We have an excellent healthcare system here in Australia, with many providers working closely with NDIS to provide a diverse range of services that come under the banner of occupational therapy.
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What does an occupational therapist do?
A registered occupational therapist offers numerous services that include:
- Functional assessments
- Home visit therapy/support
- Equipment prescription (NDIS funding)
- Occupational therapy for children and adults
- Home alteration assessments
If you live in NSW, contact Vista Healthcare for occupational therapy services and assessments; this provider delvers OT services to your door with mobile healthcare professionals who work together as a team, providing essential healthcare services across the state.
Mobility assessments
If a person has difficulty getting about, they can apply for NDIS funding for a mobility scooter or other aid. You might need to have a few alterations made at home, such as ramps, stairlifts and walking frames, and the occupational therapist can assess your situation which leads to funding.
Functional assessments
This is typically the first step for a person with disability; an occupational therapist needs to carry out functional and cognitive assessments to discover how your quality of life can be improved. It is usually a team that carries out these assessments, depending on the person’s needs. A plan is put together by the team, which would include the full-time carer and implementation follows once the plan is complete. A person might be recovering from a stroke and requires advanced therapies.
Improving the quality of life
This is a major goal for the occupational therapist who, after assessment, develops a personal development plan with the aim of improving the patient’s quality of life. This might involve learning new skills and developing skillsets for employment; when a person suffers a disability, they might not be able to work as before and that might mean having to learn new skills.
Continued support
As you would expect, support is ongoing and the healthcare team are always monitoring patient progress, while some patients require home help, which can be provided by a local healthcare organisation.
NDIS funding
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is managed by the National Disability Insurance Agency, which is a government department that is responsible for managing the funding for people with disability. Once you are eligible for NDIS funding, the next stage is to contact an approved healthcare provider that works with NDIS patients.
Seeking employment
Everyone should be able to work and with the help of an occupational therapist, a patient can learn new skills to empower them to carry out tasks. The OT also helps the person to create a resume, while screening potential employers; Australian businesses receive incentives if they employ people with disability and the healthcare team do what they can to prepare the person for their new employment.
To summarise, occupational therapy is available for all Australian citizens and with NDIS funding, people with disabilities can lead an independent life.
