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Category Archives: Occupational Therapy

In Profile with Tom Cui – Occupational Therapist

Website Tom Cui

InProfile with Tom Cui - Occupational Therapist

As a leading provider of allied health services, Tom Cui joins the NSW team as an Occupational Therapist. He joins our brilliant national OT team that are passionate in solving our client’s problems, making a real difference to their lives.

Tell us a bit about yourself

I came to Australia from China for study in 2012. I finished a two year program in the University of Sydney and got a degree in Master of Occupational Therapy. I have been practicing as an Occupational Therapist in a wide variety of settings since 2015, for instance, occupational rehabilitation, community practice, private hospital and aged care facility. I am experienced in ADL assessments, equipment prescription, home modifications, falls prevention and pressure care prevention.

What do you love most about your role?

As a Home Care Occupational Therapist, I enjoy travelling on the road and meeting different clients every day. I like the flexibility at work and look forward to empowering clients so they can cope at home safely and independently.

What has been your most memorable moment?

Within the first few weeks of working at Empower, I had an invaluable team experience that cemented my assurance in choosing the right employment organisation. I had an urgent Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) referral and with collaboration from the OT Manager and Case Manager, was able to conduct and submit a comprehensive assessment report within a very short turn-around time that successfully achieved the goal of facilitating approval for appropriate accommodation and services within a limited time frame.

As an Occupational Therapist in NSW, what will you be looking to achieve in 2020?

It has been an exciting time and I’m so grateful in having the opportunity and experience to expand Empower Healthcare’s allied health services into New South Wales. It’s fascinating observing a business grow organically from scratch and I have been thankful in transferring my previous experience and knowledge to deliver individualised, innovative and high quality health care as per my fellow work colleagues around Australia.

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

As an international student, I used to worry if I would be able to find a job and survive in this field. Apparently, I have proven that I worried a little bit too much! Therefore, I would like to leave a piece of advice to the new graduate self “No worries, you are better than you thought – chase your dreams.”

What makes Empower different to previous places of employment?

Empower is like a big family to me. I feel I am well supported in the team.

Out of the workplace, what are your interests and hobbies?

I am a very active person. I like all sorts of sports, such as cycling, soccer, basketball and snooker.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?

I am a big fan of heavy metal. I feel sorry to my neighbours when I play guitar at home…

 

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We have listened to our clients and they don’t have the time to micro-manage their portfolio. They want to partner with someone that is reliable and dependable with transparent pricing structures.

Adam Gilroy Smith, CEO reveals, “Empower has grown by 100% over the past year based on our service model across Home Care, NDIS and Residential Aged Care. By listening to our clients and the challenges they face, we adapt, stay well positioned and respond fast to deliver exceptional care. The launch of our new service model is another example of Empower Healthcare’s ability to be agile in a rapidly changing environment.”

How To Get Clients Started With Our Services

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InProfile with Anju Thomas, Senior Occupational Therapist and Team Leader

Website In Profile with Anju Thomas Senior Occupational Therapist Team Leader

InProfile with Anju Thomas, Senior Occupational Therapist and Team Leader

As we come to the end of OT Awareness Month, we would like to introduce Anju, our OT Home Care Team Leader. Anju brings over 11 years’ experience in occupational therapy to Empower Healthcare and her extensive background from rehabilitation to private practice means Anju is perfectly suited and equipped to support her team in a wide range of occupational therapy services to help consumers build their independence and achieve sustainable therapy outcomes.

 

I love seeing the smile on my client’s face when they receive new equipment or learn new ways to participate in activities that, they thought were long behind them. Independence is everything. I love giving that to people

When did you join Empower?

February 2020

Why did you choose Empower?

I am excited about teaching OT skills and improving services to customers. Adam and Matthew embodied these same values during the interview which made it easy to choose Empower.

What do you love most about your job?

I love how I can help client’s achieve their goals and develop their skills. It is always a challenge in identifying the right strategy for each client. It is always invigorating to work with them to find the best approach which helps them achieve their goal.

What has been your most memorable moment?

The best moment for me has been where I helped a client develop their fine motor skills by playing cards.

In what ways has Empower supported your growth personally & professionally?

In the past few months, Empower has given me the freedom to develop OT programs and professional programs to improve the skills of all therapists.

In your new role, what will you be looking to achieve in 2020?

This year, I hope to set up a uniform standard of practice for all OTs to practice.

