6 minute read
Building Connections: Development of a Collaborative Resource Centre
Chris Pearce, Managing Director and OT, Occupational Therapy Services Group
As Michelle Bihary identified in her recent Connections article, “Leading to Support Communities”, one of the best ways to support our communities— whether it be clients, professional colleagues, or our professional network—is to be more proactive and influential in our leadership. The Solutions Centre is one such initiative driven by a perceived need for an accessible community resource where suppliers, therapists, students, and service users can collaborate.
As one of the leaders in the WA occupational therapy community, and with established and long-standing networks with the various suppliers across WA, the team at OT Services Group (led by Chris Pearce) designed and envisioned a ‘centre’ as part of its strategic planning and to centralise resources for therapists, suppliers, and service users. After securing sponsorship from four other local suppliers—who are also established, long-standing, family-owned businesses with lived experience in disabilities—our six-month journey of development began in mid-2020 and culminated in January 2021 with the opening of the Solutions Centre.
This innovative community space provides a fresh approach to the WA disability community, with resources for open-minded collaboration, as well as therapy services, information, professional development, social events, community resources, and professional advice to the community at no charge. The Solutions Centre was born from a belief that services and resources for people with disabilities had become decentralised and operationally (or financially) driven, rather than consumer-focused (in particular, as funding for disability services has transitioned to individualised funding under the NDIS). It is designed to enhance consumer experience by centralising innovative assistive-technology solutions for trial, providing resources for therapy service provision, combining community resources, professional advice, and information that is available to everyone, and providing access to all key stakeholders in the WA disability community.
The centre aims to ‘inspire solutions’ through collaboration of stakeholders and by providing displays and demonstrations of conventional and extra-ordinary possibilities. Rather than adopting a showroom model, the Solutions Centre is an inviting, interactive space with innovative assistivetechnology solutions on display–including those found in mainstream marketplaces such as Bunnings or Ikea, as well as specialist assistive-technology options from disability equipment suppliers. The centre encompasses the full range of activities that we complete every day, with areas dedicated specifically to: driving and vehicles; mobility, cushioning, and seating; sensory; home and daily living (including kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom demonstrations); vision, hearing, and communication; home automation and environmental modifications; and lifestyle (including items to assist with participating in social integration, gardening, pets, and sexuality). To date, all visitors have expressed their amazement at having found at least one solution they had not seen or trialled previously. The coffee nook has also been well received and creates a relaxing non-clinical atmosphere.
Located in Malaga, WA (11km north of the Perth CBD), the Solutions Centre sits alongside other specialist, disability assistivetechnology providers and creates a therapy
space that facilitates access to commonly required resources for all users. The founding sponsors–National Trade Supplier (NTS), Wild West Wheelchairs, Freedom Motors (WA), and Emprise Mobility–all bring inspiring assistive-technology options and expertise to the centre. These sponsors generously support the project financially and align with its values, bringing their energy, drive, and belief to the centre’s functions. In addition, other local and national organisations have contributed to combine innovative assistive-technology solutions for enhancing all activities and tasks of daily living.
The Solutions Centre is participant-led and coordinated by a participant of the NDIS, provides a centralised pool of resources (one-stop centre across multiple domains), provides impartial advice from health professionals and participants with lived experience at no cost, includes social activities and events, has an information station, and provides ACROD assessment to community members at no cost. A participant-led visual arts gallery displays hand-crafted items for sale, with all proceeds going back to the artists. In addition, the centre is being utilised for collaborative, hands-on, free, professional development sessions facilitated between suppliers and therapists and offering a different learning perspective for occupational therapists in WA. It is envisioned that the Solutions Centre will develop into a one-stop resource for occupational therapists, suppliers, and individuals who work closely, adding value to our community.
“I believe that the more integrated and collaborative that service users, occupational therapists, and the commercial sector can be, the better the experience and outcome for the service users. The Solutions Centre is our next step in that direction.” – Chris Pearce
The OT Services Group has learnt that although this endeavour has not been easy to achieve, the feedback from participants and providers indicates it is needed and has already benefited many. In the first week of opening, 98 visitors attended the centre or an event (combination of participants, veterans, therapy, and equipment providers), with three professional development sessions completed collaboratively with a supplier and therapist addressing areas of interest (ramping, wheelchair and seating, and driving adaptations). The interest was overwhelming, with additional education sessions now being run monthly. An increasing number of participant trials are also being scheduled daily at the centre.
The Solutions Centre is still evolving, with displays to be expanded and connections with additional providers made to enhance the resources available to therapists and the community. The Solutions Centre currently includes items like the Areolet toilet lift (from the Bidet Shop), which is not available for trial anywhere else in WA! The goal of the centre aligns with the purpose of the OT Services Group: to help people achieve a safe, active, and independent lifestyle. Everyone is welcome to visit and use the Solutions Centre at no cost (competitors and community members alike), with barista-trained students and staff at hand to deliver a coffee of choice while providing professional advice!
The Solutions Centre would not have been possible without the financial support of our sponsors, National Trade Supplier (NTS), Wild West Wheelchairs, Freedom Motors (WA) and Emprise Mobility; the work of occupational therapists at OT Services Group, in particular Chris Pearce, Lois Murray, Marilyn Pearce, Amber Jones, and Ruth Jodrell; other organisations such as Intelligent Homes, For-de Group, Unicare Health, HospEquip, Total Ability, Read at Ease, and the Bidet Shop, who have been enormously supportive and offered invaluable collaboration with therapists and participants; our artists to date, Tony White, Elizabeth Conquest, and Jeff Kealey; Edith Cowan University with inclusion of occupational therapy students; many volunteers (retired occupational therapists, participants, and interested parties); and the WA Division of Occupational Therapy Australia (thank you Erin Clinch!). Lois and Chris will present an abstract on lessons learnt during the development of the Solutions Centre at the upcoming 2021 National OT Conference. We look forward to sharing this information and hopefully inspiring other therapists to be proactive and influential within the health system, or even to consider setting up a similar resource for their community.
LEARN MORE
To find out more, or stay up to date with events or activities at the Solutions Centre, please join the mailing list via www.otservicesgroup. com/solutions-centre.
