As per the NDIS Price Guide, funding is required in:
Capacity Building – Capacity Building Supports For Early Childhood Interventions
Capacity Building – Improved Daily Living
Core – Assistance with Daily Life
Occupational therapists can assist children with a wide range of challenges and developmental needs. Some areas where an OT can help include:
Sensory Processing Issues – OTs can address sensory processing difficulties, helping children better regulate their responses to sensory stimuli such as touch, sound, taste, and movement.
Fine Motor Skills – OTs work on developing hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and precision in tasks like writing, drawing, cutting, and manipulating small objects.
Gross Motor Skills – They can help children improve balance, coordination, strength, and endurance necessary for activities like running, jumping, climbing, and playing sports.
Self-Care Skills – OTs assist children in mastering daily tasks like dressing, grooming, feeding, and toileting, promoting independence and self-confidence.
Social Skills – OTs facilitate the development of social interaction skills, including communication, turn-taking, sharing, making friends, and understanding non-verbal cues.
Cognitive Skills – They can work on enhancing cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, problem-solving, organisation, and planning.
Emotional Regulation – OTs help children learn coping strategies, self-regulation techniques, and emotional expression to manage stress, anxiety, and frustration.
School-Based Support – In educational settings, OTs collaborate with teachers and other professionals to address academic challenges, develop classroom accommodations, and promote inclusion.
Occupational therapists play a crucial role in helping adults with disabilities lead fulfilling and independent lives. Here are some ways OTs can assist:
Assessment and Goal Setting – OTs conduct comprehensive assessments to understand the individual’s strengths, limitations, and goals. Together with the client, they establish personalised intervention plans to address specific needs.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) – OTs work with adults to enhance their ability to perform self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and feeding independently or with minimal assistance.
Mobility and Transfers – OTs help individuals improve mobility skills, including walking, transferring between surfaces, and using mobility aids such as walkers, wheelchairs, or scooters safely and efficiently.
Home Modifications – OTs assess the home environment to identify barriers and recommend modifications to enhance accessibility and safety. This may involve installing grab bars, ramps, and stairlifts.
Assistive Technology – OTs evaluate the need for and provide training in using assistive devices and technology such as adaptive utensils, communication devices, environmental controls, or computer access aids.
Leisure and Social Participation – OTs help adults with disabilities engage in leisure activities and social interactions by providing strategies to overcome barriers, adapt activities, and build confidence in community participation.
Cognitive and Emotional Support- OTs address cognitive challenges such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and emotional regulation through specialised interventions and coping strategies tailored to the individual’s needs.
Advocacy and Community Integration – OTs advocate for the rights and inclusion of adults with disabilities in various settings, facilitate access to community resources, and empower individuals to advocate for themselves and participate actively in society.
