Occupational Therapy to increase independence, function and quality of life post stroke, brain injury or when living with a long term neurological condition.
My name is Angela and I warmly welcome you to Neuro Vitality Therapy. I am a stroke and neurological Occupational Therapist with nearly a decade of NHS and private practice experience in supporting individuals increase independence, function and quality of life. My skills and knowledge were acquired working in acute hospitals, dedicated neuro/stroke rehab units and community services in London, Manchester and Glasgow.
I am committed in getting to know you, your unique journey and what you want to achieve. You will always be more than a diagnosis to me and I am dedicated to ensuring you are treated with the upmost care, respect and dignity that you deserve.
I offer Neurology and Stroke Occupational Therapy from my practice in Glasgow, and can reach clients across Scotland and the UK with online sessions via Zoom, Skype, Google Meet or MS Teams.
To learn more about online sessions, please get in touch.
Occupational therapy helps you live your best life at home, at work, in the community. It’s about being able to do the things you want and have to do. That could mean helping you overcome challenges getting in/out bed, going to work, playing sport or simply doing the dishes. You may not be able to do what you want to do because of illness or injury. Ways you could be affected include physically (strength, power), cognitively (memory, thinking, concentration) or emotionally (mood, anxiety).
Occupational Therapist is a legally protected title meaning it is illegal to call yourself an Occupational Therapist unless certain criteria are met. In addition all qualifying OT courses have to meet standards set by the regulatory body, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). All OT’s are required by law to register with the HCPC who set standards for all OT’s. This ensures we work in a safe and effective way. OT’s need to apply for continued registration throughout their career and be ready to demonstrate how they meet standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
An Occupational Therapist helps people of all ages overcome challenges completing everyday tasks or activities – what we call ‘occupations’.
Occupational therapists see beyond diagnoses and limitations to hopes and aspirations. They look at relationships between the activities you do every day – your occupations – alongside the challenges you face and your environment.
Then, they create a plan of goals and adjustments targeted at achieving a specific set of activities. The plan is practical, realistic and personal to you as an individual, to help you achieve the breakthroughs you need to elevate your everyday life.
This support can give people a renewed sense of purpose. It can also open up new opportunities and change the way people feel about the future.
While there are some similarities in how these Allied Health Professions work such as finding out how a brain injury or stroke impacts on each individual and working in collaboration with a client, there are fundamental differences between these two professions.
An Occupational Therapist will look at how an individual carries out a particular ‘occupation’ or activity as opposed to focusing on the component parts such as body movement. OT’s are also trained to consider the mind, body and spirit and how these parts are linked and affected by ill health.
It is essential that any professional you encounter has specialist training and experience relating to neurology. Neurology deals with the central and peripheral nervous systems as opposed to solely focusing on musculoskeletal (MSK) issues. Also, the impact of stroke and brain injury on cognition, speech and emotional regulation requires and deserves specialised input.
"I am a more confident skilled and organised OT since Angela is my supervisor. We looked at prioritisation, caseload management and role playing as I was finding it difficult to be concise in MDT meetings. I feel colleague and patient satisfaction has improved."
Robert, Supervisee
"Having Angela as my OT was like having my own cheerleader! She was super friendly, professional and supportive. A stroke had left me unable to care for myself. She listened to me and really understood my needs. We worked together to improve my right handed weakness, outdoor mobility, using the bus and difficulties concentrating. Angela provided solutions, equipment advice and testing, sessions outside on accessing shops safely and practical tips to manage my reduced attention span. I am now able to do everything for myself and enjoy life again."
Anne, post stroke
"After my road traffic accident, I was left with severe anxiety, memory problems, difficulty planning and extreme fatigue. Everyone assumed that because I was able to walk and physically ok apart from some vision issues, I had ‘recovered’. Angela was empathetic and skilled at recognising the effects of the crash on my life. She provided me with a wealth of support and strategies to dampen down my anxiety, increase my memory (no leaving flat without keys again!), be able to plan stuff again and have more energy. I am eternally grateful to her."
Edward, post road traffic accident
"My long term Parkinson’s was becoming more problematic and affecting my work. Angela was very thorough at understanding how my symptoms impacted my job and importantly worked with me and treated me as a human. I was totally unaware of what adjustments could be made. She was clear and comforting in her communication. I felt she worked well with me, my employer and HR to come up with a plan and provided continued support. It was really convenient I could have a mix of workplace and online sessions. My work is very important to. I am so pleased that I do not have to give it up."
