You’re in the right place if you’re wondering what NDIS Occupational Therapy AT Home can do for you. It’s common to be overwhelmed and confused about what OT is and what can be done in the home. The good news is, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports for occupational therapy services in the comfort of your own home.
At Occupational Therapy Brisbane, we understand the importance of convenience and accessibility when it comes to receiving the therapy you need. That’s why in this article our NDIS occupational therapist answers the common questions we hear about OT home visits.
In this article you'll learn:
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Does NDIS cover occupational therapy at home?
The answer is yes!
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding for a range of mobile therapy services, including occupational therapy that can be provided in the comfort of your own home.
This means that individuals with a disability can receive therapy in a familiar and comfortable environment, which can make it easier for them to achieve their goals and improve their independence.
Under what NDIS category does occupational therapy fall?
Occupational therapy services fall under the “Improved Living Arrangements” category of the NDIS.
This category includes funding for therapy and equipment that help individuals with disability to live independently and participate in daily activities. This can include things like therapy to assist with
capacity building across personal care tasks like dressing and grooming, to more complex household tasks like cooking and money management for example
assistive equipment to make tasks easier to do, this may also include giving you items to consider for your consumables
home modifications to make your home more accessible,
care skills which supports the training and development of a person’s core support team
building skills to do what matters to you, like leisure activities
By receiving therapy in the home, individuals with a disability get tailored programs to their specific needs and goals, rather than having to conform to a one-size-fits-all approach.
Your OTs goal is to work with you to cut down any obstacles and barriers that threatens or hampers your ability to do daily living tasks. We cover further examples in this article.
At home, your OT can do a functional assessment. This gives your therapist a unique perspective into your lifestyle and daily activities and habits, allowing your OT to provide you with a personalized and effective treatment plan.
What occupational therapy can be done at the home?
The OT Home services that you can expect are designed to support adults living with neurological conditions. So our therapists have a range of skills to help people improve their abilities to do daily tasks. Your therapist may focus on the movement or motor skills, as well as cognitive skills, and providing equipment and modifications to make your home fit you better.
One of the most important aspects of home-based occupational therapy is the ability to make minor and complex home modifications. These modifications can include things like installing grab bars in the bathroom, widening doorways for wheelchair access, and installing stairlifts.
Minor modifications can include things like installing grab bars in the bathroom, adding non-slip mats in the shower, and re-arranging furniture to make it easier to move around the home. These modifications can help to reduce the risk of falls and make it easier for individuals with a disability to move around their home safely and independently.
Complex modifications can include things like widening doorways for wheelchair access, installing stairlifts, kitchen modifications and making structural changes to the home such as adding a ramp. We’ve found we can best help with bathroom modifications and home access improvements.
The benefits of home modifications include:
Improve functional performance in the everyday activities
Enhance quality of life,
Reduce the impact of disability on daily life
Mitigates the risk of falls, accidents, and injuries when doing everyday tasks
Helps to keep you living in your own home for as long as possible.
In the end, your OT will be so excited to see you achieve maximum independence strengthened self-esteem and improve overall well-being.
Assistive technology, also known as assistive aids, can greatly improve the daily lives of individuals living with cognitive decline.
An occupational therapist can prescribe assistive technology that is tailored to the specific needs of the individual, to help them to maintain their independence and live in their own homes for as long as possible.
No doubt you appreciate our area of interest is in supporting people withneurological conditionsand we often see memory loss impacting people’s lives. The common types of assistive technology for memory loss we’ll often prescribe for our clients may include:
memory aids, such as electronic organizers
medication reminders, as well as
safety technology, such as personal alarms and GPS trackers.
Voice-activated home assistants, which can help individuals to perform daily tasks such as setting reminders or controlling the lighting and temperature in their home and more recently
Neuro – assistive aids. These tools offer support around mood, attention and focus for example. This is an exciting and emerging area of the practice.
In short a home visit by an OT will offer a number of services and programs that can help you live life on your terms.
What is an OT home assessment and what can you expect?
One of the first steps in receiving NDIS occupational therapy at home is an OT home assessment. During this assessment, your therapist will evaluate your needs and goals, as well as assess your home environment to identify any potential barriers to your independence when doing daily tasks. They will then work with you to develop a plan to achieve your NDIS goals.
What does an occupational therapist do at a home assessment?
They will observe you completing tasks, ask questions about your daily routine, and make recommendations for changes to your environment and equipment to improve your ability to complete tasks independently.
How can benefit from NDIS occupational therapy at home?
There are many benefits to receiving NDIS occupational therapy at home. Not only is it convenient, but it also allows for therapy to be tailored to your individual needs and goals, and it allows you to practice new skills in a familiar and comfortable environment.
I live too far away, can I still get ot? Occupational therapy home visits online
Don’t worry, you can still benefit from occupational therapy home visits. Our therapists can also provide online therapy, giving you access to the same high-quality care from the comfort of your own home.
How to arrange an OT home visit
At Occupational Therapy Brisbane, our team of experienced therapists is dedicated to helping adults living with neurological conditions achieve their NDIS goals.
If you’re ready to take the next step in improving your independence and daily living skills, contact us at 1300 783 200 to see if we can help.
