Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is part of the multi-disciplinary team of clinicians

Occupational therapists at the RHN provide practical support to our patients and residents to help recovery and try to overcome the barriers preventing them from doing the activities (or occupations) that matter to them. An occupational therapist will consider all of a person’s needs – physical, psychological, social and environmental.

Occupational therapy helps people to carry out the tasks that are necessary to be as independent as possible. These include assessing and practicing activities such as preparing a meal, getting washed and dressed or taking part in leisure activities, such as art.

Occupational therapists work with individual patients, and their families, to assess existing abilities to determine appropriate interventions and management strategies to maximise their potential to work towards goals a person may have to work on.

Occupational therapists can use support, equipment (such as splints) and different methods to find alternative ways of doing the activities which are more difficult because of the challenges of illness or disability.

“She’s no longer a visitor in her own home; she is Jaxx again.”

Jaxx’s mum. With the help of occupational therapy, Jaxx regained many of the abilities she had lost following a road accident.