Meet Tanya…
At Active Pathways, Occupational Therapy plays a huge role in achieving the best possible recovery and rehabilitation outcomes for everyone in our care. Tanya is our Leeds Occupational Therapist, and works as part of our wider Occupational Therapy regional team including our Head of Occupational Therapy, Lifestyle coordinators, and Residential Support Workers who together deliver a robust programme of therapeutic activities that encourage independence and promote community links.
Background
Tanya qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2019, during her training Tanya was able to gain experience in both the mental health and physical health fields. After thoroughly enjoying her time working within the mental health sector, and excelling in her role, Tanya decided to continue the rotation to get the experience she wanted. Luckily for us, Tanya found that Mental Health is where both her skills and passion lies!
Fundraising
In the time Tanya has been with us, she’s had a huge impact on the lives of residents at Millcroft and Park Place. Tanya has raised a life changing amount of money for one of our residents. When an orthopaedic reclining chair was recommended to help one of our residents to ease his Spina Bifida symptoms, Tanya contacted several charities in the area that she thought might be able to help. After a lengthy application process involving means testing, and assessment of needs amongst others, she was able to secure £1800 to cover the full cost of the furniture needed. FNAIST and The Hospital Saturday Fund both provided grants that totalled the full amount needed.
Tanya’s work didn’t stop there this year, she also sourced a scheme that aims to combat digital isolation among vulnerable adults. The scheme provided smart phones to our service users that wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford one, and additionally allowed them a full year of data, calls and texts.
“This kind of intervention can completely transform our service users lives, it has allowed one of our residents the freedom to access his own banking, and in turn given him a level of freedom he hasn’t experienced before”
OT initiatives
As well going above and beyond for our resident, Tanya also manages a timetable of activities throughout the week, with the support of the Residential Support Workers. These activities range from skills based groups with a therapeutic purpose, such as cooking skills, money management classes, and mindfulness sessions, to activities designed to engage individuals in the wider community, such as shopping, eating out, or even trips to the cinema!
Another creative way the team at Active Pathways Leeds have encouraged engagement and good mental health is the development of the Pit Stop. This board, set up in a private area, is covered with inspirational quotes, snaps of recent trips and memorable moments, and an emotions wheel in the style of a speedometer to encourage service users to mark how they feel that day, aiding their ability to express their emotions to both the care team and their friends.
To find out more about our Occupational Therapists or any aspect of our care pathways, or to make a referral, please contact Lisa Mullineux on Lisa.Mullineux@active-pathways.com or click here to book a call.