Therapy Support

Therapy Support at Horizons

Speech and Language Therapy

A team of Speech and Language Therapists and Assistants are based at Hedleys Horizons at Forest Hall, and work across day and residential services.

The team has highly specialist skills in working with people with dysphagia (eating, drinking swallowing difficulties) and communication needs associated with their disabilities, including cerebral palsy, autistic spectrum disorders, multiple and profound learning disabilities, acquired disorders such as dementia, acquired brain injuries.

We work within a multi-disciplinary approach, including internal disciplines and outside agency, to support individuals in a holistic, person- centred approach.

We have a total communication philosophy across all environments, and provide specialist intervention including supporting the use of a range of Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA’s) and low-tech symbol systems, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), manual signing (Makaton and BSL), Intensive Interaction, and sensory based activities, including running Tac Pac groups, sensory sessions in the kitchen.

Communication therapy is integrated into music, rebound, and iMuse sessions. Individuals are provided with thorough specialist assessments, individual goals and targets; therapy input is provided on an individual or group setting or therapy programmes may be provided with advice for staff to follow.

Staff training sessions are delivered to ensure generalization of the highly specialist programmes.

Individuals with dysphagia receive a specialist assessment from dysphagia qualified therapists and meal management plan with regular monitoring. All support staff are trained in dysphagia by the SALT’s.

Staff member and student cooking

Physiotherapy

The Physiotherapy Department is staffed by a team of specialist physiotherapists, technical instructors and assistants who are responsible for the planning, delivery and evaluation of high quality programmes to promote the physical well-being of the individuals who attend our services.

This occurs through thorough and ongoing assessment, group work, aquatic therapy, rebound therapy and individual therapy programmes.

The physiotherapists work closely alongside other therapy disciplines within Hedleys Horizons and we have strong links with external services in all the local boroughs.

Our service users receive an assessment at the point of referral into the service to evaluate what their ongoing physical needs look like.  We follow a 24 hour approach to postural management and consider all positions that an individual uses i.e. lying in bed, sitting and standing.

A physical management plan is then developed and integrated into all aspects of the user’s daily life. This is reviewed and assessed on a regular basis.

The physiotherapists support the team of care staff giving advice on the physical needs of individuals, promoting safe moving and handling techniques and offering training to support the competency of staff at all times.

We have a highly skilled team of Moving and Handling coordinators who deliver training to all the Hedleys Horizons staff and ensure competency in the many complex physical manoeuvres that occur.

Rebound Therapy (the therapeutic use of a trampoline) is an extremely popular therapy.

We have outstanding resources in this field having full time access to three trampolines.