foran International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation (IJTR) - 16th August 2013 [AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'The Use of Virtual Reality to Facilitate Mindfulness Skills Training in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case Study' (Frontiers in Psychology) Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe mental disorder characterised by a dysfunctional pattern of affective instability, impulsivity and disturbed interpersonal relationships (American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). People with BPD are at increased risk of self-harm, suicidal behaviours, completed suicides and often have co-occurring disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders (Lieb et al., 2004 ). BPD has been conceptualised as a disorder of the emotion regulation system (Linehan, 1993 ; Crowell et al., 2009 ). Even when they try to modulate their own emotions, people with BPD have high negative emotions as their baseline emotional state, they are unusually sensitive, respond intensely, and are slow to calm down (Linehan, 2015 )...' '...Immersive VR is proving useful as a new tool clinical psychology therapists can use to enhance the effectiveness of cognitive-behaviuor therapy to treat many psychological disorders. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy using VR exposure therapy has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of anxiety disorders (Opris et al., 2012 ), like spider phobia (Garcia-Palacios et al., 2002 ; Hoffman et al., 2003 ), fear of flying (Rothbaum et al., 1996 ; Krijn et al., 2004 ), social phobia (Kampmann et al., 2016 ), small animal phobia (Botella et al., 2016 ), and claustrophobia (Botella et al., 1999 )...' Read more > Authors: Maria V. Nararro-Haro, Hunter G. Hoffman, Azucena Garcia-Palacios, Mariana Sampaio, Wadee Alhalabi, Karyn Hall and Marsha Linehan. Frontiers in Psychology - November 2016 - Volume 7, Article 1573 (Case Report) Explore further > 'VR brings dramatic change to mental health care' (Forbes Tech) VR brings dramatic change to mental health care. Author: Charlie Fink Forbes online > Tech > Medicine - 25th October 2017 [US-BASED WEBSITE - ARTICLE + VIDEOS AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Virtual reality in your OT practice' - The future of OT (OT Potential) Virtual reality in your OT practice. I think we can safely assume that we are only beginning to see the potential that VR has for transforming occupational therapy (as well as physical therapy and speech therapy)... Author: Lauren Sheehan, OTD, OTR/L OT Potential > OT Blog - 22nd June 2017 [US-BASED WEBSITE - BLOG AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Virtual reality therapy is just as effective as physical rehabilitation for stroke patients, study finds' (Daily Mail online) Virtual reality therapy for stroke patients is just as effective as standard physical therapy, a new study found. Researchers discovered that virtual reality therapy improved arm, hand and finger movement after a patient had lost muscle control due to a stroke... Read more > Author: Kayla Brantley DailyMail.com - 15th November 2017 [UK-BASED WEBSITE - ARTICLE + VIDEO AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Virtual rehabilitation with video games: A new frontier for occupational therapy' (Occupational Therapy Now - CAOT) Virtual rehabilitation with video games: A new frontier for occupational therapy' Author: Jonathan Halton Occupational Therapy Now - January/February 2008 - Volume 10, Issue 1 [CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS - JOURNAL ARTICLE] Explore further > RAPAEL Smart Glove (Neofect) RAPAEL Smart Glove is a high-tech rehab device. Starting the training is as simple as wearing the glove, connecting to the “RAPAEL” app and proceeding to play the rehabilitation games. Neofect 'We will build hope for healthier lives as we provide opportunities of rehabilitation through technological innovation to anyone. [US-BASED COMPANY - SERVICES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Rachel Proffitt - Games4Rehab (Twitter) Rachel Proffitt, Occupational therapist, assistant professor, stroke researcher extraordinaire, video game nerd. Designing and testing customised video games for rehabilitation.' Follow Rachel Proffitt on Twitter > [US: MISSOURI-BASED OT - TWITTER ACCOUNT AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Special Effect - The gamers' charity Special Effect, Levelling the playing field for people with disabilities. We put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities, by helping them to play video games. By using technology ranging from modified joypads to eye-control, we're finding a way for people to play to the very best of their abilities. But we're not just doing it for fun. By levelling the playing field, we're bringing families and friends together and having a profoundly positive impact on therapy, confidence and rehabilitation. How we can help If you have a physical disability that limits or stops you from playing video games, get in touch. We have a range of accessible gaming equipment to try out in our Games Room in Oxfordshire, and there’s also the option of a home visit if your disability limits your ability to travel. We may also be able to loan you equipment following an assessment, so you can try before you buy. We’ll do our best to help you play the games you want to play - and if your needs change, we’ll come back to look at alternative solutions that will keep you going to the best of your abilities. There’s no charge for any of our help, so if you think we might be able to assist, get in touch. [UK: OXFORDSHIRE-BASED CHARITY] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Green + Outdoor Care Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Green Care: A Conceptual Framework (COST) A Report of the Working Group on the Health Benefits of Green Care. COST 866, Green Care in Agriculture. Editors: Joe Sempik, Rachel Hine and Deborah Wilcox. COST – the acronym for European Cooperation in Science and Technology – is the oldest and widest European inter-governmental network for cooperation in research. COST is presently used by the scientific communities of 35 European countries to cooperate in common research projects supported by national funds. [Source: COST online ] [EUROPEAN REPORT] Explore further > Green Estate Green Estate offers work experience and social activities for people who have Individual Budgets. Our main programmes available - running 50 weeks each year - are Manor Oaks Farm, Cook, Lunch & Learn and Manor Oaks Crafts. Each of our programmes offer our clients the opportunity to join and become an active and integral part of the Green Estate team. [UK: SHEFFIELD NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION] Explore further > Have Wheelchair Will Travel Surely we cant be the first people to do this? I kept asking our travel agent, the airline and our therapists. We certainly are not the first family with a disabled child to travel to America, but at times it felt that way. That was when the idea for this website came to me. Why not share all my research and great discoveries with others who are either, planning a trip, or are feeling nervous about giving it a go.' Julie Jones combines her skills as an ex-travel consultant with her experiences travelling with her family, including her son who lives with cerebral palsy. Have Wheelchair Will Travel has an engaged community with a range of backgrounds, including people living with a disability, therapists, educators, teachers and tourism representatives. This brings a wealth of information and experience to the website and Facebook page. - Bupa Travel Blog Award: Winner - Ausmumpreneur Heart & Edge Award: Winner - ASTW Best Travel Blog: Finalist Email us: havewchairwilltravel@gmail.com Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/havewheelchairwilltravel [AUSTRALIA-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > SAGE Greenfingers SAGE stands for Support Arts Gardening Education. We promote the mental and physical well-being of adults experiencing mental health problems, via the provision of creative therapeutic activities. We can offer support to men or women over 18, whose life is troubled by mental health issues. These might range from mild to severe and include diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks and PTSD. We are also able to accommodate adults who have a dual diagnosis of learning disability and/or physical disability. [UK: SHEFFIELD ORGANISATION] Explore further > Sheffield Shamblers Do you enjoy walking but want to do this at a leisurely pace? Fed up with walking groups that want to beat the clock over the distance of the walk? Or maybe you are new to walking and fear that you won't be able to keep up with experienced walkers? Then come and join the Sheffield Shamblers walking group! Health walks are an ideal introduction to walking for those who haven't been walking before, are bored at home, or perhaps recovering from an illness or operation. We are a group of people of all ages, from every walk of life, who enjoy walking and having a good time. Pleasant company and a good sense of humour is essential on all our walks. If you are looking for formal walks organised with military precision and strict codes of conduct, then this club is not for you! Dogs are welcome, but must be kept on a lead at all times. [UK: SHEFFIELD ORGANISATION] Explore further > Thrive Thrive uses gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable. Using gardening as a safe and secure way to develop someone's ability to mix socially and make friends, and to learn practical skills to help them be more independent is now a proven therapy. Gardening improves physical and mental health and could lead to volunteering with other organisations, qualifications in horticulture which people can do with us and ultimately a job. [UK SERVICE: AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Tir Coed Tir Coed is a charity and social enterprise that engages people with woodlands, through volunteering, training and bespoke activities that develop skills and improve woodlands for the benefit of everyone. Vision: Thriving sustainable rural communities integrated with the natural environment. Mission: To unlock the potential of woodlands to provide a community facility, educational and health activities, and to create job opportunities for disadvantaged individuals in rural Wales. With the aim to make positive lasting change. Over the past 16 years Tir Coed has developed a comprehensive engagement model that supports people as they develop, from first step engagement through to employment. All of the work carried out by volunteers and trainees improves the health of the woodland and its accessibility for the benefit of the whole community. [UK: WALES ORGANISATION] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Professional Bodies Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry All India Occupational Therapists' Association (AIOTA) All India Occupational Therapists Association (AIOTA) is the founder council member of World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). It is a registered body under Bombay Public Trust