Community neuro rehabilitation and disability
What is it?
Community neuro rehabilitation and disability is support for people with neurological conditions which takes place in the home or community of the individual.
Why community?
Progress is best made when it takes place in the home and community, doing real-life tasks. This is why most of the therapy we provide happens at clients homes, workplaces, shops, gyms, libraries or outdoor spaces. Whatever the goals are, we encourage working towards these in the environment where they would normally occur.
Why neuro?
We have been focussed on treating neurological conditions since we formed in 1999. It is a complex area of practice due to the nature of many neurological conditions and how it can impact all facets of an individual’s life – from their ability to engage in personal care to their relationships and mental health. Our clinicians all have a special interest and experience in neurological therapy and they enjoy the complex problem solving that community neuro therapy presents.
Our community neuro services
Our Occupational Therapy services
- Personal care
- Domestic tasks
- NDIS Functional capacity assessments (FCA’s)
- NDIS OT Housing Assessments (for recommendations on specialist disability accommodation, or supported independent living)
- TAC OT Review of Capability Assessments
- Providing recommendations of support needs
- Development of carer guidelines
- Implementation of carer training
- Minor home modifications (i.e. ramps, grab rails)
- Complex home modifications (i.e. bathroom or kitchen modifications)
- Home Automations
- Specialised wheelchair and seating prescription
- Commodes and bathroom aids
- Bed and mattress prescription
- Scooter prescription and training
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Implementation of functional upper limb exercise program
- Recommendations on equipment to promote upper limb function
- Assessment of individual pressure care risk
- Recommendations for pressure care management plan, including equipment needs
- Education and resource development for pressure management for family and care team
- Memory
- Attention
- Planning
- Organising strategies
- On and off road driving assessments
- Vehicle modifications
- Public transport training
- Return to leisure based activities
- Sensory assessment
- Trial of sensory modulation techniques
- Individualised sensory modulation plans
- Collaborating with family and other providers (i.e. travel agents and recreational specialists)
- Holiday preparation and itinerary planning
- Reviewing equipment needs, support needs and appropriate accommodation
- Volunteering
- Employment
Our Physiotherapy services
Functional
- Baseline assessment of current level of function, motor control, tone etc.
- 1:1 training of key components/areas of difficulty
- Training of support person/people to complete regular practice
- Provision of home program
- Review of current level of function
- Training of staff/family on best practice manual handling techniques
- Review/recommendations of manual handling equipment or available options
- Assistance with reporting/advocating for purchase of equipment
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Passive Range of motion and Tardieu assessment
- Functional assessment
- Communication with Neurologists, Rehabilitation consultants, GP regarding management recommendations
- Current function/baseline assessment
- 1:1 balance training indoor or outdoor based on skills
- Provision of home and/or gym/pool based exercise programs
- Training of support people/person to support programs
- Regular monitoring of skill acquisition and progression of programs
- Vestibular, oculomotor, gait and balance assessment
- Provision of vestibular rehabilitation and gait/balance exercises
- Regular monitoring of skill acquisition
- Functional assessment and progression to return to activities
- Current function/baseline assessment including mobility, balance, spasticity, motor function, vestibular assessment, visual screening and equipment review, including footwear and home environment
- Gait aid prescription (if required)
- Balance training, provision of home program and training of support person
- Review of falls management plan, floor transfers and equipment needs
- Completion of report/advocating for purchase of equipment
Activity-based
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Aquatic therapy safeguarding assessment/safety plan
- 1:1 or 2:1 Aquatic therapy sessions
- Training of support person/people on safely running the aquatic therapy sessions
- Provision of pool program
- Review and progression of program as required
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Mobility/transfer assessment on/off gym equipment
- 1:1 or 2:1 Gym sessions for provision of exercise program
- Training of support person/people on safely running the gym sessions
- Review and progression of program as required
