Leora talks about OT and ‘unity through community’ with Bloom Healthcare

Happy Occupational Therapy Week!

This year, OT Week runs from 23 to 29 October, with World Occupational Therapy Day held on 27 October.

This OT Week we’re celebrating the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ theme: Unity Through Community.

What does unity through community mean to you? Our Support Coordinator Ivania Choi and Bloom Healthcare’s Sam Smith sit down for a chat about the role of occupational therapy in the NDIS and why having an “open, honest, transparent, collaborative” relationship helps us best serve the people in our care.

Bloom Healthcare has Occupational Therapists across the country and works with care providers like Leora to support NDIS participants.

Ivania: If someone asks you what an OT does, what would you say?

Sam: So particularly in the disability sector, the role of an occupational therapist or OT is very diverse.
So it could be something from completing a functional assessment for a change of circumstances, or the same sort of assessment to help guide a therapy program. It could be the prescription of low, mid or high-cost assistive technology, could be home modifications, it could be any number of therapies to help build functional capacity of the clients we deal with.

Ivania: It’s important because the OT does the functional capacity assessment, and they can look at the overall functioning of our clients and give really objective feedback what kind of support is required.

Sam: Yeah, so Leora has been great to work with and I guess with any any sort of stakeholder particularly support coordination given the importance of the role, it’s really important to have an open, honest, transparent, collaborative relationship of which Leora has been able to do that.

Ivania: I can see that we always have honest discussion about our clients’ needs and what we can do and what we cannot do and that’s really important.

Sam: It’s really easy to communicate when things are going well. But when things are challenging or a report’s delayed, it’s just part and parcel of the role that we do.

So just being able to communicate openly, transparently and working together to achieve the best outcome is really what we’re looking for.

Ivania: What does ‘unity through community’ mean to you?

Sam: So I guess the nature of our role and many stakeholders within the Scheme is that we all need to be working collaboratively together to get the best outcome. And have the willingness and desire to work with multiple stakeholders.

So I guess that whole concept of collaboration with other community partners is extremely important for the people that we ultimately deliver service to.

Ivania: Yeah, definitely. When everyone is on the same page that’s when we can usually deliver better outcome.

Sam: Even just sharing the wins as well! When we get an improvement in function, or someone enters an SDA [Specialist Disability Accommodation] for the first time, or they get a new piece of equipment. Sharing that amongst the group is really important.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Our thanks to Sam Smith for sharing his time and expertise!

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