Act, Mumbai 1950-E-1118. The AIOTA regularly organises annual national conferences, to update members on recent advances and research in the areas of vivid interest. The Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy (IJOT) is published three times a year - in April, August and December - by the AIOTA. The Journal publishes original scientific research papers, case reports, preliminary articles and information on all aspects of occupational therapy. [INDIA PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) represent the interests and concerns of occupational therapy practitioners and students of occupational therapy and to improve the quality of occupational therapy services. [US PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Asociación Argentina de Terapistas Ocupacionales (AATO) The Argentine Association of Occupational Therapists maintains a registry of the country's occupational therapy graduates and promotes their work. It promotes the growth of the Association of Occupational Therapists in the Argentine Republic, establishing relations with similar domestic and foreign associations. The AATO ensures professional ethics and intervenes in the defence of professional interests, before national, provincial, municipal authorities and associations. It promotes joint interdisciplinary actions and the possibility of associating with federations and confederations. The AATO offers its partners: Legal and accounting advice A large agenda of specific activities for Occupational Therapists and those related to interdisciplinary issues It manages discounts and scholarships in training courses, seminars, conferences, congresses, etc. Organises spaces for meetings, thematic coffees, courses, seminars and face-to-face or virtual workshops It provides the most comprehensive bibliographic OT material in Argentina, through its own library [ARGENTINA PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Association Nationale Francaise des Ergotherapeutes (ANFE, France) For more than 50 years, ANFE has been the main representative body for occupational therapists in France. ANFE is an independent community of exchanges and encounters, that brings together occupational therapists, regardless of their field of practice. It acts on major social projects, through its participation in ministerial plans, work of agencies, observatories and high state authorities. The association was created in 1961, by Jacqueline Roux, to promote Occupational Therapy in France. It represents more than 10% of occupational therapists in France. ANFE represents the profession at the HCPP (Haut Conseil des Professions Paramédicales) and more generally at all ministerial, territorial, political and associative bodies. It participates and contributes to reflections, studies and reforms concerning health and the development of services. [FRANCE PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI) The Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland is the only professional body for Occupational Therapists in the Republic of Ireland. The AOTI provides national leadership to its members and works on behalf of its members with the best interest of the profession and service users in mind. The AOTI is the organisation that promotes the profession on behalf of all occupational therapists in Ireland. It is reliant entirely on the voluntary efforts of its members. The AOTI considers current practice in Ireland and abroad, working at both a strategic and operational level to advance the profession in Ireland, ensure appropriate governance and optimise communication with the public and our members. [IRELAND PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Associazione Italiana dei Terapisti Occupazionali (AITO) AITO is the representative association of Occupational Therapists in Italy and has, as its organisational goal, the constant search for members' participation. This means developing and consolidating competition of ideas, building visibility and traceability of decision-making paths. The association aims to pursue many objectives, including: to contribute to the valorisation and protection of professionalism, expectations and image of Occupational Therapists promoting and encouraging the establishment of schools for Occupational Therapists to directly develop the continuing training of occupational therapists by means of meetings, congresses, courses, ethics debates, etc. evaluate, through the Italian Occupational Therapy Society, the quality of training courses for Occupational Therapists provide scientific and technical information and advice to those who are interested in occupational therapy and, more generally, establish and coordinate relationships with affiliated national or international disciplinary associations or societies [ITALY PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is the national organisation that supports the more than 16,000 occupational therapists who work or study in Canada. [CANADA PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Colegio Profesional de Terapeutas Ocupacionales de Canarias (COPTOCA) El Colegio Profesional de Terapeutas Ocupacionales de Canarias se constituye de forma oficial el 18 de enero de 2020, tras 17 años como Asociación Profesional de Terapeutas Ocupacionales de Canarias (APTOCA). Como corporación de derecho público, COPTOCA se encarga de velar por los intereses del ejercicio profesional de los terapeutas ocupacionales de Canarias, de las personas que reciben sus servicios y del cumplimiento de sus estatutos. [PROFESSIONAL BODY OF THE CANARY ISLANDS] Explore further > European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE) ENOTHE is a non-profit organisation, funded by annual subscription membership and is concerned with the standards and quality of professional education of occupational therapists across Europe. One of the primary aims is to ensure that there is a robust educational system for European occupational therapists, which demonstrates comparability, high quality and flexibility to respond to changes in health and societal issues, policy and practice. Explore further > National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is a US regulatory body. It provides services for the public, students, certificants, and educators. Explore further > National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. NICE's role is to improve outcomes for people using the UK's NHS and other public health and social care services. We do this by: Producing evidence-based guidance and advice for health, public health and social care practitioners Developing quality standards and performance metrics for those providing and commissioning health, public health and social care services Providing a range of information services for commissioners, practitioners and managers across the spectrum of health and social care [UK ORGANISATION; GUIDELINES APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Occupational Therapy Australia Occupational Therapy Australia is the peak professional body representing the interests of occupational therapists across Australia. It strives to ensure that members consistently receive quality, responsive services that add significant value to their careers. [AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (OTBNZ) Fostering faith and confidence in the profession. The Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (OTBNZ) is a health regulatory authority. We ensure the safety of consumers using occupational therapy services. We do this by making sure all Occupational Therapists meet the specifications of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. [NEW ZEALAND REGULATORY BODY] Explore further > Occupational Therapy New Zealand (OTNZ) / Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa Our mission is to support members to excel professionally and promote occupation by providing resources, education and representation. Our vision is that occupational therapy should be accessible and valued by all. Underpinning values:- Occupational justice: Fair access to resources to enable occupation / He huarahi ki nga taonga tukuiho he pumautanga o te mahi Biculturalism: Equity between the tangata whenua (Māori) and the tangata tiriti (non Māori) / Te nohoanga nga tahitanga o te tangata, ko te kii tuhono mo ake tonu Integrity: The quality of being honest and following our principle / Te rangatiratanga o te tika, me te whai ake ra o nga mātāpono Professionalism: High standards that characterise behaviour / Ko te taumata i whaia ko te ahua i wawatatia Collaboration: Work together in mutual effort and partnership towards goals / He ringa raupa, ka eke nga hiahia, ka tutuki nga wawata i tumanakotia Transparency: Visibility or accessibility of information / Te kitenga ake, te huarahi hoki, o te mohiotanga [NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) Occupational therapists improve lives and save money for the health and social care services on a daily basis. We're making the case for occupational therapy in the UK. We work to ensure the profession's rightful place in health and social care delivery and encourage our members to play an active role as ambassadors for the profession. [UK PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Toimintaterapeuttiliitto Ergoterapeutförbundet (TOI) Toimintaterapeuttiliitto Ergoterapeutförbundet - The Finnish Occupational Therapy Association (more commonly known as TOI) - was founded in 1965. The Occupational Therapy Association is the Akava Trade Union and the only advocate of Occupational Therapists and students of the profession in Finland. The task of the Occupational Therapy Association is to influence Occupational Therapists in matters of working life and to supervise and develop Finnish Occupational Therapist training. [FINLAND PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) WFOT promotes occupational therapy as an art and science internationally. The Federation supports the development, use and practice of occupational therapy worldwide, demonstrating its relevance and contribution to society. [INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Mental Health Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 100 ways to Support Recovery (Rethink Mental Illness) Rethink Mental Illness - 100 ways to Support Recovery 100 Ways to Support Recovery is a free practical guide for mental health professionals to work in a recovery-oriented way. [UK CHARITY; IDEAS APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 24 Character Strengths (Peterson and Seligman) Professors Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman believe that each of us possesses 24 character strengths. Which ones do you particularly identify with? Source: Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification (Peterson and Seligman, 2004). [BOOK AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Adult safeguarding: e-learning course (SCIE) This resource, by SCIE, explores the following questions: What is adult safeguarding and how does it affect each and every one of us? How do I recognise the types and indicators of abuse? What can I do if I suspect that someone is being harmed? What should I do if I believe someone is being harmed but the person asks me to keep the information