Essential learning for OTs on long Covid, sensory integration and trauma-informed practice

At Community Care, we know how important occupational therapists are to improving the lives of children and adults needing social care.

That’s why we are inviting OTs to sign up for a free place at Community Care Live this year, where they can benefit from critical learning for their roles and networking opportunities with employers, providers and expert sector bodies.

While many of the 34 sessions at our event in London, on 11-12 October, are relevant to OTs, three are tailormade for the profession.

Long Covid

Can you recognise the signs and symptoms of long Covid and how these impact on people’s functioning, and are you up to speed with the latest research on the condition?

Leeds Long Covid Rehabilitation Centre clinical co-ordinator and specialist OT Jenna Shardha will help you answer these, and other, questions to do with the condition, in a session on day one (11 October).

She has worked with the service since it opened in September 2020, helping rehabilitate people with long Covid, and her session will also provide an understanding of the role of an OT in supporting people with the condition.

Supporting sensory integration

On day two, our event partner, Essex County Council, will be running a masterclass on how OTs can work with autistic people and those with learning disabilities.

Therapists from the authority will discuss how they support adults with sensory integration, to build their independence. They will also set out how their skills are being deployed at all levels of need, from early help to supporting autistic people and those with learning disabilities to leave hospital placements.

Essex will also be running a masterclass, in partnership with Community Care Inform, on day one, about how OTs are working with looked-after children.

This will provide an understanding of the impact of trauma on children’s ability to manage occupations, and how occupational therapy can support placement stability.

There is plenty else on the programme of interest for OTs, including:

• Navigating transitions: supporting disabled young people and those with sensory impairments to be prepared for adult life (speaker: Caroline Coady, Council for Disabled Children).
• Understanding the complex experiences of older people’s alcohol use (speaker: Wulf Livingston, Glyndwr University).
• Hoarding and the law (speaker: Simon Foster, Edge Training) – there is a free for this seminar.

Entry is free to all registered occupational therapists, which gives you access to our 26 free seminars and our buzzing exhibition.

There is a fee of £30+ VAT to attend any of our eight legal learning seminars.