NDIS and Occupational Therapy – How Can It Help You?

Do NDIS Occupational Therapists Work with Special Needs?

If you have a disability and live in Australia, you will receive NDIS occupational therapy services through National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). NDIS was set up in 2013 to provide community-based care that supports individuals with disabilities to gain much needed assistance to live an ordinary life. Whether it’s a physical (mobility, self-care), sensory or mental (cognitive) health issue, occupational therapists work with those who need help to be independent.

The idea is to find practical solutions that allow people living with a disability, or their families and carers, to access what they need for day-to-day life. There are no restrictions regarding pre-existing conditions either; if you qualify for an NDIS package, then you can get all your support from one place: your local area coordination service. Moreover, understanding the need to support oneself or to feel empowered, NDIS also provides job assistance programs for anyone with a disability looking to enter or re-enter the workforce.

In fact, a big part of the occupational therapist’s role is working with clients on developing goals, action plans, and strategies tailored to each individual case and empowering them with tools that help improve quality of life while managing symptoms.

What Is a NDIS Occupational Therapist?

In Australia, occupational therapists are a type of allied health professional. They work with people who have a variety of conditions to help them live an active lifestyle, including mental illnesses like anxiety or depression, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder.

These professionals often visit clients in their homes as well as in hospitals and schools. The aim is always to equip these individuals with coping strategies that allow them to take control over their everyday lives and enjoy it as much as possible. To better understand what occupational therapy does, let’s look at some examples: If you are someone with diabetes, you may have to monitor your diet and blood sugar levels very closely.

An occupational therapy practitioner will help you develop strategies for eating healthy on a daily basis and teach them how to use necessary medical devices safely at home. Another example is helping someone with dementia manage their living space, so they’re as independent as possible. Occupational therapists, in essence, provide services that enable you to live a safe, independent life at home or in your community should you be diagnosed with a physical or mental disability.

What Is Occupational Therapy NDIS?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a government scheme that was launched in July 2013 to help provide better supports for people with disabilities, their families, carers, and professional service providers, utilising occupational therapy as one of its key components. Before you can access any NDIS services, you need to obtain an NDIS planner who will determine what type of disability support package best suits your needs. Once enrolled, you will be able to start receiving occupational therapy under your plan, which will include both individual assistance sessions and group-based activities to help you build on any skills or education opportunities that are relevant to improving your life overall.

What Therapies Are Covered By NDIS?

The NDIS offers a wide range of support, including psychotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, pediatrics, psychology. The NDIS provides funding for individualised support to help people with disabilities improve their lives. The assessment process is completed by an occupational therapist who will create a plan to achieve your goals while still meeting your needs. In addition to receiving physical therapy from a qualified occupational therapist, you may also find yourself working with other professionals such as social workers and psychologists, depending on your personal situation. The main goal of any NDIS program is to assist participants in finding ways to lead happier, healthier lives.

What Are The 8 Areas of Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a multi-disciplinary health care profession that uses therapeutic interventions to improve performance in daily living activities. These activities are called occupations because they are necessary for people to carry out in order to live more independently, with dignity, safety, and as independently as possible from others. Enlisted are eight areas of occupational therapy supported by NDIS:

1. ADLs or Activities of Daily Living – One of occupational therapy’s goals is to help people remain independent by helping them with their activities of daily living (ADLs). These are things like getting dressed, bathing, cooking, or shopping.
2. IADLs or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living – It is a type of occupational therapy that involves working with people who have problems completing tasks that are essential to daily life, such as bathing, doing laundry, cooking meals, and using public transportation.
3. Sleep and Rest Occupational Therapy – Many individuals find themselves struggling to get quality sleep at night. For some, it’s because they suffer from anxiety or depression that interferes with their ability to relax. Others may have trouble sleeping because of physical pain caused by an injury or disease. No matter what is causing your sleeplessness, under NDIS, you can receive help through occupational therapy.
4. Work – This occupational therapy involves assisting individuals with certain mental or physical disabilities to help them perform their work duties.
5. Education – Many kids and teens with disabilities often find it hard to comprehend and sometimes simply impossible to access mainstream education. They might be lacking resources, support, or a learning environment that enables them to learn at their own pace. This is where education occupational therapy comes in handy. Bringing teaching assistance for special needs children, education OT ensures that students can get all necessary help and support so they can effectively participate in their educational process.
6. Play – Play occupational therapy encourages playfulness in order to promote development in children, helping them learn how to interact with their environment in a healthy way.
7. Leisure – Leisure OT helps people of all ages maximise their health and independence by integrating occupational therapy into their daily lives. Therapists often focus on helping clients improve their function during activities they enjoy so that they can spend more time enjoying those things.
8. Social Participation – This OT focuses on improving a person’s social functioning, such as their ability to go out and engage in social activities. This can include learning about self-management of their condition, setting goals for themselves, and having strategies to help them achieve those goals.

What Is a Functional Assessment For NDIS?