confidential and take no action? What can I do to make it much less likely that a person might be harmed? How do I ensure that adult safeguarding is managed correctly in the context of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 This e-Learning course module is free to use, however to access the course you will need a free MySCIE account. [UK-BASED; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management (NICE Guidelines) This guideline makes recommendations for the treatment and management of borderline personality disorder in adults and young people (under the age of 18) who meet criteria for the diagnosis in primary, secondary and tertiary care. The guideline also covers the treatment and management of people diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder based on ICD-10 criteria. Clinical guideline published: 28 January 2009 [Source: NICE online ] [UK ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) Our mission: To have excellent and improved mental health services - that listen to everyone who has used, is using or intending to use mental health services across Bristol. Promoting an effective voice to improve mental health services for all. The Bristol Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN) represents a diverse community of past, current and future users of Bristol’s mental health services, as well as those with lived experiences of mental health. We provide a safe space for people to confidentially share their needs and experiences of services, while we campaign for change by holding local providers to account. BIMHN also acts against discrimination, and promotes a positive understanding of mental health through education. We hope that by challenging current practice, we can increase parity of esteem and instigate worthwhile change, allowing people to access the care that they deserve. [UK: BRISTOL SERVICE] Explore further > Five Ways to Wellbeing A toolkit for working with young people, whether in a school, youth club or community setting. Designed for those living in Hertfordshire (UK), but information is applicable worldwide. Alongside a breakdown of the five ways (Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give), the toolkit explains why improving young peoples’ wellbeing is important. It introduces practical ideas for using the Five Ways to Wellbeing when working with young people . Credit: Hertfordshire County Council (January 2015) + Five Ways to Wellbeing Handout (PDF) [UK RESOURCES; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > MH4OT - OT Assessment Index An assessment index from Mental Health 4 Occupational Therapy. The Aim: To make a small corner of the internet where mental health Occupational Therapists are able to keep abreast of the latest developments in our profession and become more well rounded clinicians, through self-guided learning and networking. [INTERNATIONAL RESOURCE] Explore further > Mental Capacity Act: e-Learning course (SCIE) This resource explores the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including best interests decision-making, and how to support people to make their own decisions. The course is for everyone who looks after or cares for someone, for example, doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers, and family members. [UK GOVERNMENT ACT; UK RESOURCE; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mental Health Recovery Star The Recovery Star has been designed for use with adults managing their mental health or recovering from mental illness. The Recovery Star covers ten key areas: Managing mental health Physical health and self care Living skills Social networks Work Relationships Addictive behaviour Responsibilities Identity and self-esteem Trust and hope [INTERNATIONAL OUTCOME MEASURE] Explore further > Mental Health at Work (Mind) Whether you work with 10 people, 10,000 people or just yourself, paying attention to mental health in the workplace has never been more important. Mental Health at Work is here to help you find the information and resources you need. Mental Health at Work is curated by Mind , the mental health charity, and funded by The Royal Foundation as part of their Heads Together campaign. [UK-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Model of practice: Model Of Human Occupation (MOHO) MOHO seeks to explain how occupation is motivated, patterned, and performed. MOHO is intended for use with any person experiencing problems in their occupational life and is designed to be applicable across the life span. It is commonly used in mental health settings, highlighting an individual's 'volition' and motivators. [INTERNATIONAL MODEL OF PRACTICE] Explore further > Off The Record (Bristol) Off The Record, OTR Bristol opened its doors in 1965 and can justifiably claim to be one of the oldest established young people's mental health services in the country. We run services and projects to promote and improve mental health and wellbeing for young people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. All of them are delivered by a team of super-friendly staff and volunteers and have been designed with the help of young people. Our team come from a wide range of backgrounds and work in a variety of ways. They’ve all been chosen to work at OTR because whatever technique they have trained in, they will listen and won’t judge. Aims To support young people to empower and intellectually defend themselves through the provision of mental health services and development work To promote positive mental health and the resilience of all young people To challenge the wider social and structural inequalities that lead to poorer mental health and life chances [UK: BRISTOL CHARITY] Explore further > SAGE Greenfingers SAGE stands for Support Arts Gardening Education. We promote the mental and physical well-being of adults experiencing mental health problems, via the provision of creative therapeutic activities. We can offer support to men or women over 18, whose life is troubled by mental health issues. These might range from mild to severe and include diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks and PTSD. We are also able to accommodate adults who have a dual diagnosis of learning disability and/or physical disability. Explore further > Sheffield Flourish Owned by the community, we aim to involve people who live with mental health conditions in everything we do. We help people to share their stories by publishing them on our website. We offer a wide range of activities suitable for people living with mental health conditions. We organise fun and interesting monthly community events based on different themes . We even help people to realise their enterprising ideas . [UK: SHEFFIELD ORGANISATION] Explore further > Survivors of Depression In Transition (SODIT) A support group for women who experience depression and mental health illness. Survivors of Depression is all about giving women a chance to move on from their illness, or period in life which has been very straining on family life and personal life. We have seen many women now who have managed to move on from the group, towards a happy and fulfilling life. This is at the heart of what we do, and also what the government’s reform agenda in health is all about. Our main aims: The relief of sickness and preservation of health among women residing permanently or temporarily in Sheffield To protect the mental health of women with depression and related illness, through support, education and practical advice To advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to depression and related illness [UK: SHEFFIELD SUPPORT GROUP] Explore further > Understanding borderline personality disorder (Mind) This booklet is for anyone experiencing borderline personality disorder (BPD). It explains what the diagnosis means and what it’s like to live with BPD. It also provides information about self-care, treatment and recovery, and gives guidance on how friends and family can help. [Source: Mind online ] [UK CHARITY; GUIDANCE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Violence in the Occupational Therapy Workplace - Learning Module (University of Alberta) The 7 units in this module provide detailed information about violence in health care workplaces. They include a clear definition, a description of the factors that increase the risks of violence and realistic actions and resources that can be used, to prevent and manage wide-ranging forms of workplace violence. + CPD certificate available This free, online learning module was developed by Occupational Therapists, for Occupational Therapists. The work was carried out at the University of Alberta, with funding support from the Government of Alberta, Canada. We would like to thank all of the Occupational Therapists and occupational therapy students who contributed to this project - your input was invaluable. [FOUNDED IN CANADA; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Nutrition Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry AJOT: Nutritional Support and the Occupational Therapist’s Role Nutrition, although important, is often overlooked during hospitalization. At Grant Hospital of Chicago, a nutritional support team is trained in recognizing, assessing, and managing nutritional disorders. The occupational therapist member of this team works to enhance patients’ functional independence physically and emotionally. Knowledge of nutrition is necessary for all health professionals when dealing with the total person. Explore further > Nutritank A nutrition and lifestyle medicine community with the very best educational resources at your fingertips empowering medical students, healthcare professionals and patients alike Explore further > The Role of Occupational Therapy in Diabetes and Lifestyle Interventions 'I started to pursue training in health and wellness coaching because of my interest in food and nutrition. That opened up my idea of the preventive part of OT and our important role in diabetes and lifestyle modification.' - Ryan Osal Explore further > holisticot.org: Do You Eat Well? Part of the OT scope of practice is helping people eat healthy food, meal plan, and shop for and prepare well-balanced nutritional meals.1 However, given the variety of information and new studies that seem to contradict older ones, many wonder, “What should I eat?” Nutrition and Health According to Dean Ornish, MD, “Currently, over 75% of the $2.8 trillion in health care costs are due to chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes, that can be largely prevented by making comprehensive lifestyle changes. We don’t need to wait for a new drug or laser or high-tech breakthrough; we simply need to put into practice what we already know.” Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Carer Support Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 100 ways to Support Recovery (Rethink Mental Illness) 100 Ways to Support Recovery is a free practical guide for mental health professionals to work in a recovery-oriented way. [UK-BASED CHARITY; GUIDE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > AccessAble The UK's leading provider of access information. Providing independence and choice. On our website you'll find detailed access information to thousands of venues across the UK and the Republic of Ireland: shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. Our mission is to maximise independence and choice for disabled people in accessing their local area and the places we all want to visit. We work on behalf of Local Authorities, top Universities, NHS Trusts and private sector organisations to publish detailed access information on well over 125,000 places of interest across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We also have a number of prominent strategic partnerships, particularly in the travel and tourism sector, with organisations such as Visit England, Visit London (London & Partners/Greater London Authority), Tourism For All and Open Britain. Developed by disabled people, for disabled people . We go the extra mile because disabled people have told us: a venue which self-reports its access can all too often miss, overlook or fail to appreciate the reality of the access they provide the majority of venues do not have the expertise or the time to go into the detail that many disabled people need to have to make an effective judgement about the suitability of access. Finally because what’s accessible for one person is not necessarily accessible for another, our independence means “we say as we see it”, providing the facts so you can make an informed choice. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Adult safeguarding: e-learning course (SCIE) The resource explores the following questions: What is adult safeguarding and how does it affect each and every one of us? How do I recognise the types and indicators of abuse? What can I do if I suspect that someone is being harmed? What should I do if I believe someone is being harmed but the person asks me to keep the information confidential and take no action? What can I do to make it much less likely that a person might be harmed? How do I ensure that adult safeguarding is managed correctly in the context of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 This e-Learning course module is free to use, however to access the course you will need a free MySCIE account. [UK RESOURCE; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management (NICE Guidelines) This guideline makes recommendations for the treatment and management of borderline personality disorder in adults and young people (under the age of 18) who meet criteria for the diagnosis in primary, secondary and tertiary care. The guideline also covers the treatment and management of people diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder based on ICD-10 criteria. Clinical guideline published: 28 January 2009 [Source: NICE online ] [UK RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Communicating with people with a learning disability (Mencap) This information is designed to provide a brief introduction to communication and the problems faced by someone with a learning disability. It also contains tips on how you can be a better communicator, and how you can help someone with a learning disability get their message across. [UK CHARITY; ADVICE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Down's Syndrome Association The only organisation in the UK focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome. [UK CHARITY; ADVICE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Garry Burge - Asperger Syndrome and Autism Advocacy Offering personal experience, through trial and error, to help raise awareness. Garry Burge was born in Brisbane, Australia in August 1972 and was diagnosed as having Asperger Syndrome in July 1998. Being diagnosed has helped him to understand who he is as a person and explained why he was different from other people and the world around him. His diagnosis helped to answer some of the following questions: Why it was difficult for him to make friends His constant obsessions in trains, pocket watches, orchids and history The difficulty in not being able to fit into and adjust to the school environment Why he was bullied and teased within secondary school Experience of having depression and social isolation earlier in his life Not having a lighter side Seeing things and taking comments from other people very literally Unemployment issues and not being able to find employment Visit Garry Burge's website to find out more and learn from his experiences. This includes autism and employment, Asperger Syndrome advocacy, links and support. [AUSTRALIA-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Have Wheelchair Will Travel Surely we cant be the first people to do this? I kept asking our travel agent, the airline and our therapists. We certainly are not the first family with a disabled child to travel to America, but at times it felt that way. That was when the idea for this website came to me. Why not share all my research and great discoveries with others who are either, planning a trip, or are feeling nervous about giving it a go.' Julie Jones combines her skills as an ex-travel consultant with her experiences travelling with her family, including her son who lives with cerebral palsy. Have Wheelchair Will Travel has an engaged community with a range of backgrounds, including people living with a disability, therapists, educators, teachers and tourism representatives. This brings a wealth of information and experience to the website and Facebook page. - Bupa Travel Blog Award: Winner - Ausmumpreneur Heart & Edge Award: Winner - ASTW Best Travel Blog: Finalist Email us: havewchairwilltravel@gmail.com Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/havewheelchairwilltravel [AUSTRALIA-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mental Capacity Act: e-Learning course (SCIE) This resource explores the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including best interests decision-making, and how to support people to make their own decisions. The course is for everyone who looks after or cares for someone, for example, doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers, and family members. [UK RESOURCE; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > MyLiferaft MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it. It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them. [UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > National Autistic Society (UK) The leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families. Providing information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for autistic people. [UK CHARITY; ADVICE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > OccupationalTherapyOT.com An occupational therapy blog by Occupational Therapists Deepam Pawar and Payal Mehta Pawar, who trained in Nagpur, India. This site can be referred as OT resources for therapists, educators, special needs teachers, and parents/caregivers and other health care professionals. A resource for parents who are looking for occupational therapy activities that can be done at home and with household materials. Skill areas include fine motor, gross motor, sensory strategies, and cognitive strategies. This blog also has information about common disorders in which Occupational Therapists deal, including autism, ADHD, learning disability, cerebral palsy and Down’s Syndrome. [FOUNDED IN INDIA; RESOURCES APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Sheffield Carers Centre (Carers Trust) Sheffield Carers Centre offers a range of support and information services to all carers in the city, looking after a relative or friend who is unable to manage alone due to disability, severe illness or frailty. The Carers Centre is a local independent charity, founded in 1993, affiliated to Carers Trust . Services include: Running a Carers Advisory service – a free and confidential helpline offering advice and information on all aspect of caring A weekly drop-in service Advice and information by email Specialist advice sessions on legal matters and on welfare benefits Support with gaining or maintaining employment Specialist support for young adult carers (aged 18-25) [UK: SHEFFIELD SERVICE] Explore further > Violence in the Occupational Therapy Workplace - Learning Module (University of Alberta) The 7 units in this module provide detailed information about violence in health care workplaces. They include a clear definition, a description of the factors that increase the risks of violence and realistic actions and resources that can be used, to prevent and manage wide-ranging forms of workplace violence. + CPD certificate available This free, online learning module was developed by Occupational Therapists, for Occupational Therapists. The work was carried out at the University of Alberta, with funding support from the Government of Alberta, Canada. We would like to thank all of the Occupational Therapists and occupational therapy students who contributed to this project - your input was invaluable. [FOUNDED IN CANADA; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Promoting Independence Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry AccessAble AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out. To give you the information and detail you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible for you. We've surveyed 10,000s of venues across the UK and Ireland, including shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. AccessAble is Your Accessibility Guide. Download our free App to use AccessAble on the go. [UK-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further > Branch Properties Are you having problems finding an accessible property to rent or purchase for your client? We provide a personal, specialist service designed for those requiring accessible homes and can offer advice and project manage adaptions or modifications. Let us do the hard work, so you don’t have to. [UK: LONDON-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Have Wheelchair Will Travel Surely we cant be the first people to do this? I kept asking our travel agent, the airline and our therapists. We certainly are not the first family with a disabled child to travel to America, but at times it felt that way. That was when the idea for this website came to me. Why not share all my research and great discoveries with others who are either, planning a trip, or are feeling nervous about giving it a go.' Julie Jones combines her skills as an ex-travel consultant with her experiences travelling with her family, including her son who lives with cerebral palsy. Have Wheelchair Will Travel has an engaged community with a range of backgrounds, including people living with a disability, therapists, educators, teachers and tourism representatives. This brings a wealth of information and experience to the website and Facebook page. - Bupa Travel Blog Award: Winner - Ausmumpreneur Heart & Edge Award: Winner - ASTW Best Travel Blog: Finalist Email us: havewchairwilltravel@gmail.com Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/havewheelchairwilltravel [AUSTRALIA-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy We are an education business with a mission to help guide occupational therapy professionals to becoming more competent and confident addressing sexuality and intimacy in their clinical practice. We offer educational webinars to help clinicians translate knowledge into clinical practice. Through the Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy, we are building a coalition of sex and intimacy OT champions, to dismantle the restrictive norms around discussing sexuality and intimacy. Join us! [US-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Kyndi & Medway Virtual House A virtual house, showcasing equipment to support independent living. This online tool suggests various objects for every room. The guide includes occupational therapy equipment, support aids and assistive technology. Launched by Medway Council, UK, in 2024. [UK-BASED ONLINE RESOURCE; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Let's Talk Makaton Being able to communicate is one of the most important skills we need in life. Almost everything we do involves communication; everyday tasks such as learning at school, asking for food and drink, sorting out problems, making friends and having fun. These all rely on our ability to communicate with each other. Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order. With Makaton, children and adults can communicate straight away using signs and symbols. Many people then drop the signs or symbols naturally at their own pace, as they develop speech. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Muggi Muggi is an innovative new product which enables hot and cold drinks to be carried safely in any environment. This unique tray enables up to four mugs to be carried safely in one hand, leaving the other hand free to support the user. Muggi also fits on to walking frames and can be conveniently placed on the lap of wheelchair users. It catches unwanted spillages and features non-slip rubber feet; finger and thumb holds make it easy to carry for young or old hands. An increasing number of occupational therapists, sufferers of Parkinson’s, arthritis and wheelchair users are finding muggi invaluable in their daily lives. Made from lightweight, but extremely tough Polypropylene, muggi comes in seven vibrant colours blue, grey, red, purple, green, pink, a black recycled material. Explore further > MyLiferaft MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it. It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them. [UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC) The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user. Who should attend? Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations. You can see the full details and listings on our website. Our event is a FREE Event for Delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite. [UK-WIDE CONFERENCES] Explore further > RAPAEL Smart Glove (Neofect) RAPAEL Smart Glove is a high-tech rehab device. Starting the training is as simple as wearing the glove, connecting to the “RAPAEL” app and proceeding to play the rehabilitation games. Neofect 'We will build hope for healthier lives as we provide opportunities of rehabilitation through technological innovation to anyone. [US-BASED COMPANY - SERVICES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Remap Remap is a national charity that works through local groups of skilled volunteers. We help disabled people achieve independence and a better quality of life by designing and making equipment for their individual needs. This tailor made equipment helps people to carry out essential daily tasks without having to ask for help, or helps them take part in leisure occupations or sports that would otherwise be impossible. Our focus at Remap is to give people independence because we know how important this is. Many people have a physical impairment of some sort. But your life changes if you have to rely on others all the time. By making a piece of equipment specifically for an individual, tailored to their needs, we can often help them become that bit more independent. Remap gives disabled people the joy of independence. We are pleased to give people our equipment free of charge. This is because we are a charity and are not trying to make money. All our running costs are covered by donations and support from charities and our volunteers give their time for free. [UK-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further > SGN Locking Cooker Valve SGN manages the network distributing natural and green gas to 5.9 million homes and businesses across the south of England and Scotland. Our free locking cooker valve helps customers living in vulnerable circumstances across the UK retain their independence at home and provides reassurance to carers and relatives. The simple safety device is fitted to existing gas cooker pipework. When the valve is locked, the gas supply to the cooker is stopped and eliminates the risk of the cooker being unintentionally turned on or left on when the carer or relative leaves the house or the room. [UK GAS NETWORK; LOCKING COOKER VALVE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Special Supplies Special Supplies was founded with a goal to address the difficulty parents and educators encounter when attempting to find reliable, safe and effective tools for children with special needs. We discovered that, by doing our due diligence to ensure that our products were effective and safe, we were taking a load off the shoulders of those most invested in the well-being of these children. All of our products are selected by a team of parents and experienced therapists, which helps us ensure we provide the very best in Oral Motor, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Daily Living, School and Sensory products. Our team is dedicated to providing customers with the best selection of products for children and adults with special needs. Our passion is not only to raise awareness about the issues facing those with autistic and sensory integration needs, but to offer a therapeutic solution at an affordable price. [US-WIDE SERVICE] Explore further > St Wilfrid's Centre A day centre open to all homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded adults aged 18-65 years old. We are open Monday to Friday (10am-4pm), with a skilled staff team that offer basic Welfare services, as well as Personal Development activities to promote wellbeing and independence. Hygiene services - showers, hairdressing, laundry, clothing repair and clothing bank Hot meals and snacks Finding accommodation Somewhere safe to go regularly and meet others Advice, advocacy and signposting - including benefits, housing and personal advice Social activities, games and groups Personal Development Programme - offers a wide variety of personal development activities structured to help facilitate recovery, life-skills & work-based skills [UK: SHEFFIELD-BASED] Explore further > Stiltz Home Lifts Stiltz Home Lifts give occupational therapists the chance to independently recommend an innovative through the floor domestic lift during in-home OT assessments as an aid for those who need to adapt their homes to help make their lives easier. The Stiltz Trio+ Home Lift is the only freestanding home lift on the market with no supporting walls needed as the lift travels through the floor on unique and discreet self-supporting vertical rails. The lift is powered by a quiet self-contained motor with no hydraulics required. Stiltz Home Lifts are simple to install and easy to use. Home adaptations can be partially or fully funded depending on the individual’s circumstances, by a Local Government Disabled Facilities Grant. [UK; SERVICE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > The Able Label Who are we? Our clothes are not just any clothes. Stylish - yes... comfortable - absolutely. However, what makes us different is that our high-quality garments have specifically been designed to make dressing easier. The quality fabrics, discreet adaptive designs, innovative fastenings and hidden extras make dressing easier for those who may suffer from restricted movement or lack of finger dexterity. The design of the garments has also taken carers' requirements into account so assisted dressing is quicker, easier and safer. Yet when they're being worn, no one would know they were adapted... it's our secret! Explore further >

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Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Charities + Social Enterprises Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry Access Sport Access Sport enhances the life prospects of disadvantaged children by providing opportunities to experience and enjoy the power of sport. Our unique experience across a wide range of sports in London, Bristol, Manchester and Oxford have led us, in the twelve years since we were established, to become nationally recognised as an innovative leader in the field of community sport. Our work supports young people aged 5-25, with a particular emphasis on under 18’s who are disabled, disadvantaged or excluded from society. We do this by building thriving community sports clubs, led by inspirational volunteers, in the most disadvantaged urban areas. These clubs then provide life-changing opportunities for local, vulnerable young people, whilst creating a lasting, locally-owned community resource. We have a multi-sport approach, which recognises the importance of different sports in different settings for different participants, enabling maximum inclusivity and impact - from BMX to boxing; from running to rugby; from sitting volleyball to sailing. To find out more information please visit our website or find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. [UK CHARITY] Explore further > Creative Minds A social enterprise and nationwide community of artists, delivering empowering and therapeutic art sessions to care homes, learning disability services and day centres across the country. Our community of over 30 artist licensees deliver over 350 art sessions, to 1500 people a month, working with older people and people with learning disabilities. Creative Minds is expanding all the time. We currently have passionate artists delivering art sessions from London, East Sussex and Kent, to the West Midlands, Leicestershire and Yorkshire. For a full list of locations and further insight into our work, visit our website and follow us on social media. [UK SOCIAL ENTERPRISE; SERVICE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > Down's Syndrome Association The only organisation in the UK focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome. [UK CHARITY] Explore further > Green Estate Green Estate offers work experience and social activities for people who have Individual Budgets. Our main programmes available - running 50 weeks each year - are Manor Oaks Farm, Cook, Lunch & Learn and Manor Oaks Crafts. Each of our programmes offer our clients the opportunity to join and become an active and integral part of the Green Estate team. [UK: SHEFFIELD NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION] Explore further > Helen Sanderson Associates (+ One-page profiles) A one-page profile captures all the important information about a person on a single sheet of paper, under three simple headings: what people appreciate about me, what’s important to me and how best to support me. We believe that one-page profiles are the foundation of personalisation and can lead to positive