Occupational Therapy
An Occupational Therapist provides therapy support for everyday life skills.
Sessions with an Occupational Therapist can help you develop, recover, improve, or maintain the skills you need to live your life the way you want.
How can occupational therapy support you to live your daily life?
Occupational Therapy can focus on many different aspects of your life. At Allied Therapy Services our therapy is guided by what you want to work on. This could include;
Caring for yourself and loved ones
Getting a job or working
Recreation and creative pursuits
Being active and healthy
Participating in sport
Running a household
Parenting
Being an active member of your community.
It's important to us that you enjoy your therapy appointments. Our Occupational Therapy team will focus on finding out what you enjoy and what you are good at, and then build these interests and strengths into your therapy plan.
We've learnt from experience that if you enjoy your therapy activities, you are more likely to achieve your goals!
Who can benefit from occupational therapy?
Our occupational therapy team is experienced in working with people aged 16 and over, with neurological conditions, physical or cognitive disability including if you:
Live with a chronic or progressive neurological condition, multiple sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Muscular Dystrophy or Cerebral Palsy
Have experienced an acquired disability such as stroke, spinal cord injury or brain injury
Have dementia or are recently diagnosed with early-onset dementia
Are an Autistic person
Live with Intellectual Disability or Down Syndrome
Are experiencing age-related changes
Live with any other physical or cognitive disability.
You may benefit from seeing an Occupational Therapist (OT) at Allied Therapy Services if you:
Have difficultly performing self-care, domestic or community activities
Find it hard to participate in recreation and leisure activities
Work in a workplace not setup properly for your physical needs
Experience difficulties engaging in or completing study or work duties
Have challenges developing and maintaining relationship with friends, family or colleagues
Are finding that there are barriers to engaging in the things you would like to be doing
Require home modifications so you can be more independent and safer around the house
Need access to assistive technology solutions to enhance your ability to participate in everyday tasks
Are seeking a change to your housing situation or daily living supports or you want to explore options for housing and daily living support.
What is in-home and community-based occupational therapy support?
As an in-home and community-based allied health service, your Allied Therapy Services Occupational Therapist will come to you. Our team of experienced OTs are able to work with you across our service regions; Albury-Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Warrnambool and Western Melbourne. If you are outside these regions, please ask our team about alternative service options.
Occupational Therapy Services may include:
Assessment of your daily living skills and recommendations to help you maximise your independence – this may be practicing skills, changing the way you do a task or building resources like visual schedules and reminder systems to support you.
Environmental assessment and modification of your home
Workplace or university assessment and recommendations
Exploring opportunities with you in the local community for sport, recreation or social connection
Looking at opportunities that give you greater choice, decision making and control over your life
Assistive technology prescription, like beds, hoists, wheelchairs, scooters or sport and recreation-accessible equipment.
Setup of assistive technology and other environmental controls
Postural and seating assessment and recommendations, including equipment prescription
Pressure care assessment and recommendations including graduated seating regimes, 24-hour positioning and equipment prescription
Assessment and recommendations of your support needs
Assessment and recommendations of your housing needs
Activities that assist with building and maintaining your physical health or mental health and well-being and supporting you to self-manage these
Energy conservation education
Building the skills and capacity of your family or supports
Working collaboratively with other therapy disciplines or people in your team that support you.
How can occupational therapy work for people with neurological conditions
Many of Allied Therapy Services’ Occupational Therapists have additional training and experience working with people who have a neurological (neuro) condition. The effects of neurological conditions like; stroke, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury (ABI), spinal cord injury (SCI) or dementia can be managed through occupational therapy support to identify solutions to improve participation or independence in day-to-day activities.
Occupational Therapy can also help support home or workplace modifications that may be required due to deterioration or secondary complications that come with having a progressive neurological condition like; Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson's Disease (PD), Muscular Dystrophy, or Huntington's Disease.
Our Occupational Therapists work collaboratively with the Physiotherapists and Speech Pathologists at Allied Therapy Services to ensure a holistic, person-centred approach to your care. Our team works closely together across therapies on common goals for clients with a neurological condition; like returning to work, the prescription of a new wheelchair, the set up and use of communication aids.
Many of our clients with neurological conditions are also linked with a local medical or therapy provider or support service specific to their diagnosis. Our occupational therapy team will link in with these local providers, to ensure you have continuity of care. From participating in telehealth team meetings or arranging specialist equipment trials, Allied Therapy Services' OTs work collaboratively as part of your greater team to ensure the best support plans are in place, so you can remain at home.
How to refer to an Allied Therapy Services Occupational Therapist
You can self-refer to our OT services (no health professional referral required). We accept referrals for clients aged 16 years and older, NDIS or private referrals accepted. Your Allied Therapy Services Occupational Therapist will conduct an initial assessment and create a customised plan to ensure your occupational therapy sessions are tailored to your needs and goals.