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Personal care & dressing

Find out how we can help

Restoring independence and dignity through practical advice and solutions

We aim to restore the skills needed for essential personal care tasks such as washing and dressing after these are impaired by accident, illness or advancing age.

Working collaboratively with clients to identify their goals for each day, we help to break these down into manageable steps and integrate them into a daily routine. We are also experts at adapting bathrooms so that they remain a safe and accessible space designed to accommodate changing needs.

How OT's help

Occupational therapists are highly skilled at assisting people challenged by the everyday tasks involved in washing and dressing, helping them to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

Some of the most common reasons for seeking our help include:

  • Reducing the risk of falling or getting stuck when using the bath, shower or toilet
  • Ensuring the bathroom can be reached quickly when necessary
  • Coping with difficulties in standing or maintaining posture for a sufficient length of time
  • Learning new techniques of personal care after brain, spinal or orthopedic injuries
  • Managing the effects of progressive neurological conditions
  • Adapting bathrooms to ensure they remain accessible despite reduced mobility or coordination

Our assessment process allows a specialist occupational therapist to identify exactly the personal care problems facing a client so that we can provide the best possible practical advice, as well as instruction in new techniques of personal care appropriate to their circumstances. We can also recommend adaptations or equipment that would help them and (if desired) arrange for its installation.

Our approach

Our aim is to provide practical and cost-effective solutions to maximise your independence and reduce any risks. Our OT assessment may involve looking at:

  • Your medical history and current prognosis
  • Current and future levels of mobility, hand and upper limb function
  • Difficulties with fatigue, concentration or memory
  • Changes to your daily routine
  • Your home environment, especially its layout in key rooms
  • The height and location of bathroom furniture
  • Accessibility of stairs
  • Your own, your family's or carer's goals and wishes for the future

Common recommendations

Some practical solutions that we may recommend to help you move around your home include:

  • Small aids to help in day-to-day activities, such as grab rails or dressing aids
  • Larger pieces of equipment, such as beds, chairs or hoists
  • Mobility or walking aids, including ramps, wheelchairs or frames
  • Stair lifts or through-floor lifts
  • Other adaptations to your home, especially kitchens, bathrooms and toilets
  • Everyday techniques to maximise your independence and reduce risks around the home

We can help with

If required we can also provide assistance with:

  • Sourcing alternative suppliers and quotations - we work with companies nationally to ensure we always offer competitively-priced solutions
  • Dealing with representatives who may need to visit your home
  • Setting up and training you or your carers in the safe use of equipment
  • Reviewing plans with architects and builders to ensure any changes are right for you now and in the future
  • Supporting you in returning home following a hospital stay

Public sector, charities and businesses

Is your organisation looking for professional OT services?

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Common conditions we help with

Find out more about how our OT’s can help by visiting our pages dedicated to specific conditions associated with personal care & dressing difficulties.

Why The OT Practice

We recognise the importance of knowing that you are in safe hands. That is why, when you first make contact with us, you will straightaway be able to explain your concerns to a member of our client management team who will be able to provide relevant information about our services, answer any questions you may have and provide guidance on next steps. This dedicated team will then remain in charge of your case through any subsequent assessment and treatment we provide.

Other reasons to rely on The OT Practice include:

  • We visit you in your own home and at a time convenient to you and your family, and are happy to offer evening and weekend appointments
  • We do not have waiting lists and so can offer appointments within 7 working days of referral or sooner
  • Our extensive nationwide network of registered occupational therapists allows us to find you the right local therapist
  • We can provide ongoing support for as long as you need it
  • Our clear, fixed pricing system will be provided to you in writing for you to consider in your own time
  • Your occupational therapist will be a specialist in their field, with over 5 years' clinical experience including time in social services or NHS practice
  • Our team are well connected to networks of local and national equipment providers, stair lift and building companies

Your Clinical Services Manager

Ros

Ros

Client Manager (Adults)

Ros, an experienced OT, is our Client Manager overseeing the team looking after adults cases, mainly looking after our private individual and charity clients.

Email the team

Services for businesses, organisations and the public sector

Case managers

We help your client's achieve optimum independence through assessment, treatment & advice.

Find out more

Healthcare concierge

Assessment and treatment services for clients in their own homes both in the UK and internationally.

Find out more

Solicitors

We provide solicitors with professional reports for educational tribunals or rehabilitation needs.

Find out more

Next steps

Initial enquiry

During your initial call to us you can discuss your concerns with a member of our client management team, who will be able to understand what your difficulties are, provide information and advice on our services and identify the right OT from our team.

Quote

If therapist input is recommended, we will send you a detailed quote via email or in writing explaining what, after a full assessment, we would propose and how much it would cost, as well as rates for further work that might be recommended in the future.

