Waiting for an OT?
With an increase in demand for Occupational Therapy, you may find yourself waiting months for your assessment and therapy. You may be spending more time on a waitlist than you’d like. Or you may not be able to access services at all in your area.
This can be discouraging when you are striving to use your NDIS funding to achieve your goals.
What if you were told you could work towards your NDIS goals while waiting for your OT to come on board?
To start this process, you must take a closer look at the goals in your NDIS plan and consider what other NDIS services and supports can be explored for you to achieve your goals.
It is important to keep in mind that one service, i.e. Physiotherapy, cannot replace another service, such as Occupational Therapy. However, an alternative service can address aspects of your goals to help you work towards building your capacity.
This can be viewed as supplementing your Occupational Therapy services while waiting for your superstar OT - win, win!
See below for examples of how different therapists and services can address various skills to contribute toward your goal attainment:
Key Worker Model
A key worker can be an allied health professional (therapist) who has specialist skills in working with children in an early intervention capacity. The idea is that you have one key worker for your child who delivers therapy across a range of disciplines under the guidance of a treating therapist. The key worker will also coordinate communication and information sharing between the therapists working with the child and the family.
Learn more about the Role of an NDIS Key Worker
Is telehealth an option for an Occupational Therapy assessment?
Telehealth involves online consultation, assessment and intervention with healthcare practitioners from the convenience of your home.
A telehealth assessment can be completed in place of a face-to-face assessment in most cases. The assessment will involve detailed discussions with you and if needed, a family member and carer. It will also involve observations of you in your home environment and performing activities of daily living via video. This is where a laptop or portable device with a camera and microphone is necessary.
Some standardised assessments completed by therapists are designed to be administered via telehealth.
Learn More
To understand more about the different therapists working in the NDIS, review this resource: Decoding Allied Health - Finding the Therapist Right For Me
For a deeper understanding on the relationship between OT and Physio, review this resource: What is the Difference Between Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy in the NDIS?
How do I find a therapist to achieve my NDIS goals?
The MyCareSpace Connections Team are in touch with therapy providers across Australia. Connect with our team to find the right therapist for you today.
MyCareSpace resources may be shared provided they are credited to MyCareSpace with backlinks to the original resource.