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

To avail of every opportunity for professional development. It’s not just the courses and theoretical classes that develop a therapist’s skills but also practical sessions with senior therapists. It helps to attempt a new referral/ treatment program even if you have nil to limited experience as it only improves your knowledge and skill.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Out of the workplace, what are your interests and hobbies?

Out of the workplace, I am usually very much restricted to my daughter’s various activities. I enjoy dancing and participate in cultural activities when they come up. I love reading, mostly thrillers and crime and I believe Agatha Christie is the best author in the genre.

 

 

Employment at Empower Healthcare

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Do you share our passion for exceptional care?

We are searching for clinicians that want to keep their finger on the pulse of a thriving industry.

We offer a highly competitive package; flexible working arrangements, annual professional development program, subsidised external PD courses and paid study leave, above award remuneration, plus other benefits.

Join us Graduate Program

Occupational Therapy – Providing You With Empowerment For Choice and Person-Centric Care

Blog post Amanda Chan

During Occupational Therapy (OT) Week, Empower is celebrating its amazing occupational therapists and  Amanda Chan reflects on why she joined the profession and the importance of collaborative work and person-centric care.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Working as an Occupational Therapist, I often get this question, “What is occupational therapy?”.  The World Federation of Occupational Therapy defines Occupational Therapy as below.

“Occupational Therapy is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation… to enable people to participate in activities of daily life… by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.” WFOT, 2012.

While many other people in the health industry are involved in the diagnosis of diseases, the occupational therapist’s role is about collaboratively setting and achieving meaningful goals.

Amanda explains, “Whether it be helping a person with selecting a chair that can help them stand because they have difficulty standing from their couch or introducing a person to a bath lifter to help them enjoy a bath again, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when seeing the joy on people’s faces as they successfully engage in these simple yet meaningful activities again.

Throughout my training as an Occupational Therapist, we are taught that engaging and participating in meaningful activities provide positive benefits to a person’s feeling of wellbeing.”

Many occupational therapists work with people who have an illness, have a disability or recovering from an injury, and there is a high degree of sensitivity and respect for humanity that is required for this profession.

“Being able to support people of all abilities to engage and participate in what is important to them is my motivation to be the best that I can be. I enjoy working together with the client to create a treatment plan that is meaningful and reflective of their functional and independence goals, be it a leisure activity like knitting, self-care activity such as having a shower safely or a productive activity like preparing their own meals.”

Meaningful Goals and Working Together

“The person who seeks her services is the expert in their lives. They know what is important for them and what is meaningful to them, and from there, they can work together to form goals and work towards those goals together.

At Empower, we recognise the importance of collaborative work. Cooperating and working together with other professionals, families, caregivers and consumers are important with helping consumers achieve their meaningful goals with a holistic approach.”

Therapy activities provided by Occupational Therapists can include;

  • teaching new techniques to complete the activity
  • relearning tasks included in completing activities
  • providing equipment to assist with completing activities or
  • modifying an environment to enable a person to engage in the activity.

All these can facilitate independence, reduce environmental barriers and provide resources to facilitate a sense of well-being.

Promoting Choice

Health care is becoming more person-centered where consumers are encouraged to make informed choices to better support their needs and well-being.

“With the rollout of the NDIS and the new aged care standards, I can see more relevance in the new health care focus in relation to occupational therapy. There is a shift in health care to promote choice, dignity and respect for consumers.

For example, consumers using NDIS funding have access to services based on goals set by consumers together with the support workers. Looking at the new aged care standards, the new standard of care to be provided to older adult consumers in community and in aged care residential facilities is centralised around maintaining a consumer’s choice, dignity and respect.

This resonates with occupational therapist’s core values where the consumer is the expert of their lives and services provided to them should include their choice in all matters to enable consumers to live life to the best of their abilities. This shift empowers consumers to take charge of their own lives and to be able to make more choices to support their health and well-being.”

Author – Amanda Chan, Occupational Therapist at Empower.

 

About Empower

We Change Lives

At Empower Healthcare, we deliver life changing allied health services. Our whole team is dedicated to building and delivering exceptional services for clients, loved ones, referrers and partner organisations.

Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental well-being.

We are a successful privately owned and operated organisation that continues to experience significant growth, driven by our fantastic services and family of professionals.

 

How can I find an Occupational Therapist?

  • We have an amazing team of therapists
  • Comprehensive coverage across Metropolitan Melbourne, Mornington and Geelong
  • Responsiveness is our allied health home care service guarantee
  • Services available to residential aged care organisations
  • Friendly and professional staff

 

Call our friendly team on PH: 9583 1364.