Referral

Once you have had time to consider the options and costs, and if you would like to go ahead, the next step would be to fill in our online referral form. In the meantime, if you have further concerns or questions then our client manager will be happy to discuss them with you.

Assessment

Our therapist will then contact you within 24 hours to arrange a visit at your home. Normally this first visit will comprise a full assessment, after which you will receive a comprehensive written report.

Advice

The report will include a clear record of our findings and recommendations. These may include useful items you can buy or activities you can do independently, but they may also include more complex recommendations such as home adaptations or additional treatment by the occupational therapist. Where additional involvement is required, we will follow up the report with a detailed quotation so that you have all the information needed to make an informed decision.

As Private Occupational Therapists our aim is to provide choices and guidance to help you decide what the best options are for you

A few of our rehabilitation specialists

Meet a selection of our occupational therapists who are experienced in helping maximise independence with personal care and dressing.

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Kelly

Kent, South East of England

Kelly is a Kent based Occupational Therapist working with adult and elderly clients in their own homes across the south-east.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Kent

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Self care

Sharon

London - South, Kent

Sharon covers South London, Kent, Croydon & Bromley and has a special interest in housing adaptions, seating & postural management.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Kent, London - Central, London - South

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Postural management

Aisling

London - North, Middlesex

Aisling is an expert occupational therapist working in the field of neurological rehabilitation with clients in their own homes.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Middlesex, London - Central, London - North

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Financial management, Daily living skills, Community access, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, DMO (Lycra) Splinting, Splinting, Wheelchair accreditation

Samantha

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Trained in advanced sensory integration and therapeutic listening techniques, Sam helps families by treating children at home, school and nursery.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North East England, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Humberside, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, Wakefield, Salford

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Sensory Integration, Therapeutic listening

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Community access, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Social integration

Stephanie

Wrexham, North West England

Based in Cheshire, Stephanie provides expert occupational therapy to adult clients. She specialises in neurological rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North West England, Wales, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, West Yorkshire, Wrexham, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Routine planning, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Self care

Samantha

Hertfordshire, East Anglia

Samantha is an expert occupational therapist, delivering specialist seating, hand therapy, neurological and functional rehabilitation assessments to clients at home.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Anglia, London, South East of England, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, London - Central, London - North

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Hand Therapy, Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills

Lesley

Birmingham, Worcestershire

Working in the West Midlands, Lesley provides expert rehabilitation and postural management treatment to adult clients in their own homes.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, South of England, Surrey, West Midlands, Worcestershire, Birmingham

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Self care, Postural management, Anxiety management & relaxation

Anthea

Oxfordshire, South East of England

Qualifying in 1985, Anthea specialises in seating & postural management, rehabilitation and housing & equipment for children and adults.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, South East of England, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Blue Badges / Mobility Assessments, Daily living skills, Community access

Ganga

West Sussex, South East of England

Qualifying in 2008, Ganga specialises in rehabilitation for adults and children. She visits clients at home.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, London - South, London - East, Brighton

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Routine planning, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Self care, Social integration

Ellie

Southampton, Hampshire

Ellie is a highly regarded Occupational Therapist specialising in Neurological rehabilitation and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome covering Hampshire and the South.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Hampshire, Southampton

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Self care, Postural management, Splinting

Carolyn

Southampton, Hampshire

Working across Berkshire, Hampshire and London, Carolyn specialises in Neurological and Functional Rehabilitation and is an expert in her field.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Berkshire, Hampshire, London - South, London - West, Southampton

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care

Jane

Wiltshire, South East of England

Qualifying in 2000, Jane specialises in housing & equipment, rehabilitation and seating & postural management for adults and children.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, South of England, South East of England, Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Southampton

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Anna

West Sussex, South East of England

An expert in neurological rehabilitation, Anna works with adult clients in Kent and London.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, West Sussex, London - East, Brighton

Specialisms

Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Financial management, Daily living skills, Community access, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Balance, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, Splinting

Amie

Bristol, Somerset

Amie is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist specialising in Neuro-Rehabilitation covering the Somerset, Bath & Bristol and West Wiltshire areas.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Avon, Somerset, Bristol

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management

Alex

London - Central, Middlesex

Based in London, Alex provides expert occupational therapy helping adults with brain injury, neurological disorders and physical disabilities.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Middlesex, London - Central, London - North, London - South, London - East, London - West

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Routine planning, Financial management, Daily living skills, Community access, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care

Adam

Bristol, Torfaen

Adam is a highly regarded OT specialising in stoke and brain injury, covering South West England and South East Wales.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, South of England, Wales, Avon, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen, Bristol

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Sensory integration, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management, Wheelchair accreditation

Kelly

Kent, South East of England

Kelly is a highly regarded Occupational Therapist who works with both children and adults. Kelly covers the Kent area.

