Occupational Therapy
What is Occupational Therapy (OT) ?
Occupational therapy is a client centred health profession focussed on promoting health and wellbeing through the study of occupational science. Within occupational science, occupation refers to the everyday activities that people engage in as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life. Occupations include things people need to, want to and are expected to do.
The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in their occupation (their activities of everyday living). Occupational therapists achieve this by working with people to enhance their ability to meaningfully engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to optimise their occupational engagement and performance.
OT Assessment
The Occupational Therapy process is based on initial and repeated assessments/ reviews. The Occupational Therapist works together with the individual to focus on personal capacity and environmental factors that may impact performance of important daily activities.
Assessment includes the use of standardised assessments, interviews, task analysis, observations in a variety of settings, as well as consultation with significant others and key stakeholders. A thorough initial OT assessment involves consideration of many areas including:
physical assessment (including transfers, mobility, upper limb function and sensory assessment)
environmental assessment (including home, school and workplace assessment)
self care (including showering, dressing)
domestic tasks (including meal preparation, cleaning, laundry tasks, gardening etc), study/ work
community access (including transport and engagement in tasks such as shopping)
recreation and leisure (including hobbies, sport, social activities)
functional cognitive assessment
money management (including budgeting and bill paying)
The results of an Occupational Therapy assessment form the basis of a plan which address short and long-term aims of intervention. The plan is relevant to the developmental stage, habits, roles, life-style preferences and environment of the individual
Optimising function
Intervention focuses on person-oriented programmes designed to facilitate and optimise the performance of everyday tasks and adaptation of settings in which the person receiving occupational therapy studies, works, lives, plays and socialises.
Intervention may include:
- strategies to facilitate independence
- trialling of assistive technology
- environmental modifications
- attendant care support (including development of care plans and training of support workers).
Occupational therapists recognise the importance of collaborative multidisciplinary teamwork. Cooperation and coordination with other professionals, families, caregivers and funding bodies are important in the realisation of the holistic approach used in Occupational Therapy.
Assistive Technology
At Vicwide Health Network we have extensive experience in trialling, scripting and prescribing both low cost and highly customised complex equipment (commonly referred to as assistive technology). Some examples include:
- customised manual and power wheelchairs
- hoists (both floor hoists and ceiling hoists)
- customised seating
- electric adjustable beds
- pressure injury management (eg. cushions and mattresses)
- customised shower commodes.
Environmental modifications
At Vicwide Health Network we have extensive experience in providing environmental assessment and recommendations in a variety of settings including home, schools and workplaces to facilitate access to support and optimise meaningful engagement in activities of daily living.
How do we deliver services?
Face to face
At Vicwide Health Network, we provide assessment and intervention services at home, work, school or in the community. We understand the importance of supporting the individual to engage in their own environments to optimise their functional independence. Observation and practice of activities in those environments is therefore important in understanding how the individual interacts with that environment and providing targeted interventions.
Telehealth
At Vicwide Health Network we also support the use of telehealth in instances where this is appropriate for the individual needs of the client.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
