Occupational Therapy

At Aligned Allied Health, our Occupational Therapy services are designed to support you to live with more confidence, comfort, and independence — in a way that respects your unique mind, body, and story. We offer neuro-affirming, trauma-informed, and deeply compassionate care, tailored to your goals and the everyday challenges you face.

Our therapists work alongside you (and your family or supports if needed) to build skills, routines, and environments that help you participate more fully in the life you want. We honour neurodiversity, meet you where you are, and move at your pace — with no judgment, only support.

Whether you need help managing daily tasks, sensory needs, mental health, or life transitions, our goal is to help you feel empowered, capable, and genuinely understood.

If you’re ready to feel supported in living your fullest, most meaningful life, our caring occupational therapists are here to help. Reach out today to find out how we can walk alongside you.

Occupational Therapy Services Include

  • Our team of skilled OTs support you in completing:

    • Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA)

    • Supported Disability Accomodation (SDA) Reports

    • Supported Independent Living (SIL) Reports

    • Individualised Living Options (ILO) Reports

    • Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs)

    • Home Assessments

    • Sensory Assessment + Reports

    • Disability Pension Support Report / Letter

    • Department of Housing Report / Letter

    • School Accomodation Report / Letter

    • Letter of Support

    • Funding Support Letter

    • Workplace Assessment + Graded Return to Work Plan (Psychological + Physical)

    • Aids + Equipment Report

    • Medicolegal Report

    • Insurance Report

    • Activities of Daily Living Assessment + Report

  • Our OTs assess your capacity to engage independently in tasks and look to prescribe aids and equipment to support functioning, including:

    • Wheelchairs

    • Shower Chairs/Stools

    • Mobility Aids i.e., Scooters

    • Bed / Mattresses

    • Ramps

    • Stair Rails

    • Rails (i.e., Shower)

    • Sit to Stand Recliners

    • Over-toilet Frame + Toilet Seat Raiser

    • Incontinence Aids + Equipment

    • Routine + Time Management Aids

    • Psychosocial + Stress Management Aids

    • iPad / iPhone / Communication Devices

    • Vision Impairment Devices

    • Home Equipment (i.e., Doorbell, Alarms)

    • Dementia Aids

    • Cognitive Aids + Memory Support

    • Adapted Cooking Utencils

    • Adapted Self-Care Equipment (i.e, Long handled Washer)

  • Our OTs support with minor home modifications including the assessment, drafting and ongoing liaison for:

    • Access Ramps

    • Railings

    • In-home Rails

    • Door Handles

    • Shower Fittings

    • Adapted Stairs

    • Lighting

    • Non-slip Surfaces

    • Accessible Storage

    • Minor Kitchen + Bathroom Modifications

  • Our OTs can complete 6, 8 and 12-week programs for upper limb strength development + ongoing monitoring, including:

    • Assess range of motion, strength, coordination, and fine motor skills.

    • Identify pain, stiffness, weakness, or spasticity affecting the arm or hand.

    • Understand how upper limb difficulties impact daily activities like dressing, eating, writing, or work tasks.

    • Develop easy-to-follow exercise routines to continue progress at home.

    • Set realistic, functional goals meaningful to the client’s life — like being able to button a shirt, cook safely, or return to work tasks

    • Provide strength and endurance training for the shoulder, arm, wrist, and hand.

    • Teach stretching and range of motion exercises to maintain or increase flexibility.

    • Use graded repetitive task practice to retrain specific skills.

    • Integrate everyday objects into therapy to promote carryover into daily life.

    • Develop precision skills for tasks like writing, buttoning, or using small objects.

    • Provide sensory retraining if there’s numbness, altered sensation, or hypersensitivity.

    • Teach desensitisation or protective strategies if needed.

  • Our trained OT can support with scar management strategies including:

    • Assess how the scar affects movement, strength, and daily tasks.

    • Identify any pain or discomfort linked to the scar area.

    • Provide advice on wound care to prevent complications.

    • Explain what to expect and realistic outcomes.

    • Use gentle scar massage to soften tight or raised areas.

    • Teach clients safe self-massage techniques.

    • Apply mobilisation to help tissues move freely and reduce restrictions.

    • Guide desensitisation techniques to reduce sensitivity or discomfort.

