Independent Living Skills Assessments
An independent living skills assessment encompasses various aspects of daily life, focusing on the abilities required to maintain independence and carry out everyday tasks.
These skills cover a wide range of small and large activities, such as personal care tasks like showering, dressing, and toileting, as well as more complex tasks like preparing meals, grocery shopping, and managing household chores.
Total Health Choice provides independent living skills assessments to people at their homes throughout Melbourne.
Independent Living Skills Assessments as a Service
The assessment, known as a functional assessment, comprehensively evaluates the client’s capabilities across multiple domains of daily living. This includes mobility, transfers, sensory needs, mental health, communication, self-care, domestic responsibilities, and community engagement.
Our OTs gain insights into the client’s functional abilities and limitations by conducting this thorough evaluation.
Based on the assessment results, they collaborate with the client to identify meaningful goals, paving the way to develop tailored strategies to enhance independence in specific tasks.
The assessment itself takes approx 1-1.5 hours to complete.
Examples of Independence-Related Goals
Goal: Improve Personal Care Skills
Objective: Enhance the participant’s ability to independently carry out personal care tasks such as showering, dressing, and toileting, ensuring greater self-sufficiency in daily routines.
Goal: Develop Meal Preparation and Cooking Skills
Objective: Enable the participant to acquire cooking and meal planning abilities, empowering them to prepare nutritious and balanced meals independently, and fostering greater autonomy in managing their dietary needs.
Goal: Enhance Community Engagement
Objective: Improve the participant’s social and communication skills to facilitate meaningful interactions with others outside the home, promoting community integration and reducing feelings of isolation.
Goal: Increase Household Management Abilities
Objective: Support the participant in developing organisational skills and techniques to manage household chores effectively, including cleaning, making the bed, and maintaining a tidy living space.
Goal: Improve Grocery Shopping Independence
Objective: Enable the participant to confidently navigate grocery shopping, including creating shopping lists, budgeting, and making informed choices, fostering self-reliance in meeting their nutritional needs.
Ultimately, the assessment and subsequent strategies are designed to empower individuals and promote their self-sufficiency, adapting the approach to suit each client’s unique needs and circumstances.
What to Expect from Total Health Choice
The role of an Occupational Therapist involves addressing various challenges that clients may face in their daily lives.
If the issue is physical in nature, the therapist may recommend assistive devices like wheelchairs or mobility scooters to enhance mobility. On the other hand, if the challenges stem from mental health issues, such as anxiety in crowded places, the therapist may suggest strategies like visiting supermarkets during off-peak hours or having a support worker accompany the client for added comfort and confidence.
Once the functional assessment is completed, our OT compiles a detailed report on the client’s current functionality and outlines personalised recommendations. This report is then forwarded to the support coordinator, who reviews the client’s NDIS plan to determine if funding is available for implementing the therapist’s recommendations.
In cases where additional funding is required, the therapist assists in preparing a separate report to submit to the NDIS to secure the necessary resources.
To ensure that the recommended equipment meets the client’s needs, the therapist may conduct trials with the client. For instance, if a power wheelchair is suggested, the OT arranges a session with the client and an equipment supplier to assess the suitability of the wheelchair in a real-world community setting.
Furthermore, if the client receives approval for the recommended equipment, the therapist provides further training sessions to ensure the safe and effective use of the device. This training may include instructions on operating the wheelchair properly and practising its use in real-life scenarios.
Meet Our Occupational Therapists
Julia OT Team Leader
Yana Occupational Therapist
Gabi Occupational Therapist
Peggy Occupational Therapist
Frank Occupational Therapist
Lee Occupational Therapist
Winnie H Occupational Therapist
Mindy Occupational Therapist
Winnie F Occupational Therapist
Book an Independent Living Skills Assessment Today
We welcome readers to view our staff page and Occupational Therapy page to learn more about our caring clinicians.
- You can discuss your preferences of what clinician you wish to work with
- We are mobile and visit your home
- We are kind and caring
- We are fully Australian owned and NDIS registered
Please use our contact page to get started, we’d love to hear from you!
Contact Us Call Us1800 847 847
FAQ
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How are Independent Living Skills Assessments Funded?
The funding for independent living skills assessments is primarily sourced from NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) clients. Under their NDIS plan, there is a specific category dedicated to allied health professionals, which covers the funding for these assessments.
The majority of our clients are under the NDIS, and their assessments are covered through this funding avenue. However, we also serve private clients who are responsible for covering the cost of the assessment themselves. For private clients, the assessment fee is typically paid out of pocket.
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Can someone receive an Independent Living Skills Assessment in Any Property Type (i.e. living at home, or SIL housing) ?
Yes.
Our main focus is to determine their ability to handle daily tasks independently, whether at their current or prospective homes. We are experienced with NDIS SIL housing. We will help people identify ways to live in their new homes independently.
In this case, we would likely perform an assessment or joint visit at the new property.
Reviews Of Our Occupational Therapy Services
Very happy with Julia’s work. Her report was incredibly detailed, with recommendations that covered all my needs and more supports than I would have asked for. She also provides great follow-up, making sure I get everything I need and know how to use it. Definitely recommended.
Brendon H Client
I am so happy to have a wonderful Occupational therapist Natalie. She is a good therapist who is working with me and my family and helping me with my disability and I can't thank her more than enough for her help.
As I am a veteran, miss Winnie Hui I have found her an excellent therapist and well spoken. She has tried more then her way to support my needs and my health. She is well spoken and above her work. She goes over her way and above to get her result to please myself to get the equipment for my health ,to do daily activities and achieve my goals. We need more people like her in this industry, excellent done.
Winnie is friendly, polite and very good at her job. She has been great help with making me independent
Great experience with OT Julia Caplan who provided advice on our home modifications for our disabled son, along with other useful advice. She knew exactly how to connect with a young adult in a respectful way.
Boz S Client
Thanks to Jojo and the team at Total Health Choice, I was able to finally get the assistance I needed to be able to apply for NDIS. Jojo is very understanding and was able to provide simple solutions for things I have struggled with for years. Her report captured my needs and what was important to me as well as my ability to achieve day to day tasks. Hope to continue working with Jojo when I need an OT.