- Part and repetitive practice of the key components of walking
- Coordination tasks
- Strengthening of weak muscle groups
- Balance training
- Indoor and outdoor walking
- 1:1 training sessions and exercise program prescription
- Completion of baseline assessments
- Provision of HEP and/or 1:1 sessions to target key components of muscle power, speed and agility
- Management of muscle weakness and/or spasticity
- Monitoring of skill acquisition and progression of home/gym programs
- Current function/baseline assessment of motor control, spasticity, high level balance or wheelchair skills
- Exploration of community sports providers or vendors (if required)
- Sport specific training at home or within community setting
- Provision of home exercise/gym program
- Regular review of skill acquisition and progression of program
- Ie. Skiing, swimming, horse riding, cycling, tennis, soccer, football, rock climbing, dancing, rollerblading etc
- Current function/baseline assessment including spasticity, PROM, motor function, cardiovascular assessment
- Trial of home based equipment ie. free weights, thera-bands, balance foam/discs, steppers, mini-exercise bikes
- Trial of larger scale equipment within gym, store setting or home based trial where equipment delivery is offered by the supplier ie. treadmill, exercise bike, motomed/FES, tricycles, bicycles
- Completion of report/advocating for purchase of equipment
Equipment-related
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Trial(s) of gait aid indoors, outdoors and/or in community setting
- Completion of report/advocating for purchase of equipment
- Current function/baseline assessment including spasticity, PROM, motor function, cardiovascular assessment, medical history and fracture risk screening
- Trial(s) of equipment options ie. walkers, supported standing equipment, tilt tables etc
- Completion of report/advocating for purchase of equipment
- Current function/baseline assessment
- MAT and postural assessment
- Provision of recommendations and joint working with equipment specialist and OTs
- Recommendations and trials of positioning supports
- Training of support person/people to implement positioning strategies across 24 hour period
- Completion of report/advocating for purchase of equipment
- Current function/baseline assessment
- Training in skills of self propulsion, weight transference, balance, step/stairs, community access (curb ascent/descent)
- Cardiovascular assessment and training recommendations
- Review of power assist devices
Our Speech Pathology services
Communication
- Comprehensive language assessment
- Client centred therapy, including impairment based therapy and functional input
- Provide information, education and support regarding changes to language (aphasia)
- Comprehensive speech assessment
- Client centred therapy, including impairment based therapy and functional input
- Assessment for neurological voice disorders, including voice changes related to Parkinson’s Disease
- Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT), either in person or via telehealth
- Speak Out Program – therapy for Parkinson’s Disease, either in person or via telehealth
- Including verbal communication, non-verbal communication, pragmatics, social cognition and interpersonal skills
- Comprehensive social communication assessment
- Client centred therapy, including impairment based therapy and functional input
Swallowing
- Comprehensive swallow assessment
- Further referral for diagnostic tests (e.g. videofluoroscopy) can be completed
- Mealtime management plan, made in consultation with client and their family
- Eating and Drinking with Acknowledged Risk (EDAR) education and recommendations
- Assessment to determine suitability for swallow rehabilitation program
- Implementation of swallow rehabilitation programs, if appropriate
- Oral hygiene assessment
- Oral care recommendations and education
- Comprehensive education and training regarding client’s swallow function, risks and recommendations
- Education and training provided to clients, family and friends, as well as support workers
Assistive Technology
- Prescription of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems
- High tech devices including electronic communication devices, as well as low tech such as communication books
- Thorough education and training for the client and their communication partners, through all stages of taking on assistive technology
Activity Based
- Education regarding areas of communication that may impact work / volunteer roles
- Input targeting return to works skills and roles
- Collaboration with multidisciplinary team
- Monthly group, facilitated by multi-disciplinary team
- Opportunity for clients to work on social communication therapy goals in a functional setting
- Monthly group, facilitated by Mandarin speaking Speech Pathologist
- Opportunity for Mandarin speaking clients to target their communication goals in a functional setting