    • Use graded exposure to different textures and temperatures.

    • Develop tailored stretching and strengthening exercises to maintain range of motion around the scar.

    • Prevent joint stiffness or muscle shortening, especially after surgery, or trauma.

  • Our OTs can support all individuals in assessing + providing intervention to improve sleep + fatigue levels, including:

    • Explore bedtime habits, sleep environment, daily routines, and stressors.

    • Identify medical, sensory, or lifestyle factors that disrupt sleep or drain energy.

    • Discuss how fatigue impacts work, self-care, family life, and leisure.

    • Provide practical ideas to make the bedroom comfortable — lighting, temperature, and noise control.

    • Complete energy conservation techniques and strategies

    • Provide psychoeducation around sleep hygiene principles

    • Develop tailored individualised sleep hygiene and energy conservation plans

    • Build realistic daily and weekly plans that include enough downtime to recharge.

    • Use planners, reminders, or visual schedules to support routine building.

  • Our OTs support individuals of all ages with their social goals, including:

    • Identify what helps or hinders successful social interactions.

    • Explore the client’s goals for friendship, relationships, or community participation.

    • Practise turn-taking, greetings, and conversation starters.

    • Teach reading social cues like body language and tone of voice.

    • Role-play tricky situations like making new friends, handling conflict, or joining groups.

    • Use sensory tools or calming routines to manage busy environments.

    • Practise mindfulness and grounding techniques to feel more at ease around others.

    • Run or recommend supported group programs or social skills groups.

    • Arrange supervised community outings to practise real-world interactions.

    • Help plan safe, gradual exposure to new settings or people.

    • Support understanding of safe vs unsafe relationships.

    • Practise saying ‘no’ or asking for help if needed.

  • Our OTs support in assessing and strategising ways to improve independence + engagement including:

    • Break down self-care tasks into manageable steps.

    • Practice new ways of doing tasks safely and efficiently.

    • Teach alternative methods to make tasks easier — for example, one-handed dressing or energy conservation techniques.

    • Suggest simple aids like shower chairs, long-handled sponges, sock aids, or non-slip mats.

    • Arrange for installation of minor modifications if needed, like grab rails or handheld showers.

    • Help clients plan daily self-care routines that fit their energy levels and needs.

    • Teach pacing strategies and rest breaks for those with fatigue.

    • Provide strategies for clients who are overwhelmed by certain self-care tasks (e.g. hair washing, teeth brushing for sensory-sensitive children).

    • Provide tools and plans so clients can maintain independence as their needs change.

  • Our OTs can support skill building or physical in-community support, including:

    • Identify personal, environmental, and social barriers that limit participation in community life.

    • Develop practical skills for using public transport, shopping, attending appointments, or joining local groups.

    • Practice real-world scenarios to build confidence (e.g. using ATMs, ordering food, navigating crowds).

    • Teach communication and social interaction skills to help clients build friendships and networks.

    • Provide strategies for handling anxiety or sensory challenges in busy community settings.

    • Connect clients to local activities, clubs, volunteer roles, or interest groups that match their goals.

    • Help clients understand what services or supports are available nearby.

    • Suggest mobility aids, communication supports, or sensory tools that help clients feel safe and capable out in the community.

    • Teach safe ways to handle unexpected situations while out and about.

    • Provide strategies for managing fatigue or sensory overload.

    • Help clients create realistic schedules for regular community participation so it becomes part of daily life.

  • Our OTs support individuals impacted by executive functioning difficulties through:

    • Observe how difficulties show up in everyday tasks at home, school, work, or in the community.

    • Develop checklists, planners, or visual schedules to support organisation.

    • Teach tools for task initiation, like timers or prompts.

    • Introduce memory aids and cues for following instructions or routines.

    • Use repetition and coaching to build habits that stick.

    • Teach methods for managing distractions and staying on track.

    • Use calendars, alarms, or apps to build time awareness.

    • Practise planning ahead for deadlines or appointments.

    • Practise self-talk and mindfulness techniques to reduce procrastination and avoidance.

    • Build self-confidence through success in achievable tasks.

    • Recommend tools like noise-cancelling headphones or fidget aids to support focus.

    • Simplify complex tasks where possible to match current capacity.