change for people, whatever their age or circumstances. They provide us with an at-a-glance way of knowing what really matters to people, that can be taken with them as they move through services and come into contact with people. Getting started with one-page profiles (PDF) > One-page profiles: Getting them right (PDF) > We support individuals, teams and organisations to put people - and what matters to them - at the heart of the work they do every day. We do this because we believe in a world where everyone is valued and appreciated as an individual - and we know we can make it happen, one step at a time. We work with customers large and small, from lots of different backgrounds. These include charities and companies specialising in health and social care, education, and criminal justice. As a social enterprise, we invest our profits into person-centred charities, through our charitable arm, the HSA Foundation. Because of this, our customers aren’t just creating a more person-centred world themselves - they’re also supporting others to do the same. Want to know more about how we can work together? Get in touch for a chat. [UK-BASED] Explore further > Maisha Outreach Therapy Organisation (MOTO) We aim to make rehabilitation services in Africa more accessible and enhance the lives of vulnerable and marginalised people through quality care, therapy and advocacy. We facilitate volunteer placements and use occupational therapy as a tool to support and empower. [AFRICA-BASED; SERVICE AVAILABLE CONTINENT-WIDE] Explore further > Mencap - Communicating with people with a learning disability This information is designed to provide a brief introduction to communication and the problems faced by someone with a learning disability. It also contains tips on how you can be a better communicator, and how you can help someone with a learning disability get their message across. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mental Health at Work (Mind) Whether you work with 10 people, 10,000 people or just yourself, paying attention to mental health in the workplace has never been more important. Mental Health at Work is here to help you find the information and resources you need. Mental Health at Work is curated by Mind , the mental health charity, and funded by The Royal Foundation as part of their Heads Together campaign. [UK-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Mind - Understanding borderline personality disorder This booklet is for anyone experiencing borderline personality disorder (BPD). It explains what the diagnosis means and what it’s like to live with BPD. It also provides information about self-care, treatment and recovery, and gives guidance on how friends and family can help. [Source: Mind online ] [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > National Autistic Society (UK) The leading UK charity for autistic people (including those with Asperger syndrome) and their families. Providing information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for autistic people. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Off The Record (Bristol) Off The Record, OTR Bristol opened its doors in 1965 and can justifiably claim to be one of the oldest established young people's mental health services in the country. We run services and projects to promote and improve mental health and wellbeing for young people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. All of them are delivered by a team of super-friendly staff and volunteers and have been designed with the help of young people. Our team come from a wide range of backgrounds and work in a variety of ways. They’ve all been chosen to work at OTR because whatever technique they have trained in, they will listen and won’t judge. Aims To support young people to empower and intellectually defend themselves through the provision of mental health services and development work To promote positive mental health and the resilience of all young people To challenge the wider social and structural inequalities that lead to poorer mental health and life chances [UK: BRISTOL CHARITY] Explore further > Remap Remap is a national charity that works through local groups of skilled volunteers. We help disabled people achieve independence and a better quality of life by designing and making equipment for their individual needs. This tailor made equipment helps people to carry out essential daily tasks without having to ask for help, or helps them take part in leisure occupations or sports that would otherwise be impossible. Our focus at Remap is to give people independence because we know how important this is. Many people have a physical impairment of some sort. But your life changes if you have to rely on others all the time. By making a piece of equipment specifically for an individual, tailored to their needs, we can often help them become that bit more independent. Remap gives disabled people the joy of independence. We are pleased to give people our equipment free of charge. This is because we are a charity and are not trying to make money. All our running costs are covered by donations and support from charities and our volunteers give their time for free. [UK-WIDE] Explore further > Rethink Mental Illness - 100 ways to Support Recovery Rethink Mental Illness is a UK charity. Their 100 Ways to Support Recovery is a free practical guide for mental health professionals to work in a recovery-oriented way. [UK CHARITY; GUIDE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > SAGE Greenfingers SAGE stands for Support Arts Gardening Education. We promote the mental and physical well-being of adults experiencing mental health problems, via the provision of creative therapeutic activities. We can offer support to men or women over 18, whose life is troubled by mental health issues. These might range from mild to severe and include diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic attacks and PTSD. We are also able to accommodate adults who have a dual diagnosis of learning disability and/or physical disability. [UK: SHEFFIELD CHARITY] Explore further > Sheffield Carers Centre (Carers Trust) Sheffield Carers Centre offers a range of support and information services to all carers in the city, looking after a relative or friend who is unable to manage alone due to disability, severe illness or frailty. The Carers Centre is a local independent charity, founded in 1993, affiliated to Carers Trust . Services include: Running a Carers Advisory service – a free and confidential helpline offering advice and information on all aspect of caring A weekly drop-in service Advice and information by email Specialist advice sessions on legal matters and on welfare benefits Support with gaining or maintaining employment Specialist support for young adult carers (aged 18-25) [UK: SHEFFIELD CHARITY] Explore further > Sheffield Flourish Owned by the community, we aim to involve people who live with mental health conditions in everything we do. We help people to share their stories by publishing them on our website. We offer a wide range of activities suitable for people living with mental health conditions. We organise fun and interesting monthly community events based on different themes . We even help people to realise their enterprising ideas . [UK: SHEFFIELD CHARITY] Explore further > St Wilfrid's Centre A day centre open to all homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded adults aged 18-65 years old. We are open Monday to Friday (10am-4pm), with a skilled staff team that offer basic Welfare services, as well as Personal Development activities to promote wellbeing and independence. Hygiene services - showers, hairdressing, laundry, clothing repair and clothing bank Hot meals and snacks Finding accommodation Somewhere safe to go regularly and meet others Advice, advocacy and signposting - including benefits, housing and personal advice Social activities, games and groups Personal Development Programme - offers a wide variety of personal development activities structured to help facilitate recovery, life-skills & work-based skills [UK: SHEFFIELD CHARITY] Explore further > The Fund To Promote Awareness of Occupational Therapy (FPAOT) We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organisation, committed to ongoing resource development to support targeted education, research, and professional development opportunities - that will increase the public’s understanding of occupational therapy. The Fund exists to achieve greater understanding, availability and use of occupational therapy and to promote the profession’s contributions to health, wellness, participation, productivity, and quality of life in society. [US CHARITABLE ORGANISATION] Explore further > Tir Coed Tir Coed is a charity and social enterprise that engages people with woodlands, through volunteering, training and bespoke activities that develop skills and improve woodlands for the benefit of everyone. Vision: Thriving sustainable rural communities integrated with the natural environment. Mission: To unlock the potential of woodlands to provide a community facility, educational and health activities, and to create job opportunities for disadvantaged individuals in rural Wales. With the aim to make positive lasting change. Over the past 16 years Tir Coed has developed a comprehensive engagement model that supports people as they develop, from first step engagement through to employment. All of the work carried out by volunteers and trainees improves the health of the woodland and its accessibility for the benefit of the whole community. [UK: WALES CHARITY AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Guidance, Laws + Acts Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 100 ways to Support Recovery (Rethink Mental Illness) Rethink Mental Illness - 100 ways to Support Recovery 100 Ways to Support Recovery is a free practical guide for mental health professionals to work in a recovery-oriented way. [UK CHARITY; IDEAS APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > AccessAble The UK's leading provider of access information. Providing independence and choice. On our website you'll find detailed access information to thousands of venues across the UK and the Republic of Ireland: shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. Our mission is to maximise independence and choice for disabled people in accessing their local area and the places we all want to visit. We work on behalf of Local Authorities, top Universities, NHS Trusts and private sector organisations to publish detailed access information on well over 125,000 places of interest across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We also have a number of prominent strategic partnerships, particularly in the travel and tourism sector, with organisations such as Visit England, Visit London (London & Partners/Greater London Authority), Tourism For All and Open Britain. Developed by disabled people, for disabled people . We go the extra mile because disabled people have told us: a venue which self-reports its access can all too often miss, overlook or fail to appreciate the reality of the access they provide the majority of venues do not have the expertise or the time to go into the detail that many disabled people need to have to make an effective judgement about the suitability of access. Finally because what’s accessible for one person is not necessarily accessible for another, our independence means “we say as we see it”, providing the facts so you can make an informed choice. