Posted on: 12 May 2021
Occupational Therapist Assistant Barbara Lyon is one of the unsung heroes at The Older People’s Assessment Service (TOPAS) in Milton Keynes.
With her cheery smile and talkative personality, Barbara makes sure patients get to know her and that they get to know each other through various activities.
Among ideas, she arranged a speed friendship session on Valentine’s Day – like speed dating but without the dating element.
“I like getting involved with the patients. I get upset seeing them just sitting in front of the TV. It wasn’t questions about family as such, but things like ‘What do you like to do?’. Doing this has brought some of them together so they talk a lot more together, which is great. I think it’s helped make a few friends,” she says. “It’s important the patients can relate to each other and aren’t feeling isolated.”
She’s also arranged craft sessions, which has involved people making small pompoms.
TOPAS is a 16-bedded en-suite unit at the Waterhall Centre, Fern Grove that provides assessment and treatment mainly for older people who have complex or acute mental health needs. Its aim is to support people to return to independent living wherever possible.
Barbara has been working at TOPAS for four years, having previously worked at HMP Woodhill.
Dr Tarun Goel, Consultant Psychiatrist at TOPAS, said: “Patients would be climbing the walls especially in this COVID time if it was not for Barbara’s efforts in organising and doing activities with them. She is an asset for their wellbeing.”