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Allied Health Professionals

‘Allied Health Professional’ is a collective term for a variety of different health care professionals – all registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

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
  • Therapeutic Radiographer

How can an AHP help?

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.

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 rehabilitation and for support for people living with dementia.

 

Allied Health Professional approach

 

Contacting 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.

Allied Health Professionals resources

Allied Health Professionals have created a suite of information resources for people with dementia, their families and carers. 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.

You can browse our AHP resources by clicking on the menus below:

AHP short films

Below you can watch some short clips featuring Allied Health Professionals talking about the support they offer.

AHP resources for people with dementia, families and carers, and health and social care practitioners

Allied Health Professionals have created a suite of information resources for people with dementia, their families and carers. 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.

AHP Webinars

A series of webinars that explore how different allied health professionals support people with dementia and their families. You can watch previous AHP webinars missed at a time that suits you.

We always welcome feedback to help us make your learning experience better, click the link to comment on our AHP Dementia webinars:

Webinar feedback

Delivering Connecting People, Connecting Support

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 and the earlier Connecting People, Connecting Support framework in 2017.

Community and support

Community and support

Click the button below to learn more about the support groups and activities available in your local community.

Find out more

24 hour Freephone Dementia Helpline: 0808 808 3000