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Borderline personality disorder: recognition and management (NICE Guidelines) This guideline makes recommendations for the treatment and management of borderline personality disorder in adults and young people (under the age of 18) who meet criteria for the diagnosis in primary, secondary and tertiary care. The guideline also covers the treatment and management of people diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder based on ICD-10 criteria. Clinical guideline published: 28 January 2009 [Source: NICE online ] [UK ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE]. Explore further > Brian Barr Solicitors Brian Barr Solicitors are a specialist firm of solicitors whose expertise is in: CRPS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Serious Injury, Catastrophic Injury, Critical Illness Claims and Ill Health Pension Claims. We are a dedicated team who are passionate about helping our clients in a caring, understanding and professional manner. We pride ourselves in providing expert support and advice in your time of need and securing the compensation you deserve. In any accident or insurance claim, transferring your claim from your current solicitor to Brian Barr Solicitors will be easy and hassle-free. Funding your claim will be straightforward through our ‘no-win no-fee’ scheme. [MANCHESTER-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE UK-WIDE] Explore further > Care Act 2014: Guidance for Occupational Therapists (RCOT - UK) The Care Act 2014 (UK) has been the catalyst for a recent emphasis change within England's health and care system. Carers and the cared for have been placed at the heart of decision-making about the support they need and deserve. Occupational therapy was founded on similar person-centred principles and remains so to this day. Four publications from the RCOT focus on the Care Act and how it affects the work occupational therapists do to enhance the wellbeing of people and communities. Transitions; custodial settings; employment, Training and Education [Source: RCOT online ] [UK GOVERNMENT ACT; GUIDANCE FROM UK OT PROFESSIONAL BODY] Explore further > Communicating with people with a learning disability (Mencap) This information is designed to provide a brief introduction to communication and the problems faced by someone with a learning disability. It also contains tips on how you can be a better communicator, and how you can help someone with a learning disability get their message across. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Design Council - The principles of inclusive design Inclusive design aims to remove the barriers that create undue effort and separation. It enables everyone to participate equally, confidently and independently in everyday activities. This guide explains the principles of inclusive design, and gives examples of inclusive design methods for new buildings. [UK-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Green Care: A Conceptual Framework (COST) A Report of the Working Group on the Health Benefits of Green Care. COST 866, Green Care in Agriculture. Editors: Joe Sempik, Rachel Hine and Deborah Wilcox. COST – the acronym for European Cooperation in Science and Technology – is the oldest and widest European inter-governmental network for cooperation in research. COST is presently used by the scientific communities of 35 European countries to cooperate in common research projects supported by national funds. [Source: COST online ] [EUROPEAN REPORT] Explore further > Helen Sanderson Associates (+ One-page profiles) A one-page profile captures all the important information about a person on a single sheet of paper, under three simple headings: what people appreciate about me, what’s important to me and how best to support me. We believe that one-page profiles are the foundation of personalisation and can lead to positive change for people, whatever their age or circumstances. They provide us with an at-a-glance way of knowing what really matters to people, that can be taken with them as they move through services and come into contact with people. Getting started with one-page profiles (PDF) > One-page profiles: Getting them right (PDF) > We support individuals, teams and organisations to put people - and what matters to them - at the heart of the work they do every day. We do this because we believe in a world where everyone is valued and appreciated as an individual - and we know we can make it happen, one step at a time. We work with customers large and small, from lots of different backgrounds. These include charities and companies specialising in health and social care, education, and criminal justice. As a social enterprise, we invest our profits into person-centred charities, through our charitable arm, the HSA Foundation. Because of this, our customers aren’t just creating a more person-centred world themselves - they’re also supporting others to do the same. Want to know more about how we can work together? Get in touch for a chat. [UK-BASED] Explore further > Mental Capacity Act: e-Learning course (SCIE) This resource explores the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including best interests decision-making, and how to support people to make their own decisions. The course is for everyone who looks after or cares for someone, for example, doctors, nurses, care assistants, social workers, and family members. [UK GOVERNMENT ACT; UK RESOURCE; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. NICE's role is to improve outcomes for people using the UK's NHS and other public health and social care services. We do this by: Producing evidence-based guidance and advice for health, public health and social care practitioners Developing quality standards and performance metrics for those providing and commissioning health, public health and social care services Providing a range of information services for commissioners, practitioners and managers across the spectrum of health and social care [UK ORGANISATION; GUIDELINES APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Paediatrics and Occupational Therapy: What you need to know (Understood.org) Understood.org is a website that addresses learning and attention issues. 'Occupational therapy, or OT, can help people of all ages do the activities of daily living (ADLs) they struggle to do. Occupational therapy for children can lead to big benefits, especially for kids with learning and attention issues. OT can help kids who struggle with everyday fine and gross motor tasks, like using a toothbrush, writing on a chalkboard and organising a backpack. It can also help kids who struggle with self-regulation and sensory processing issues. Here’s what you need to know about occupational therapy in a paediatric setting.... Read more > [FOUNDED IN THE US; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Securing a Sustainable Future (Council of Deans of Health) The Council of Deans of Healths Securing a Sustainable Future - Strategic Plan 2018-2021 (PDF) The Council of Deans of Health (CoDoH) represents the UK’s university faculties engaged in education and research for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (including Occupational Therapists). We are the voice of nursing, midwifery and AHP higher education and research. Operating across the UK at the heart of policy and political debate, we aim to lead policy at national and UK level, promoting the essential contribution of our members to health and social care. Our strategic priorities Influence policy UK-wide Secure sustainable funding for our disciplines Foster leadership and innovation [UK ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Stroke Core Competencies - Stroke Training and Awareness Resources (STARS) This e-learning resource provides a learning tool for health and social care staff to enable them to become more knowledgeable and skilful in the challenging area of stroke care. The resource is based on the Stroke Core Competencies which were published by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in 2005. The website provides a multidisciplinary resource which focuses on a wide range of core knowledge and skills required by all staff when delivering stroke care. The Core Competencies provide an interactive way of learning with quizzes, animations, video clips, and case scenarios. + Stroke Advancing Modules > [UK TRAINING RESOURCE; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Understanding borderline personality disorder (Mind) This booklet is for anyone experiencing borderline personality disorder (BPD). It explains what the diagnosis means and what it’s like to live with BPD. It also provides information about self-care, treatment and recovery, and gives guidance on how friends and family can help. [Source: Mind online ] [UK CHARITY; GUIDANCE APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS - UK) Our services support young people making choices after their GCSEs, as well as those applying for undergraduate and postgraduate university courses. UCAS is an independent charity providing information, advice, and admissions services to inspire and facilitate educational progression. [UK SERVICE] Explore further > Violence in the Occupational Therapy Workplace - Learning Module (University of Alberta) The 7 units in this module provide detailed information about violence in health care workplaces. They include a clear definition, a description of the factors that increase the risks of violence and realistic actions and resources that can be used, to prevent and manage wide-ranging forms of workplace violence. + CPD certificate available This free, online learning module was developed by Occupational Therapists, for Occupational Therapists. The work was carried out at the University of Alberta, with funding support from the Government of Alberta, Canada. We would like to thank all of the Occupational Therapists and occupational therapy students who contributed to this project - your input was invaluable. [FOUNDED IN CANADA; AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further >

