Occupational Therapy enables people to perform activities of everyday life. Occupational Therapists call these activities “occupations”.
Occupational Therapy is available across the District and Occupational Therapists work both in hospitals and with people in their homes or community.
All referrals for Occupational Therapy should be through the Community Health Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 or email SNSWLHD-CommunityIntake@health.nsw.gov.au.
Occupational Therapists work with children and adults of all ages and abilities. We help you to perform the occupations that you need and want to do. This could be taking care of yourself and others, going to school, learning new tasks, working, or helping you participate in play, hobbies and interests.
How will our Occupational Therapy help you?
The goal of occupational therapy is to enable you to participate and perform the occupations of everyday life that are meaningful to you.
Occupational Therapy includes assessment of the person, the activity and the environment where the activity takes place. The goal of treatment is to adapt or modify all, or some of those areas so you can perform the activity as easily as possible. Sometimes this can include the prescription of assistive devices and therapy equipment to help you do the activities you want and need to do.
Occupational Therapists work with people who are recovering from injury or illness, or people who have problems performing their activities due to accident or a long term condition. This might include people who have stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease or dementia.
Occupational therapists also help people to manage and live with long-term (chronic) health conditions, like arthritis, diabetes, chronic pain and heart conditions.