Sonia studied occupational therapy in Germany and qualified in 2002, she is WFOT certified, a BAOT member and registered in the RCOT specialist housing section.
In her early career Sonia worked as a locum occupational therapist in a number of roles giving her a wide variety of experiences from mental health services to the elderly as well as neurological and community work. However we consider her a housing specialist and she is currently employed by a local authority as a senior housing occupational therapist. Her core skills lie in assessing clients with physical disabilities in order to make recommendations for major adaptations.
Sonia is a member of a major adaptations panel and a clinical advisory group for an equipment service. She is well equipped to assess adults with physical disabilities in their homes in order to provide specialist equipment, major adaptations and rehousing recommendations. In addition she is adept at providing manual handling risk assessments, assessment for specialist seating along with reviews and evaluations of completed adaptations.
Her recent housing CPD includes Housing Standards, Housing for Bariatric Users, Project Management and Designing Accessible Housing.
Karen has 11 years’ occupational therapy experience and is well-established specialising in equipment, housing, environmental adaptations, moving and handling, postural management and seating assessment with children and adults. She is a passionate and motivated occupational therapist who will complete a holistic assessment and report aiming to facilitate independent living, activity participation maximising clients’ potential.
Karen has worked with local authorities, prescribing appropriate equipment, completing risk assessments and advising on minor or major environmental adaptations. She has worked closely with architects to give a functional perspective on new-builds and garden designs. She has a particular knowledge of telecare and memory equipment allowing clients to remain safe and comfortable in their own homes.
Karen has experience working alongside paediatrics and adults with significant and complex needs, she has worked in a school environment ensuring children can interact with their environment, often involving the provision of appropriate seating and/or assistive technology. Karen has also completed mobility assessments for applicants applying for the blue badge.
Karen’s work for a re-ablement service involved setting goals with clients to support re-establishing meaningful activity following traumatic events. Her client-base demanded a multi-disciplinary approach and often cases required best interest decisions. Karen is confident in her ability to assist making these decisions, employing a positive risk-taking approach enabling clients with fluctuating capacity to return home with a good holistic strategy, including therapy, equipment and packages of care.
Karen’s over-arching philosophy is to empower people with disabilities so they can achieve their full potential and to enable families to care for their loved ones at home in a safe environment.
Jen is a highly qualified, experienced occupational therapist and coach, who has worked for over twenty years with individuals and teams. Her varied and extensive background leads her to work powerfully with individuals who may have hidden challenges which are impacting on relationships and performance at work, including:
People with hidden problems e.g. neurodiversity, sensory integration issues and mental health challenges. Highly creative people who struggle to harness and integrate their strengths at work. Individuals in crisis who need to make a radical shift.
As a coach, she works with a variety of tools, developmental frameworks and theoretical models. She is a visiting lecturer at Worcester University and regularly teaches coaching skills to various groups. She also work with teams at an organisational level, especially where radical creativity and systemic change is required. Jen has a special interest in developing new ways of working and the use of social media to promote therapeutic businesses.
Jen is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.
Jen says she “is a domestic goddess whose talents are thwarted by a dirty dog and an inability to work the dishwasher.” She “fancies herself as a comedian but unfortunately finds herself funnier than others seem to.” She “has skills in flea chasing, killing red mite and treating chickens who are depressed.”
Simon graduated from Charles Sturt University in Australia in 2002 and a further qualification on People Handling Train the Trainer June 2011.
Simon is a highly experienced occupational therapist since graduating he has gained extensive experience working with clients in a variety of health and social care settings in the UK and Australia. He has worked in private practice, rehabilitation centres, local authority settings, community rehabilitation teams and hospitals. He has experience working with clients in a wide range of clinical fields including spinal cord injury, neurology, acquired brain injury, amputees and orthopaedics.
He has extensive experience in both the private and statutory sectors of providing home assessments and design of major and minor home adaptations. He has worked in specialist housing teams and is experienced in working alongside architects and surveyors. Simon also has expertise in recommending specialist equipment and assistance technology to enable his clients to remain active and independent within their homes and communities.
Simon is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist sections – Independent Practice and housing as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.
Marney graduated from Dorset House, School of Occupational Therapy, Oxford in 1992 and completed a MA Design Research for Disability from the London Metropolitan University.
Marney has a unique combination of training and experience in both occupational therapy and design. She has over 20 years experience spanning health, social care, housing and design for dementia. Her career choices have been motivated by a commitment to equal opportunities and a passion for good design. A central consideration in her practice is a conviction that the design of the environment can have a positive impact on quality of life and well being. Over the past 12 years she has developed specialist expertise advising on the inclusive design aspects of new build extra care and supported housing for older and disabled people, to maximise access for people with physical, sensory and cognitive impairments. She is especially interested in how to design housing that is care ready and adaptable whilst avoiding over specification.
Marney has presented at national conferences on her specialist expertise in new build and design for dementia. In a voluntary capacity she has been an inclusive design advisor for the Civic Trust Awards since 2007.
Marney is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist sections – Independent Practice and Housing as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.
