Ines Mendes

Older adults' mental health & Memory services (Community Therapy)

Provide support to older adults with mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and schizophrenia.
Manage a caseload, conducting assessments, planning, and implementing personalised interventions in clients' homes.

Suggested environmental adaptations to help clients with functional limitations perform daily tasks in home environments.
Follow a holistic approach, empowering individuals to become more independent and equipping them with skills to manage their mental and physical health.

Facilitated participation in meaningful occupations for clients and improved their mental health through creative therapy activities.
Lead a therapeutic group focused on anxiety management, helping participants build coping skills and improve their well-being.
Assist the memory services team with initial assessments and facilitate group interventions for individuals with memory-related concerns.
Collaborate in an ecotherapy group, delivering nature-based therapy for patients with dementia and mental health conditions to promote emotional and cognitive well-being.

Newby Place Health and Wellbeing Centre (Community Therapy)
Observed and worked with the occupational therapist in charge while engaging in the entirety of the OT process. Worked with a multidisciplinary team, learned about the clinical reasoning behind the care decisions, and assisted people with different needs, by helping them engage in their life activities. This included not only working with the patient and doing interventions with them but also including the family in teaching strategies to cope. As part of my duties, I would provide equipment to promote a safe home environment to enable patients to be more independent. I was also responsible for my caseload, which I managed as part of my duties, under the supervision of the occupational therapist.

The Royal London Hospital
Rotations> Specialist Medicine; Old Person Services; Vascular and Surgery.
Worked with a multiple-disciplinary team, including physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, nurses, and physicians. Observed and assisted therapists during all therapy processes, assessment of new patients, following the patient rehabilitation plan, and helping therapists with the activities. Additionally, I was responsible for managing my cases throughout the therapy process, from assessment to discharge plan, under the supervision of an OT therapist.

The John Radcliffe Hospital
Responsible for assisting the occupational therapists in the daily tasks of the unit, following the intervention plan, doing assessments of new patients when necessary, and gathering information from the next of kin to complete the assessment of the patient's home and family environment. The interventions were focused on helping patients maintain or recover independence, mobility, and ADL training. Responsible for keeping the records up to date and assisting the team with the inventory of the hospital/patient materials.

Followed the patient rehabilitation plan and assisted in the activities. Responsible for keeping the records up to date; Helping the team with everyday tasks, and taking care of the maintenance of the gym and materials.

Centre for the Elderly
Responsible for group sessions with the elderly to enable healthy ageing through occupation while focusing on group dynamics and socialisation to promote global motricity. Assessment of housebound patients for milestone-driven intervention focusing on their daily activities and their meaningful occupations. Patient rehabilitation with cognitive stimulation exercises. Environment adjustment to facilitate occupation.

Unidade Cuidados Continuados e Integrados
Medium-Duration and Rehabilitation Unit
Responsible for creating and running programs, using specific approaches and techniques focusing on patient autonomy, including advice and training on support products. Promote autonomy and independence of the person, focusing on the occupation and the environment to restore lost functions and prevent dysfunctions. Responsible for planning both individual and group sessions.