Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy helps people take part in daily activities to help them live more independently. This includes a wide range of tasks, from climbing stairs and having a shower to catching public transport, cooking meals or doing the grocery shopping.

The ultimate goal is to help you live as independently as possible, so you can maximise your productivity, enjoyment of life and overall wellbeing.

Occupational therapy is provided by a trained allied health professional called an occupational therapist (often shortened to an OT). You don’t need a referral to make an appointment, although your doctor, case manager or support coordinator may recommend that you see an OT, if they feel you can benefit from one.

What are the benefits of Occupational Therapy?

All sorts of people can benefit from seeing an OT, but it is particularly helpful if you have a condition, disability or injury that affects your ability to do everyday tasks and activities that bring you joy. This may include:

• physical and neurological disabilities (e.g. spina bifida, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy)
• medical conditions (e.g. arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, dementia)
• problems related to frail age, such as problems with balance and coordination, hearing loss or poor vision
• mental health conditions (e.g. chronic depression and anxiety)
• developmental delays, sensory disorder and learning difficulties
• autism and intellectual disabilities
• injury or illness (e.g. you need help to regain mobility after a stroke or major operation)

If you live on the Sunshine Coast or in Noosa and its surrounding suburbs, you can receive occupational therapy services through your home care package or NDIS funding. For advice and information on how to use your government funding for OT with Home Caring from a local therapist, please get in touch.

How can an Occupational Therapist help me?

An occupational therapist can help you in a variety of ways. To give you an idea, here are some of the ways an OT can support your needs.

If you are a senior:

• Review your current situation and help you put plans in place that allow you to maintain your independence while living in your own home
• Help you avoid experiencing a fall by assessing your home for potential hazards. They can also help you to safely perform everyday tasks to further reduce your falls risk.
• Help you access assistive technology (e.g. bathroom aids, wheelchairs, mobility scooters) that help you do everyday things
• Prescribe strategies that help improve the way you function (e.g. they may teach you join protection techniques)
• Help you plan for your hospital discharge and settle you into your home
• Suggest strategies that can help you create a daily routine that works for you
• Modify your environment at home so you can stay safe and comfortable (e.g. they may help improve accessibility into your home)
• Conduct driving assessments to assess your ability to drive safely within the law

 If you have a mental health condition: 

• Help you put coping strategies in place
• Provide support for dealing with negative emotions and stress
• Help you develop your communication skills
• Assist you in creating a structured daily routine
• Help you connection with the community and suggest activities you may enjoy
• Help you use familiar activities to cope better (e.g. cooking, listening to music)
• Adjust the sensory inputs in your home so you feel calm and settled
• Help you increase your productivity and capacity through graded activities

 If you live with a disability:

• Provide you with assistive technology, aids and equipment that help you with everyday living
• Review your home and recommend changes that make it easier to live independently (e.g. providing non-slip mats, installing ramps, adapting kitchen layouts for better accessibility)
• Help you with transport options and organise vehicle modifications
• Help you find solutions for personal care activities, such as showering, grooming, toileting and eating
• Review your housing situation (e.g. they may provide an assessment for people who require Specialist Disability Accommodation)
• Adjust the sensory inputs in your home so you feel calm and settled
• Help you accessing community activities, hobbies and social groups you enjoy
• Provide guidance with multi-step activities such as budgeting, planning your schedule and shopping

 For children: 

• Support children living with disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy or spina bifida, or who have developmental delays
• Provide therapy sessions for sensory disorder or attention issues – usually centred around play and learning
• Help develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills
• Assist and educate parents and carers and how to encourage healthy development in children
• Provide strategies to improve cognition, memory and planning
• Work closely with children to build self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment
• Teach basic life skills such as getting dressed, brushing teeth, having a bath, eating a meal 

If you require rehabilitation from an injury or illness:

• Help you regain your independence at home
• Help you plan your re-entry into the work force and support you along the way
• Assist those who have had a stroke to overcome difficulties and limitations– for example, an OT may prescribe activities to practice or suggest new ways of doing things
• Set goals that can be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks

What qualifications does an Occupational Therapist in Australia have?

When choosing a therapist, it is important to choose someone who is qualified and registered to provide services in Australia.

All occupational therapists that provide services on the Sunshine Coast and in Noosa must be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency (AHRPA). They should have a degree in occupational therapy and work within the agency’s quality standards.

All occupational therapists provided by Home Caring are fully accredited and trained. You can check if an OT is registered or make a complaint on the AHRPA website.

What is an OT functional assessment?

Occupational therapy involves working out what someone’s strengths and weaknesses are, so that their support network can offer the best support for everyday life.

This is where an OT functional assessment can help. If you have a diagnosed medical condition or a disability that impacts your ability to do certain tasks, you may be referred to an occupational therapist for a functional assessment.

This is a personal consultation that usually takes place in your own home. An occupational therapist will visit you, ask you questions and evaluate your ability to function in different aspects of life, such as taking care of your personal hygiene, preparing your own meals, moving around in the community or managing your medication.

An OT functional assessment usually looks at:

• your medical and social history
• how well you can communication
• what your home environment is like and how you function in it
• any recreation, hobbies and sleep/leisure habits you may have
• your education and employment situation and history
• how you go with basic self-care skills such as moving around, showering, dressing, grooming, toileting and eating
• If relevant, self-management skills such as budgeting, shopping, laundry, transport, meal preparation and cooking

Once an OT has conducted an assessment with you, they will write a comprehensive report on how well you function at home, and highlight areas where support could be beneficial. This report can be used to help you set individual goals, as well as guide any home modifications that need to be made to help you live more comfortably and independently at home.

Do you need help organising an OT functional assessment on the Sunshine Coast or in Noosa? HomeCaring can help. Please get in touch to find out how we can help you get an assessment and access local occupational therapy services.

Occupational Therapy on the Sunshine Coast and the NDIS

Occupational therapy helps people with a disability enjoy life to the full – whether that means helping you with daily tasks, developing strategies that increase your independence, or providing opportunities for you to do activities that bring you joy.

If you are an NDIS participant, you can use your funding to receive OT on the Sunshine Coast or in Noosa. For more details, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a FREE consultation.

If you are not yet an NDIS participant, you may need to undergo an OT assessment as part of your application. This is to assess how your condition or disability affects the way you live, and your ability to get out in the community.

Once you have completed an OT assessment, the therapist will write a comprehensive report that identifies any support you may need. This report can influence whether you are approved for NDIS funding, as well as inform any decisions made around the allocation of your funds. 

Occupational Therapy on the Sunshine Coast and Home Care packages

As you age, occupational therapy can be a useful tool to help you live safely and independently in your own home. It can also help you continue doing the things you love, so that your life is as meaningful as possible.

Depending on your package level, you can receive OT on the Sunshine Coast or in Noosa using your government Home Care Package, as well as home modifications, assistive technology and equipment that helps you live more independently at home.

For more information on how to access Sunshine Coast or Noosa occupational therapy services using your home care package, please get in touch with us at Home Caring for your free consultation.