What does an Occupational Therapist do?
Our qualified Occupational Therapists have experience working with both children and adults. They work to improve people’s health and well-being by enabling them to participate in daily activities such as self-care (e.g., showering, dressing, and cooking); productive activities (e.g., education, work, volunteering, and caring for others); and leisure/social activities, (e.g., being a member of a community group, participating in a hobby, and being a part of a sports team).
Some key areas of activity where our occupational therapists may provide support include:
- Daily Living Activities (e.g., dressing, showering, toileting, grooming and eating)
- Fine Motor Skills or ‘Finger Skills’ (e.g., cutting, holding pencils, using zippers, doing up buttons)
- Gross Motor Skills or ‘Whole-Body’ Movements (e.g., running, jumping, swimming, riding a bike).
- Sensory Processing Skills which impact concentration, behaviour, and learning.
- Visual-Motor Skills that help people to interpret visual information that helps with reading and writing or catching a ball.
- Social Participation (e.g., turn-taking, regulating emotions and social roles).
- Home Modification and Equipment Recommendations to increase independence and safety.
Our Occupational Therapy Team
Our Occupational Therapy team is highly qualified, with each Occupational therapist holding a university degree in Occupational Therapy. They are all also members of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and complete ongoing professional development activities to stay up to date on the latest research.
Assessment Process
Assessment
The length of an occupational therapy assessment (i.e., the number of required sessions) varies depending on the complexity of the individual’s situation as well as their age. Depending on the challenges/needs identified, the assessment may be conducted in the clinic or in the individual’s home or community environment.
During the assessment, an Occupational Therapist will meet with the individual and/or their parents, teachers, and other professionals involved in their care to gather information about their current abilities and skills, as well as to understand why some activities may be difficult for them (e.g., because of strength-, movement-, memory-, concentration-, or mood-related concerns). The evaluation will also include the administration of functional and practical assessments to determine whether or not the individual’s current abilities affect their ability to participate in daily tasks in the following areas:
- Self-Care e.g., showering, dressing toileting, personal hygiene, sleep
- Home Management e.g., meal preparation, shopping, laundry, home modifications
- Community Management e.g., travelling by public transport, accessing banks and shops
- Work/Study/Vocational Activities
- Leisure/Recreational/Social Activities
After the Assessment:
A detailed assessment report will be emailed to the individual within approximately two weeks of the session once the assessment has been completed. This report will include a thorough examination of the individual’s skills and abilities, as well as any therapy recommendations that may be necessary.
Therapy Process
Pre-Therapy
Prior to commencing Occupational therapy at Therapy Point, all individuals must attend or show proof of a formal Occupational Therapy assessment within the last twelve months. This is so our Occupational Therapists can determine exactly the individual’s strengths and areas of need area, as well as a baseline to demonstrate improvement. If you have a previous Occupational Therapy assessment report from within the last 12 months, please email it to us (info@therapypoint.com.au) and we will let you know how we can proceed.
Therapy
After completing a formal Occupational therapy assessment with our therapists or providing us with an appropriate assessment report from another service, the individual may be offered a block of therapy to develop their specific areas of need. These sessions can last 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or 60 minutes and can take place weekly, fortnightly, or more/less frequently depending on the individual’s needs and the therapist’s recommendations. Therapy sessions can also be conducted via telehealth or face-to-face, and they can take place in a variety of settings, including the clinic, the individual’s home, and/or preschool or school (subject to availability).
At Therapy Point, we believe that positive, fun, and meaningful therapy sessions, supplemented by consistent daily home practice, produce the best results. We prefer to assist individuals in a positive, fun, and family-centred manner, so we actively encourage family members to participate in the therapy process as much as possible.
We also offer support to parents and other family members through individual or group counselling and can link our clients with other service providers such as physiotherapists, psychologists, and paediatricians