View profile

Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South East of England, Kent

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills, Self care, Postural management, Learning disability

Jura

London - East, London

An expert occupational therapist based in London, Jura specialises in seating & postural management, moving & handling and rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London , London - Central, London - North, London - South, London - East, London - West

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Community access, Self care, Postural management, Wheelchair accreditation

Chris

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

Chris is an expert occupational therapist, having gained a PhD for a study investigating individuals with liver disease.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North East England, Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Sunderland, Newcastle upon Tyne

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Self care, Social integration, Anxiety management & relaxation

Catriona

London - South, London

Based in London Catriona is an expert Occupational Therapist, working with children with a range of conditions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England , London - South

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Functional rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Chailey Postural Management

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Pain management, Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Self care, Postural management, School Based Therapy/Support, Anxiety management & relaxation

Charlotte

Wiltshire, South of England

Based in Hampshire, Charlotte is an expert housing and rehabilitation OT, working with clients across the south of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Berkshire, Dorset, East Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Wiltshire

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Daily living skills

Gillian

Southampton, Wiltshire

Gill is an expert Occupational Therapist working across the south of England and London, visiting clients in their own homes.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

South of England, Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Southampton

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

DFG Assessments, Self care, Postural management

William

Somerset, West and South West of England

William is a highly regarded Occupational Therapist specialising in Neuro Rehab. He is based in the South West of England.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset

Specialisms

Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Train the trainer

Specialist skills

Daily living skills, Fine motor skills, Visual perception

Hannah

West Yorkshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Qualifying in 2010, Hannah specialises in seating & postural management, housing & equipment and rehabilitation for children and adults.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, Wakefield, Hull

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Financial management, Daily living skills, Community access, Sensory integration, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Planning & execution, Self care, Social integration

Barbara

East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Barbara is an expert occupational therapist, delivering specialist rehabilitation and seating & postural management assessments to clients at home.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

North East England, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Specialist skills

Fatigue management

Karen

Edinburgh, Stirling

Working across Scotland, Karen carries out expert assessment and treatment of clients, providing advice on housing adaptations and rehabilitation.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

Scotland, Angus, Clackmannan, Dundee (City of), East Lothian, Edinburgh (City of), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow (City of), Highland, North Lanarkshire, Stirling, Edinburgh

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Motivational issues, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Self care, Anxiety management & relaxation

Laura

Warwickshire, South East of England

Trained in advanced postural management and rehabilitation techniques, Laura provides expert occupational therapy to clients at home.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West Midlands, East Midlands, London, South of England, South East of England, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Daily living skills, Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care

Suzanne

London - North, Hertfordshire

Based in Essex, Suzanne provides expert Neurological Occupational Therapy across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London to clients in their homes.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Essex, Hertfordshire, London - Central, London - North, London - East

Specialisms

Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care, Postural management

Clare

Bristol, Avon

Working in the Bristol area, Clare provides expert occupational therapy to clients with a variety of needs and conditions.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

West and South West of England, Avon, Bristol, Bristol

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Janet

Kent, South East of England

Janet is an expert Occupational Therapist specialising in paediatrics and neurological rehabilitation, she works with children at home and school.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, South East of England, Kent, London - Central, London - South, London - East

Specialisms

Paediatrics, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

Therapeutic listening

Specialist skills

Gross motor skills, Fine motor skills, Handwriting assessment & treatment, Visual perception, Co-ordination, Self care, Social integration, School Based Therapy/Support, Learning disability

Marie

London - South, Middlesex

Marie is an Occupational Therapist specialising in Rehabilitation. Marie works in the London area.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

London, Middlesex, London - Central, London - South, London - West

Specialisms

Housing and Equipment, Vocational Rehabilitation, Seating and Postural management, Functional rehabilitation, Moving and Handling

Further qualifications

BOBATH

Sarah

Cambridgeshire, East Anglia

Sarah provides expert neurological and functional rehabilitation to adult clients at home. She is based in Cambridgeshire.

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Profession

Occupational Therapy

Regions covered

East Anglia, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk

Specialisms

Functional rehabilitation, Neurological rehabilitation

Further qualifications

AMPS

Specialist skills

Fatigue management, Routine planning, Daily living skills, Community access, Behaviour management, Visual perception, Planning & execution, Self care, Social integration, Anxiety management & relaxation

Client feedback

Further reading

Our Experts' Blog

Case Study: Training

In this article Louise describes how she used training as part of her treatment programme with Rob during his rehabilitation following significant orthopaedic trauma. The case study brings to life how training can be an invaluable tool in a the rehabilitation journey.

Read more

Our Experts' Blog

A professional’s guide to functional rehabilitation

What is Functional Rehabilitation? In this guide, Rachael explains how a functional OT assessment, learning about a client's personal goals, and a realistic treatment plan, can help a client achieve their optimum level of participation in daily activities.

Read more