Useful resources and services, to enhance your care and career. < Specialisms Service Directory Learning (Intellectual) Disabilities Useful services and external resources, for your care and career. This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. K now of a service or resource that should be featured? Suggest an entry 'Confidential Enquiry into Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities' (CIPOLD) Report (Heslop, et al. 2013) This report follows Death By Indifference, also listed on this page. This confidential enquiry looks further into to why people with learning disabilities sometimes live shorter lives than other people - and what we can do to change this. [UK CHARITY REPORT; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Death By Indifference' (Mencap, 2007) This report will set out why we believe there is institutional discrimination within the NHS, and why people with a learning disability get worse healthcare than non-disabled people. We present the stories of six people who we believe have died unnecessarily. We do so because healthcare professionals need to realise the serious - even fatal - consequences of their lack of understanding. We do so to point out that these professionals must work to ensure that such tragedies can never happen again' (Mencap, 2007). Easy read PDF [UK CHARITY REPORT; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'How Social Care Staff can use Reasonable Adjustments to support the health of people with Learning Disabilities' (Public Health England 2017) Reasonable adjustments are the changes the law says people or services must make so disabled people can use services as easily as everybody else. Putting reasonable adjustments in place can help people with learning disabilities get better healthcare and live longer. This document lays out some tips and advice about how we can ensure individuals with learning disabilities have the reasonable adjustments they need in order to access healthcare safely and effectively. [UK GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Improving Healthcare Access for People with Learning Disabilities' This link provides access to copies of government guidance to support your practice and build your skills. This includes information around common health needs, reasonable adjustments, mental capacity act, hospital admissions, pain management, dementia and palliative and end of life care for people with learning disabilities. [UK GOVERNMENT WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Occupational Therapy for People with Learning Disabilities: Findings from a research study' (2010) Authors:Lillywhite, A. and Haines, D. (2010) Published by:(Royal) College of Occupational Therapists This highlights key points from research undertaken by the (then) College of Occupational Therapists' 'Specialist Section: People with Learning Disabilities'. The research was commissioned with the aim of exploring and documenting the nature of occupational therapy with people with learning disabilities across the United Kingdom, from the perspectives of occupational therapists and support workers. [UK PROFESSIONAL BODY; PDF INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > 'Valuing People Now: a new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities' (Department of Health, 2009) Valuing People Now was published in 2009 as the UK Government's three-year strategy to improve and promote the rights, choice, inclusion and independence of individuals with learning disabilities. Easy read report (PDF) [UK GOVERNMENT REPORT; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > A Picture Of Health (NHS South of England) Easy read information that can help people with learning disabilities better understand health, illness, lifestyle and treatments. This website has easy read information about lots of different health conditions. [UK NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Beyond Words Empowering people through pictures. Beyond Words provides books and training to support people who find pictures easier to understand than words. Whether supporting somebody with a learning disability or communication difficulty, their products empower people through pictures. [UK-BASED SERVICE; SERVICES AVAILABLE INTERNATIONALLY] Explore further > Brandon Trust Our charity exists to enable children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism to live life in the way they choose. We do that by providing high-quality, individualised support that focuses on enabling people to achieve their dreams and truly live free. Explore further > British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) Professor Gerry Simon set up BILD in 1971, because he was convinced there could be better support in the community for people with disabilities. They’ve been championing the rights of people with disabilities ever since. BILD uses its skills, knowledge and experience to turn policy into practice, solve problems and improve support. In working with Government departments, local authorities, health trusts, service providers and mainstream organisations, our aim is to improve the quality of the lives of people with disabilities (BILD 2017). The BILD website has a range of resources for service users, family, carers, support workers and professionals around how to effectively support and work with individuals with learning disabilities. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Challenging Behaviour and Learning Disabilities: prevention and interventions for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges (NICE Guidelines, 2015) This guideline covers interventions and support for children, young people and adults with a learning disability and behaviour that challenges. It highlights the importance of understanding the cause of behaviour that challenges, and performing thorough assessments so that steps can be taken to help people change their behaviour and improve their quality of life. The guideline also covers support and intervention for family members or carers. [UK PUBLIC BODY GUIDELINES; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Communicating with people with a learning disability (Mencap) This information is designed to provide a brief introduction to communication and the problems faced by someone with a learning disability. It also contains tips on how you can be a better communicator, and how you can help someone with a learning disability get their message across. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Down's Syndrome Association The only organisation in the UK focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome. [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Easy Health This website has lots of easy read resources around health, food and exercise and videos that are accessible for use when working with individuals with learning disabilities. [UK WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Easy-Read Information about Mental Health (Peter Bates) Some people with learning disabilities need to use mental health services, but can find that these services are not well informed about how to support them. One part of good support is the provision of easy read information about mental health services, human rights and psychiatric treatment. [UK WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Our aim is to ensure that people with learning disabilities continue to get better lives. We do this by gaining knowledge, improving practice and influencing of policy through our work directly with people with learning disabilities. We believe that people with learning disabilities should have the same rights and the same choices as everyone else in society” (Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, 2017). The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities work in the following key areas: Employment and education Family, friends and community Rights and equality Health and Well Being Getting the right support Changing service delivery [UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Learning Disability England Learning Disability England is a charity and membership organisation working to make life better for people with learning disabilities and their families. Learning Disability England brings together people with learning disabilities, families and friends and organisations so that we can do more and shout louder. [UK-BASED CHARITY] Explore further > Look Hear Australia Look Hear Australia focuses on bringing the top resources and resource pages, on children with complex and additional needs, together under one site. Our motto is "it's not hard to make it easy" and we strive to make the search for quality information, programs, equipment and resources easy. [AUSTRALIA-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > MyLiferaft MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it. It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them. [UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE] Explore further > NICE Guidelines and Quality Standards (Learning Disabilities) NICE Guidelines - Review the evidence across broad health and social care topics: Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities Challenging behaviour and learning disabilities: prevention and interventions for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges Learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges: service design and delivery Mental health problems in people with learning disabilities: prevention, assessment and management Quality Standards - Set out priority areas for quality improvement in health and social care: Learning disabilities: challenging behaviour Learning disabilities: identifying and managing mental health problems [UK-BASED ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Safeguarding: Easy-read leaflets (Newham London) Some easy read leaflets about hate crime, keeping safe at home and keeping safe while out and about, to support individuals with learning disabilities to better understand these issues, and how they can stay safe. [UK BOROUGH COUNCIL WEBSITE; INFORMATION RELEVANT WORLDWIDE] Explore further > Scottish Commission for Learning Disability The Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD) is the lead strategic partner to the Scottish Government in the delivery of learning disability strategy and policy. Explore further > Sensory World Sensory world was set up as a tool to support individuals with learning disabilities to learn to use computers and to fill a gap in provision of an accessible website for adults with learning disabilities. Sensory World is designed to be a fun place to learn, with a wide range of stimulating and appropriate activities. [UK WEBSITE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The Learning Disabilities Elf The Learning Disabilities Elf aims to bring you the latest learning disabilities evidence that is published each week. We scan the most important websites, databases and journals and select evidence that is relevant to health and social care professionals with an interest in learning disabilities. [UK-BASED ORGANISATION; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE] Explore further > The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) programme was established to support local areas to review the deaths of people with learning disabilities, identify learning from those deaths, and take forward the learning into service improvement initiatives. Explore further > Yellow Submarine (Oxford) Yellow Submarine is an award-winning Oxfordshire charity, that believes people with learning disabilities and autism deserve to live life to the full. We tackle the problem that many people with learning disabilities leave school with limited life skills and as a result poor life chances. This often leads to isolation and being marginalised. Our projects start working with young people in community settings from the age of 11 onwards, to build their social skills, confidence, independence and ultimately their employability. [UK: OXFORD-BASED SERVICE] Explore further >