Paul, long term Parkinson’s
"A stroke meant I able to move my left arm and leg but I couldn’t grip or pick things up. When I did pick them up, I was unable to let them go! I was also plagued with loss of feeling in my arm and leg. I was interested in finding out what was happening and of course, what
could be done about it. Angela was super knowledgeable in everything to do with the brain. As well as having a greater understanding of what what was going on, our sessions focused on improving my ability to grasp, grip and let go as well increasing sensation. With a few sessions
and me practicing in between with material provide by Angela, I noticed a marked improvement. Being able to brush my hair and do my make up again was a joy. Thank you OT, Angela."
Cindy, post stroke
"Angela’s training on seating, pressure relief and wheelchairs for gave me and my staff a better understanding of how to support our
residents that have had a stroke or have MS. Residents are more comfortable, report less pain and able to enjoy activities and outings a lot more. We get in Angela in for some complex cases and palliative care residents. Having evening sessions when relatives were visiting was a great bonus too. We, the residents and their families are always happy to see her and thank her for her support."
Marie, Nursing home manager
"I am a more confident skilled and organised OT since Angela is my supervisor. We looked at prioritisation, caseload management and role playing as I was finding it difficult to be concise in MDT meetings. I feel colleague and patient satisfaction has improved."
Robert, Supervisee
"Having Angela as my OT was like having my own cheerleader! She was super friendly, professional and supportive. A stroke had left me unable to care for myself. She listened to me and really understood my needs. We worked together to improve my right handed weakness, outdoor mobility, using the bus and difficulties concentrating. Angela provided solutions, equipment advice and testing, sessions outside on accessing shops safely and practical tips to manage my reduced attention span. I am now able to do everything for myself and enjoy life again."
Anne, post stroke
"After my road traffic accident, I was left with severe anxiety, memory problems, difficulty planning and extreme fatigue. Everyone assumed that because I was able to walk and physically ok apart from some vision issues, I had ‘recovered’. Angela was empathetic and skilled at recognising the effects of the crash on my life. She provided me with a wealth of support and strategies to dampen down my anxiety, increase my memory (no leaving flat without keys again!), be able to plan stuff again and have more energy. I am eternally grateful to her."
Edward, post road traffic accident
"My long term Parkinson’s was becoming more problematic and affecting my work. Angela was very thorough at understanding how my symptoms impacted my job and importantly worked with me and treated me as a human. I was totally unaware of what adjustments could be made. She was clear and comforting in her communication. I felt she worked well with me, my employer and HR to come up with a plan and provided continued support. It was really convenient I could have a mix of workplace and online sessions. My work is very important to. I am so pleased that I do not have to give it up."
Paul, long term Parkinson’s
"A stroke meant I able to move my left arm and leg but I couldn’t grip or pick things up. When I did pick them up, I was unable to let them go! I was also plagued with loss of feeling in my arm and leg. I was interested in finding out what was happening and of course, what
could be done about it. Angela was super knowledgeable in everything to do with the brain. As well as having a greater understanding of what what was going on, our sessions focused on improving my ability to grasp, grip and let go as well increasing sensation. With a few sessions
and me practicing in between with material provide by Angela, I noticed a marked improvement. Being able to brush my hair and do my make up again was a joy. Thank you OT, Angela."
Cindy, post stroke
"Angela’s training on seating, pressure relief and wheelchairs for gave me and my staff a better understanding of how to support our
residents that have had a stroke or have MS. Residents are more comfortable, report less pain and able to enjoy activities and outings a lot more. We get in Angela in for some complex cases and palliative care residents. Having evening sessions when relatives were visiting was a great bonus too. We, the residents and their families are always happy to see her and thank her for her support."
Marie, Nursing home manager
"I am a more confident skilled and organised OT since Angela is my supervisor. We looked at prioritisation, caseload management and role playing as I was finding it difficult to be concise in MDT meetings. I feel colleague and patient satisfaction has improved."
Robert, Supervisee
If you would like to find out more about how Neuro Vitality Therapy can help you or to book in an initial assessment at your home, online or at clinic assessment (assessment required for all individual and vocational rehab clients) then please get in touch and we will respond within 48 hours.