In her role as an Occupational Therapy Assistant at Lilibet Manor, Jessica Reilly works with our residents to provide therapeutic activities and to ensure there are no barriers which prevent them for making the very most of their lives.
Jessica, who has a degree in occupational therapy, has valuable experience working in a residential setting, having spent eight years planning activities for residents living in another care home.
She then further added to her experience by joining a company that specialized in complex care, supporting people with Dementia, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health, and Brain Injury.
It was here she met Jemma Banks, who is now also at Crawshaw Hall as a Positive Behaviouralist, and the pair work in tandem to deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents.
Jessica says: “My mum worked in community rehabilitation so from an early age I knew I wanted to work in occupational therapy.
“I am often asked what I do, and I always say a bit of everything because the role is so varied.
“It can range from planning meaningful activities which work towards set goals for each resident, through to ensuring there are no barriers preventing residents from achieving these goals, for example assessing any mobility issues and resolving these issues through aids or adaptations.
“Ultimately though it’s all about ensuring the residents get the very most from their lives.”
Jessica says in her role, it is vital that residents participate in every stage of the therapeutic process.
She explains: “Each resident will have a personalised planner tailored specifically to them so if they tell me what they would like to do, I will do my absolute best to make it happen for them.
“Effectively, we are asking people what is on their bucket list, so for example if they say they have always wanted to Sky dive, if after a risk assessment this is possible then we will try to make this happen.
“Even if they say they want to walk on the moon, we will devise something that is related and achievable for them, such as arranging to visit a space museum.
“The possibilities really are endless.”
Like Jemma, Jessica is also a PROACT-SCIPr-UK Instructor, which means she can train other people in how to manage challenging behaviour in a person-centred way.
She says: “I only joined Lilibet Manor in March 2022, but I am really enjoying it. Jemma and I have come in with a blank canvas, so we are able to put our own stamp on things and we are focused on working closely with the residents and care staff to deliver the best possible outcomes for people living in the home.”