 

Learn more on how our Occupational Therapists can help you

In Profile – Emily McLeod, Occupational Therapist

Emily image website4

In recognition of OT Week, Empower is celebrating its amazing occupational therapists and as part of our Staff Profile series, spoke to Emily McLeod about her role as occupational therapist in our Community Services – Home Care division and her passion for helping clients regain independence.

Why did you choose Empower?

Following working in residential aged care and inpatient rehabilitation in my first year out of uni, I developed a passion for the concept of helping people remain living in their home for as long as possible.

I was working with a lot of patients and residents who may have stayed safe and independent in their homes for longer than what they were experiencing, if they had the right supports around them. I wanted to be one of those supports!

In my early conversations with the team at Empower, they said that they agree with this, and that they are passionate about supporting their clients in the community and expanding their occupational therapy services in this area. Empower works with a range of home care providers, from those who are well cared for, to those who are the most vulnerable in our community. I was instantly attracted to the variety of the work that was coming in, and I could feel the amazing team atmosphere even over Skype interview!

What do you love most about your job?

Easy – the smiles on my clients faces when they receive new equipment or learn new ways to participate in activities that they thought were long behind them. Independence is everything. I love giving that to people.

What has been your most memorable moment?

Leaving university, I had no desire to work with children. I felt it was too difficult and that I didn’t have the knowledge or skills to work with young people with different disabilities. Through our growth into working with the NDIS, I have worked with a number of clients aged between 10-18 years, which I now love.

My most memorable moment was only recently – I visited the home of one of my 14-year-old clients who when I first met him; was glued to his Ipad, reliant on his mum for everything, and had a temper that would spark at the drop of a hat.

I was blown away to see him drop his Ipad when I walked in, show me a new book, tell me of a new club he has joined, get his lunch (that he made by himself) out of the fridge and pack a lunchbox for school, and then watch him help his younger brother get breakfast!

Seeing someone shift in their attitude and personal beliefs of their own abilities is amazing – I thought I was just helping him learn basic cooking and creating generic checklists for a morning routine. As it turned out, I had shifted his engagement with all aspects of his life!

In what ways has Empower supported your growth personally & professionally?

The team at Empower have provided me with many opportunities to attend professional development sessions, and always listen when I have suggestions for growth or change. I am constantly presented with new challenges, and always supported while working my way through these.

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

Nobody knows all the answers every time. We are all learning every single day – it’s okay to make mistakes and it’s okay to ask for help. You’ll be surprised how often you ask someone a question to be answered with ‘I don’t know either, let’s find out together’.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Out of the workplace, what are your interests and hobbies?

On the weekends I am usually at home with my boyfriend or spending time with my sister. We love cafes, sunshine, and the occasional afternoon at a bar. I’m not very exciting out of work – I occasionally go on a little adventure into the bush or down to the beach, but most of the time I’m switching off and enjoying some R&R.

About Empower

We Change Lives

At Empower Healthcare, we deliver life changing allied health services. Our whole team is dedicated to building and delivering exceptional services for clients, loved ones, referrers and partner organisations.

Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental wellbeing.

We are a successful privately owned and operated organisation that continues to experience significant growth, driven by our fantastic services and family of professionals.

 

How can I find an Occupational Therapist?
  • We have an amazing team of occupational therapists
  • Comprehensive coverage across Metropolitan Melbourne, Mornington and Geelong
  • Responsiveness is our allied health home care service guarantee
  • Services available to residential aged care organisations
  •  Friendly and professional staff
Call our friendly team on PH: 9583 1364.

 

Learn more on how our OTs can help you

Wheelchair Prescription – Part 1: Wheelchair Types

customlong

For people with limited mobility Wheelchairs can often be a game changer. But with so many options on the market how do you know what to look for?

We’ve put together this 3 part blog to help you learn more about the different types of chairs on the market, what customisations are available and the important considerations around seating and positioning in a wheelchair.

  • Part 1: Different Types of Wheelchairs and what to consider.
  • Part 2: Standardisation vs Customisation.
  • Part 3: Seating and Positioning guideline.

Part 1 – Different Types of Wheelchairs and what to consider.

When looking at purchasing a Wheelchair it’s important to think about the following things as this will steer you in the right direction to choosing the right chair for you.

  • What is the primary use of the chair?
  • How often will the chair be used?
  • Will the chair be used indoors, outdoors or both?
  • Will you be propelling the chair or will you need someone to propel it for you?

