Part 1- physical health and keeping active by Jackie, a physiotherapist.
Allied health professionals (AHPs) are uniquely placed to meet the rehabilitation needs of people with dementia. In this next series of blogs we will showcase the contributions that different AHPs in Lothian are making to help individuals with dementia meet their rehabilitation goals in a way that is personalised, goal orientated and collaborative (Alzheimer Disease International 2025). As you will see from the examples sometimes seemingly small changes can make a huge difference to people’s lives, enabling people with dementia to continue to engage with and enjoy the activities that are important to them. Ultimately, this can also reduce the need for care and support and can increase the time the person can remain living independently at home.
In our first blog series, Jackie, a physiotherapist, Lynsey, a podiatrist and Morag, a dietician, discuss their approaches to promoting physical health, including mobility and falls prevention, foot health and nutrition. They give some examples of how their interventions make a real impact for the people they work with.
You can read their posts over the next three weeks.
- Jackie, a physiotherapist on the 15th Janaury 2026
- Lynsey, a podiatrist on the 22nd Janaury 2026
- Morag, a dietician on the 29th Janaury 2026
Part 1- physical health and keeping active by Jackie, a physiotherapist.
Hi there, my name is Jackie Hodge. I am a physiotherapist and have worked in mental health for 25 years. For the last 15 years I have been based in the Older Peoples Community Mental Health Team in Edinburgh and specialise in working with people living with dementia. My specific role is focusing on improving mobility and falls prevention.
What does rehabilitation and dementia mean to you?
I regularly see clients who are less active than they used to be or not able to get out as much, instead spending more and more time just ‘sitting’ at home. This can lead to a negative cycle of inactivity which can lead to risk of falling, low mood, social isolation and further decline in physical conditioning leading to even less activity. However, I strongly believe this need not be the case and that, with advice and support a person living with dementia can lead a full, physically active life and the negative cycle can be reversed or prevented from happening in the first place.
As a physiotherapist I provide advice and support if the person has difficulties with walking or experiencing falls; or if a person feels unable to access the activities they enjoy. I can provide specific home exercise programmes to improve strength and balance, assess the use of walking aids and offer support to try suitable local community exercise groups. The underlying message I give is that exercise is just as important as medication! I have also found it is incredibly helpful to meet not just the person living with dementia but their family too – to provide information on the importance of exercise and falls prevention.
Can you tell us about a time you provided rehabilitation for someone with dementia?
I have met some wonderful people in my work but one in particular stands out. From meeting this lady and chatting about her interests and hobbies, it was clear that she had been a keen cyclist in her time and had cycled across many continents (she had lots of photos of her trips up on her wall). When she was no longer able to go out for bike rides, her daughter helped her to set up a bike in her home to do static cycling. Over time she found it tricky getting on and off the bike and stopped altogether. She was doing less and less at home and had a loss of confidence in going out due to having a couple of falls. I worked with her to find a safe way for her to get on/off the bike and she was then able to resume her static cycling. I assessed her for a walking frame that enabled her to safely go for daily walks in her neighbourhood. She also improved her leg strength and balance from following the home exercises I gave her. It was really lovely to see this lady improve in so many ways – she returned to doing something she enjoyed, her mood improved, and her daughter noticed that she was much happier in herself.
Contributor – Jackie Hodge, Physiotherapist, NHS Lothian
Enjoyed this blog? Tell us more. We love feedback.
Please spend 1 minute completing this short anonymous feedback form to allow us to make our blog posts even better. Thank you
AHP Let’s Talk About Dementia Blog Feedback Form – Fill out form