Lifeworks Occupational Therapy Blog

If you have been accepted into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and/or have recently been provided with a new NDIS plan, chances are it may include funding for an “Occupational Therapy Functional Assessment”. So, what does this involve? Essentially, an OT functional assessment focuses on what your goals/hopes are for your future then seeks to identify how you are managing day to day at present and what challenges/gaps need to be addressed in order for you to make progress towards achieving these goals. Where Do I Start? Your first step will be to find an Occupational Therapy Service who can complete the functional assessment. A list of registered NDIS providers can be found on the NDIS website if your plan is NDIA managed, or if you are self or plan managed you can utilise any provider of your choice. You can then book an initial appointment. NDIS Service Agreement At the initial appointment, your OT is required to provide you with ...

In the face of uncertainty, all we have is the present. Mindfulness is something that most of us have probably heard about by now. It has become more mainstream over recent years, but it’s actually an ancient Buddhist tradition which dates back thousands of years (it doesn’t conflict with any religious beliefs or traditions you may currently hold). Put simply, mindfulness means “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (Jon-Kabat Zinn, 1994, p.4). Like anything, it is a skill that we can develop. And an extremely useful skill for getting us through the current situation in the world, if we can learn to harness it. At the moment, what our nervous system needs is (very) regular doses of calm, so that we have the strength to deal with what is happening around us. Mindfulness is one way we can give this to our nervous system. This in turn helps to reduce the impact of current events on our mental health and ...