HEA HealthCare provides home visiting Occupational Therapy services, assisting individuals with self-care and day-to-day living at home. This includes Occupational Therapists conducting environmental assessments, recommending, and implementing environmental modifications to maximise the client’s independence and safety.
The role of occupational therapists
Occupational Therapist work across a range of health settings including private practices, public and private hospitals, community health centres, residential aged care facilities and sports organisations.
They serve patients of all ages and conduct home visits to provide care. They have good communication skills as they need to interact continuously with patients. In addition, they have the necessary innovation capabilities to solve patient problems.
Occupational Therapist Responsibilities
Clinical Examination: Occupational therapists are rigorously trained in observational skills, and they make primary diagnoses by observing the patient’s behavior, their movements, and interactions with surrounding objects. For example, an occupational therapist who is invited to help an elderly person with limited mobility needs to visit the elderly person at home and observe how the elderly person moves or uses devices of daily living. This exam provides occupational therapists with clues about what older adults need and what assistive devices to use.
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Provide treatment: Occupational therapists develop a treatment plan after a clinical assessment. The therapist outlines treatment goals and decides the number of treatments needed to achieve them.
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Coaching patients: They train patients (and sometimes caregivers) on how to use assistive devices to improve or adapt. For example, if a patient needs a walker to improve mobility, the occupational therapist is responsible for training the patient on how to use the walker until the patient learns how to use it.
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Monitoring: They track and record a patient’s response to treatment. This helps occupational therapists decide whether the patient would benefit from additional treatment sessions and can adjust the treatment plan in a timely manner.
Occupational therapist assessment and service content
Assessment and Intervention for Daily Living Activities (ADL)
Occupational therapists use a combination of interview, observation, and functional assessment to determine a person’s ability to care for themselves during their Activities of Daily Living.
- Basic Daily Living Activities – Self-Care: Dressing, Eating, Taking Care of Personal Devices, Showering, Sleeping, Toileting
- Instrumental Activities of Daily Living – Activities in the Household & Community that necessitate complex interactions and skills:Communication, (verbal and nonverbal), Home Management (home, yard, garden)
Cognitive Assessment
Occupational therapists are trained and certified to assess an individual’s functional cognition utilising a variety of professional assessment tools. Individual cognition is a reflection of performance in every activity of daily living, especially self-care. Cognitive assessments are used by occupational therapists to detect age-related decline, neurological impairment, and various forms of dementia in individuals. The results of the initiated cognitive assessment are suitable as proofing materials to prescribe equipment and apply for various funds in Victoria.
Minor/ Major Home Modifications and Assisitive Technology Prescription
Individuals’ physical or cognitive abilities typically change as a result of degeneration, injury, or illness. Occupational therapists conduct home assessments to determine the most client-centered modifications and Assisitive Technology to improve individuals’ performance and safety in daily activities. Minor and major changes include but are not limited to the following.
- Minor Modifications: Installing Handrails, Lever Handles, Threshold Ramp
- Major Modification: Installing Non-slip floor, Level Access or Stepless Shower
- Equipment Prescription: Electric Adjustable Bed, Electric Lift Recliner, Special Designed Cutlery Tools, Wheelchair, Walking Stick/ Frame, Scooter
Access to Public Funding
Occupational therapy can be accessed with funds and service within Victoria, includes and not limit to Home Care Package and State-wide Equipment Program.
If you want to apply for public funding (e.g., Home Care Package、NDIS ), or if you already have one and want to use it for occupational therapy service, for more information please contact HEA HealthCare.