Allied Health Professionals
‘Allied Health Professional’ is a collective term for a variety of different health care professionals. There are lots of ways Allied Health Professionals (AHP) can help people living with dementia and their families.
What is an Allied Health Professional?
Allied Health Professionals include Arts Therapists, Dietitians, Occupational Therapists, Orthopists, Orthotist, Paramedics, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists Prosthetists, Radiographers, and Speech and Language Therapists.
AHPs can all help in different ways to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia. All AHPs will most probably meet someone living with dementia at some point in their professional career, but for some such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Dietitians and Speech and Language Therapists, working with people living with dementia will be the prime focus of their role.
For example, the work of an Occupational Therapist can enable people to continue to work after a diagnosis. They can suggest adjustments such as reducing background noise, flexibility with breaks, use of memory prompts and organising the desk with only the necessary tools required for the job.
You can download a leaflet summarising the main AHPs that can support you to live well with dementia by clicking the button below:
The AHP approach
This AHP approach outlines 5 key areas where Allied Health Professionals can make a positive difference to people living with dementia. While the elements of the AHP approach are described separately, they must be considered collectively within overall universal, targeted and specialist AHP-led rehabilition and for support for people living with dementia.
The Connecting People, Connecting Support framework
Our approach is supported by the ‘Connecting People, Connecting Support’ framework, one of the commitments outlined in Scotland’s third National Dementia Strategy (2017-2020) and it is just one of the areas that Alzheimer Scotland is campaigning for key transformational change in.
In November 2024, we launched our third AHP report in dementia called Connecting People, Connecting Support: looking back, looking ahead. An update report on transforming the allied health professions’ contribution to supporting people living with dementia, their families and carers in Scotland. In the report we share the progress to date, where the report describes what has happened since Connecting People, Connecting Support in action was published in 2020.
You can learn more by clicking the button below to download Connecting People, Connecting Support: looking back, looking ahead.
Contact an AHP
It is best to make early contact with an AHP if you are worried about your memory or if you or someone in your family has recently been diagnosed with dementia. That way you can get the information, advice and treatment that is right for you and your family as quickly as possible.
If you would like to speak to someone about how Allied Health Professionals can help support you, call our 24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline number on 0808 808 3000. Alternatively, our AHP colleagues have set-up an online blog and X account: @AHPDementia where AHPs share handy tips with you, showcasing how they can help support you to live well with dementia.
AHP resources
Allied Health Professionals have created a suite of information resources for people with dementia and those who support them. This includes information on activities at home, eating well, footcare and diet and hydration. This information is relevant for people living at home, being supported at home or in a care home setting.
Click the links below to download:
Practical tips
Activities at home
- Activities at home
- Activities at home – getting started and environment
- Eating well at home
- Footcare at home
- Physical activity at home
Staying connected
- Connecting You to Support: Living well with Dementia
- Connecting People, Connecting Support online
- Occupational Therapy leaflet
Exercise and fitness
Community and support groups
Click the button below to search for more support groups and activities in your local community.