4 minute read
OT and rehabilitation, an obvious match?
When I hear the words occupational therapist and occupational rehabilitation together, it seems an obvious fit. Others may think not. Many times during the 14 years that I have worked in the occupational rehabilitation sector as an occupational therapist, I have found myself explaining or trying to justify to others – whether friends, family or peers – that I have a legitimate occupational therapy role.
I began my undergraduate studies at the University of Western Sydney in 2003 after being awarded an academic scholarship – not in the field of occupational therapy, but podiatry. It was not the right fit for me. Fortunately, six months in, I began to learn about occupational therapy from my peers in combined applied science classes. I liked the diversity the profession provided – even though I had never really heard about it before – in supporting people with not only their physical needs, but also their psychological and emotional well-being.
I wanted to make a difference – to improve people’s quality of life, and increase their independence and feelings of self-worth. This is why the profession appealed to me
I changed course, and after four years of study and a variety of clinical placements, my final placement landed me in a private occupational rehabilitation business where I was fortunate enough to be given a full-time position. I thought I would give the role six months and then move from occupational rehabilitation into an occupational therapy
role in a community or hospital setting. I never did – and 14 years later, I am still working in occupational rehabilitation, loving it, and never looking back or wondering where I would have been otherwise.
When people talk about occupational rehabilitation, it is often related to worker’s compensation: workplace assessments, return-to-work plans and functional assessments. However, there are many more layers to the role.
I have helped people in a vast array of workplace settings, from teachers to nurses, oyster farmers, florists, butchers and plumbers. The role never gets mundane, with a new challenge and problem to solve every day.
I have worked my way from a junior to senior therapist, to a team leader, branch manager and injury management specialist for a large, education-based employer. I have worked within the workers compensation, compulsory third party insurance and NDIS sectors – all complicated systems in which people need support, guidance and help to advocate with doctors, employers and sometimes the Industrial Relations Commission. This is the core role of an occupational therapist in occupational rehabilitation.
When we go back to the basics of occupational therapy, we look at the three activities of daily living: selfcare, productivity and leisure.
Having an occupation helps people shape how they identify themselves. Employment not only provides financial stability, it allows people to feel they are contributing members of their household and community, and provides meaning to their life. Some injured workers quickly shift from identifying themselves with their profession to identifying themselves as injured. It is therefore imperative for occupational therapists to help them see beyond their
injuries, and support them to maintain their identity in the activities of daily living.
Occupational therapists in occupational rehabilitation must have a strong mix of clinical, strategic and negotiation skills. They help employers, too. It is about ensuring that people’s return to their occupation is safe, supported and sustainable, with minimal risk of re-injury.
Supporting clients to a successful return to employment may be the primary goal in this sector, however, it is equally important to explore a person’s goals and provide support in maximising their independence in self-care and leisure. It is about determining how a person’s incapacity in the workplace will also affect their capacities in their home environment and community. It is about determining how productivity links to self-care and leisure, and how each of these core areas equally rely on the other to maintain or improve a person’s physical capacities, independence, psychological well-being and feelings of self-worth.
The Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association believes early referral to a workplace rehabilitation provider for specialist, return-to-work intervention services is one of the most critical factors in helping injured workers achieve a successful outcome (ARPA, 2021). About the author Jessica Moretti has been a practising occupational therapist for 14 years. She is working as an occupational therapist for JK Corporate Resourcing and Changing Ways Consulting. An F45 training tragic, South Sydney supporter and lover of true crime podcasts, Jess is kept on her toes by her wonderful children Ava and Alex.
JK Corporate Resourcing is a member of ARPA in Queensland and NSW, providing workplace rehabilitation services to the injured worker community.
Photo: ©gettyimages /sturti