Once you have a good understanding of the above you can then look at the different types of chairs to determine what will suit your needs. Ideally having a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Equipment Provider involved in this process is highly recommended to help guide you down the right path and make sure you end up with a chair that is right for you!

Manual vs Electric

Generally, the first differentiating factor when prescribing a wheelchair is whether the requirement is for a Manual or Electric Wheelchair. Manual Wheelchairs are the most common types of wheelchairs and require someone to “manually” push the chair. This can be either self propelled or require someone to push the chair. Electric chairs on the other hand are (as the name suggests) chairs that are propelled  by an electric motor.

Standard

Standard wheelchairs are the common “off the shelf” type of chair and generally quite basic and economical. They come with a durable steel frame and standard sizes of 16 x 16, 18 x 18 and 20 x 20inch chairs (the size refers to the seat’s width and depth). These chairs can often be folded but are generally quite heavy and cumbersome due to the steel frame.

Lightweight

In comparison to a Standard Wheelchair a Lightweight Chair is well…much lighter. The main reason for this is that these are made with lighter metals, generally aluminium, titanium or carbon fibre. They are generally used as a transit chair (transport someone from one place to another) and come with castors as opposed to large wheels with spokes and tyres which means you can’t propel yourself and will need someone to propel the chair for you.

The Castors along with the change in metal have a significant impact on the chairs weight and can often be half the weight of a standard wheelchair (Standard chairs are generally~15kgs vs a lightweight chair which weighs ~8kgs if not lighter!) These chair are commonly used in people that are ambulant but may not be able to walk long distances so are ideal for a family member to fold it up and easily lift it into the car.

Tilt in Space

Tilt in space chairs are often prescribed for clients that may spend most of their day in a chair. Tilt in Space chairs have the ability of tilting the entire chairs frame as one solid unit. This means that you can maintain the angles of key joints (hips, knees and feet – Part 3 of this blog will provide more info on seating posture and positioning) and help redistribute pressure to offload the ischial tuberosities (the bony parts of your bottom) to support comfort and reduce the risk of pressure sores from developing as a result of constant pressure due to lack of movement.

Some Tilt in space chairs come with a recline function which enables the chair’s backrest to change position on its own. This is especially helpful in clients with limited hip flexion and can be adjusted to ensure comfort as well as reduce the risk of sliding off the chair.

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Wheelchair Prescription – Part 2: Standardisation vs Customisation

Pimped Up Custom Wheelchairs Meet The Designers

Part 2 – Standardisation vs Customisation

Now that you’ve worked out what type of wheelchair to purchase it’s time think about the next question. Will a “standard off the shelf” wheelchair suffice or do i need to “pimp my ride?”

Well…it really depends on the individual using the chair, the frequency the chair will be used and how the chair will be used.

Some simple indicators may exclude the suitability of a standard chair for example:

Size:

Most standard wheelchairs come in 16/18/20inch x 16/18/20inch. When referring to chair sizes the first number always refers to the chairs width (measurement across someones hips) and the second number refers to the chairs depth (in a seated position measure from the back of the knees to the end of the bottom).  Modifications to chair width and depth may be required as most standard chairs come in common sizes.. It is recommended you speak with an Equipment Supplier such as FIsherlane Mobility or Rehabhire around available customisations on particular chairs prior to purchasing.

 

Frame:

Standard chair frames are commonly made from steel or aluminium. For people looking at lightweight or sports chairs it might be better to look at chairs made from titanium or carbon fiber. Many accessories like wheel rims and foot plates can also be customised to match.

 

Upholstery:

The two most common types of upholstery on wheelchairs are Vinyl and Nylon. They both have their pros and cons. Nylon is more breathable and lighter in weight but can be difficult to clean and is more expensive than Vinyl. Vinyl on the other hand is the cheaper alternative, easier to clean and can be disinfected but not recommended for everyday use as the non-porous material makes you more likely to sweat!

 

Physical ability:

The physical ability of the  user is paramount as this will determine the level of customisation required. For example someone who has sustained a stroke and has limited function in one side of their body can still independently propel themselves with a one arm drive system. One Arm Drive (OAD) Systems like the lever drive or double hand rim enable the user to propel and steer with one arm.

In circumstances with significant physical disability many customisations can be made to a chair. Most people are familiar with Professor Stephen Hawking who suffered from Motor Neuron Disease yet still excelled as a visionary scientist. Check out some of the customisations to his chair below!

 

 

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