I trained as an occupational therapist in the early 90's after having worked as a nursing and then occupational therapy assistant for a number of years. After having worked in a variety of settings, mainly adult and older people's mental health and learning disabilities, I began to specialise in working with people with dementia. I was involved in pioneering initiatives to reduce hospital admissions and provide community based support and rehabilitation for people with dementia and carers, as well as in setting up services and creating pathways for people who have experienced falls and in early telecare pilots in my region. I have offered consultancy to UK based and EU initiatives to develop assistive technology and spoken at numerous conferences on person centred assessment for assistive technology, particularly for people with dementia.
I initially started working at York St John in a part time CPD focused job role and contributed to a number of projects related to enablement including a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with the City of York Council Re-ablement service offering workforce development training and support, and a project in collaboration with Trent Dementia Services Development Centre, Innovations in Dementia and people living with dementia to develop an interactive guide to assistive technology for people with dementia. I am also a Dementia Friends Ambassador and helped setup and remain involved with a community based dance project (Moving Minds) for people with dementia and Parkinson's.
Academic qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Behavioural Sciences, Huddersfield University
- BHSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy (health sciences), York St John University
- Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice, York St John University
I contribute as a senior lecturer on the OT programme to teaching at all undergraduate levels including leading on research modules, a module focussed on occupational justice, decolonized practice and environmental justice, and a module on theory underpinning practice. I have taught on most subjects at some point though. I also contribute to a couple of Physiotherapy modules as guest lecturer.
My main research interests have been:
- Assistive technology and telecare for people with dementia
- Dynamic assessment as a new paradigm of OT assessment
- Transactional and co-occupational approaches to enabling people with dementia and carers
- The lived experiences of stigma for people with dementia
- The experience of the COVID lockdown for people with dementia and carers
- Developing a transactional model of occupational co-performance
I am the undergraduate programme Admissions and Induction tutor.
I also have a role working with experts-by-experience to support programme development and recruitment.
