Allied Health Professionals

What is an Allied Health Professional?

There are 14 Allied Health Professions: Arts Therapist, Diagnostic Radiographer, Dietitian, Dramatherapist, Music Therapist, Occupational Therapists, Orthoptist, Orthotist, Paramedic, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist, Prosthetist, Speech and Language Therapist, and Therapeutic Radiographer.

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.

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.