With a great occupational therapy team, comes great patient outcomes.

The Occupational Therapy department at Northern Health celebrated Occupational Therapy (OT) Week back in October, to promote the many ways occupational therapy can help people at all stages of life to reach their potential. The theme for OT Week this year was “Unity Through Community”. OT week was an opportunity to celebrate Occupational Therapists for their invaluable input in making a difference in the patients’ lives.

Occupational Therapists (OT’s) play a vital and dynamic role in helping people engage with and participate in their community – in whichever way is meaningful to them. They work across a broad range of settings and help people engage in meaningful occupations.

“I am so privileged to work within a great team and in a rewarding role, I am always very supported. The Occupational Therapy team feels like its own community – we are all here to support each other,” said Betriece Gesuale, Grade 1 Occupational Therapist (SACS), Northern Health.

Northern Health has an extensive range of Community Therapy Services, such as:

• Sub-acute Ambulatory Care Services (SACS) – a Community Rehabilitation Service aiming to provide rehabilitation to clients following a recent event that resulted in injury, hospitalisation or an illness.
• Rehabilitation in the Home (RITH) – provides a home-based service to clients aiming to get clients home sooner from hospital and to provide appropriate services to the client in their own home.
• The Early Stroke Discharge Program (ESD) – which has been developed to help patients with stroke return home earlier by providing rehabilitation within the patient’s home environment.
• Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and Home and Community Care Program for Younger People (HACC PYP) for Allied Health, Continence Nursing and Community Nursing – a wellness approach that focuses on maximising a person’s independence.
• Geriatric Evaluation and Management at Home (GEM@Home) program – provides interdisciplinary aged care and rehabilitation services to patients after an illness or injury.
• Transition Care Program (TCP) – provides care coordination and low-level therapy for clients that have had a recent hospital admission, for up to 12 weeks.
• Hospital Admission Risk Program (HARP) – provides services for people with chronic diseases and complex needs who need assistance with keeping safe and well at home.

“Being an Occupational Therapist enables me to help others achieve their goals to live their lives to the fullest by re-engaging in daily activities and to be as independent as possible,” said Reanna Liberatore, Grade 2 Occupational Therapist (CHSP/NDIS), Northern Health.

“A story that stands out to me, was when I was working in the SACS community therapy team with a patient who had a stroke and had reduced strength in both of his hands. His main goal was to be able to read his newspaper in the morning with a cup of coffee. Through working closely with him and developing task specific exercises to assist with strengthening his hands, he was able to grasp onto the newspaper, without it slipping from his hands. Even though it sounds like a simple goal, it made a big difference to his morning, and he was extremely grateful to be able to re-participate in this activity that he found very meaningful,” said Alana Evans, Grade 1 Occupational Therapist (Acute Wards), Northern Health.

For more information about Northern Health Occupational Therapy please click here.

Featured Image: Broadmeadows Hospital OT team