Occupational Therapy Support Services Sydney | Morhaven Disability Services

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy, or OT is targeted at supporting individuals in everyday activities. These can include self-care, sensory processing, routine management, employment and education, social and emotional skills, domestic tasks and fine motor skills. Prescription of equipment such as wheelchairs and other aids is also within the scope of OT and enhances an individual’s engagement in everyday tasks.

OT’s work with individuals of all ages and abilities whether they are physical, cognitive, or psychosocial/emotional challenges.

In paediatric OT (OT supporting children), there are some common goals which may be focused on during sessions. These include:

Fine motor activities including use of cutlery, tabletop activities and dressing tasks such as buttons, shoelaces, etc.
Emotional regulation strategies to support an individual’s communication of their own feelings as well as their understanding of the feelings of those around them.
Social skill development to allow children to build and maintain meaningful relationships.
Routine management to enable children to have increased independence in following their different routines including morning and evening. This is an essential skill throughout life and can also help to reduce strain on caregivers required to prompt each step for their child.
Toileting support and strategies.
Sleep support and strategies.
Attention and engagement in tasks within the classroom, at home and any other environments. This may often involve understanding a child’s sensory processing and preferences to implement strategies to support their concentration.
Equipment prescription which may enable a child to participate in their daily occupations successfully. This may include adapted cutlery and sensory tools or more expensive items such as customised wheelchairs and mobility devices.

OT supporting young adults and adults may focus on slightly different goal areas such as:

Continuing to build and refine fine motor skills to improve independence in everyday tasks.
Emotional regulation and strategies to enable an individual to overcome barriers they may face accessing the community due to psychosocial and mental health challenges.
Social skills and engagement within the community to enhance connections and supports in someone’s life.
Developing employment readiness and job skills to enable an individual to seek and maintain a meaningful job.
Budgeting skills to support someone’s financial independence and decision-making abilities.
Routine management and seeking paid/unpaid opportunities to engage within the community and build up an individual’s meaningful participation.
Cooking skills and building independence to prepare meals at home. Other domestic tasks such as cleaning skill development can also be supported through OT.
Assistive technology (AT) and equipment prescription to build someone’s independence and reduce reliance on informal or paid supports. AT is extremely broad and diverse and there are so many options available to support. Examples can include kitchen aids such as electric can/ jar openers, adapted knives and kettles, wheelchair and mobility aids, electric beds, sensory aids, and much more.
OTs can support NDIS participants to engage in suitable housing options depending on their circumstances, allowing them to live independently or in shared accommodation with supports.
OTs can also support an individual to initiate and complete minor and major home modifications to allow them to remain in their home with independence.