The NDIS will pay for some kinds of therapy, depending on what sort of issue you have. To make sure you get a fair shake, however, you need to prove that occupational therapy is going to help. That’s where a functional assessment comes in. An NDIS occupational therapy functional assessment is a tool used by occupational therapists to determine whether an individual has a physical or mental disability. This determination may then lead to eligibility for services under NDIS.

How Do I Arrange an OT Assessment?

If you are interested in NDIS occupational therapy, you will first need to find out if it is right for you. The first step in arranging an assessment is to contact your local NDIS plan area to ask about their occupational therapy arrangements. This process may vary slightly from state to state. For example, some states have a disability organisation that allocates funds specifically for OT services, while others leave these decisions up to individual NDIS providers. A call or email to your local provider is usually all it takes to get things rolling, and they can advise you of what steps come next. Once you receive approval, arrange with them how best to schedule an assessment with one of their occupational therapists. They can give you more details on what’s involved during an occupational therapy assessment and set aside time in their calendar when they’re available (and most likely least busy).

How to Ensure Your Reports Meet NDIS Requirements

Your NDIS report is perhaps the most important document in your care plan, given that it determines how much funding you can receive to support your goals. That means meeting the requirements listed in the latest version of The NDIS occupational therapy guidelines—it’s a lengthy list that includes a number of must-haves. Here’s what you need to know about ensuring your reports meet NDIS requirements.

1. Take advantage of the NDIS occupational therapy report template.
2. Make sure that your name and contact details are accurate, so you can be easily contacted in case there’s an issue with your NDIS report.
3. Ensure that every required field is completed, including details on your occupation, daily living activities, goals, and more.
4. Be detailed with your disability and how it impacts you in everyday life, and include relevant examples for better understanding. Remember, it’s vital that you present a complete picture of what support you need to meet your goals so that NDIS can deliver appropriate funding for you or your loved one!
5. Write your report in day-to-day language. You are not a medical professional, and the government understands this. So just write from your perspective, rather than trying to use technical jargon or complicated structure.
6. Attach every requested document and information for fast processing.

How Do I Get More NDIS Funding?

The NDIS is based on self-determination, choice, and control. With regards to funding, it means that people with disabilities are free to choose their own supports with no income or asset test restrictions, regardless of how much they make (or don’t make). So when you want to maximise your NDIS funding, consider following these tips:

1. Convey your needs and goals in a realistic manner. While it may be tempting to make a wish list of services, try to stay practical.
2. Always highlight your need to achieve independence through supports. NDIS is about helping you live life on your own terms, which means that the choice of providers should be yours.
3. Perfect your plan as much as possible before putting it into action. The more detailed you are, the more likely you’ll be to receive optimal funding for your chosen providers.
4. Never accept any plan that doesn’t fulfil your goals or supports your wishes. The ultimate goal of NDIS is to help you live life on your own terms, so don’t settle for anything less.
5. Use proper, personal language that conveys your struggle, need for support, and ability to work productively within society. The stronger your application is in these regards, the better you’ll be able to negotiate with providers in an effort to fulfil all of your needs.

What Happens When NDIS Funding Runs Out?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a massive health care initiative in Australia designed to provide insurance coverage for people with disabilities. But, while there are some massive benefits of being on NDIS, it’s not without its drawbacks. If you get support from NDIS but run out of the provided funding, you will be responsible for paying all the extra costs yourself. And though this cannot be considered a drawback, it’s more like a warning; make sure that before using your NDIS funding that you’re aware of any things that can be costly. Because if you aren’t, then you could end up facing serious financial problems later down the line.

NDIS Support Coordination

In Australia, every person with a disability that requires long-term support from government services has access to a highly-skilled Support Coordinator through NDIS. The Support Coordinator’s job is to make sure all of your needs are met according to a personalised plan. The coordinator will ensure you have easy access to supports such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, or any other disability service. Coordinators work closely with clients in helping them to maximise their independence and function well in their daily life.

NDIS Mobile Occupational Therapy Services

Occupational therapy (OT) is more than just physical rehabilitation—it’s about helping people with disabilities of all ages lead independent, productive lives. While OT has existed for decades, recent developments in technology have allowed occupational therapists to more effectively support patients remotely. Services like NDIS mobile occupational therapy allow individuals across Australia to stay at home instead of seeking treatment at a clinic or hospital. This reduces stress on patients while making it easier for them to get help when they need it most.

NDIS Occupational Therapist Near Me

If you live in Australia, you’ve probably heard about how beneficial NDIS occupational therapy can be to those with disabilities. If you or your loved one requires specialised care from a medical professional, finding a local NDIS Occupational Therapist Near Me may be the best way to get started. Better Rehab occupational therapists service in  Bankstown, Blacktown, Central Coast, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Macquarie Park, Maroubra, Penrith, Wollongong, Canberra, Gippsland, Greensborough, Moonee Ponds, Mornington, Mulgrave, Surrey Hills, Werribee, Chermside, Gold Coast, Ipswich, North Lakes, Springwood, Stones Corner, Cockburn Central, Inglewood, Adelaide

References:

National Disability Insurance Scheme
https://www.ndis.gov.au/

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019). Occupational Therapists. Retrieved October 2020, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/mobile/occupational-therapists.htm