Are we accidentally making OT look like a one-visit service? When I talk to OTs wanting to expand their community work into dementia, low vision, palliative care, restorative care and positive behavioural support - the same problem keeps coming up: How do we get care partners and case managers to see the value of OT beyond a one-off assessment and equipment recommendation? A recent survey I sent to OTs attending our dementia session reinforced this. One OT wrote: "Buy in from

I've been thinking a lot lately about the labels we use in occupational therapy. "The all-rounder." "The generalist." "The community OT." They're terms I don't particularly like. Not because they're inaccurate, but because they underestimate what community Occupational Therapists actually do. To me, community OTs aren't generalists. We're integrators. We're often the only health professional who has the opportunity to step back and see the whole picture. We walk into someone'

If you asked most community Occupational Therapists whether they work in continence care, many would probably say no. Yet ask the same OT, whether they assess toileting, falls risk, bathroom access, mobility, transfers, cognition, dressing, routines, environmental barriers, assistive technology, caregiver education or home modifications, and the answer would almost certainly be yes. We are already working in continence care, we just don't call it that. The harsh reality of th

If you're an Occupational Therapist working in community aged care or disability services, you've probably had this conversation: You recommend a review period for a high risk piece of equipment, and the client, family, or funding body pushes back. "That's not required," they say. "I'm not spending my funding on that" There is often push back from clients, families and even providers, particularly when the 'budget is tight'. The reality is that assistive technology reviews ar

The Bed Stick There is a bed stick somewhere right now that poses a risk. It was prescribed, maybe six months ago, maybe two years ago. A thorough assessment was done at the time. Risks were documented and handed over to the family and care partner. The equipment was ordered and installed and the care partner advised ‘no further OT input required.’ The bedstick is still there. Nobody has reviewed it. The consumer's cognition has declined. They have started falling out of bed

Dignity of Risk is now a legal requirement under the Aged Care Act 2024, and an explicit obligation and expectation on Registered Providers. But how does that translate to clinical practice? For Occupational Therapists, there is often tension and pressure: Pressure to sign off on equipment that maybe is not suitable or indicated. Pressure to "make it work" within the available budget. Pressure to stretch clinical reasoning to fit the system. The system expects providers and c

One of the biggest shifts in the Support at Home reforms is the Assistive Technology and Home Modifications (ATHM) Scheme . On paper, the...

If you’re an OT working in aged care, chances are you’ve heard about the new Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards — but you might be...

A Closer Look. Understanding the Restorative Care Pathway It is a short-term, goal-based intervention: Up to 16 weeks, focusing on...

A Personable Take by Way Forward for OT Training Have you heard the latest buzz about becoming a Registered Provider in the new Support...

The Department of Health & Aged Care (DoHAC) published the first version of the Support at Home (S@H) Program Manual on 7 March 2025. ...