NDIS OT Functional Assessment – What Does This Involve?

If you have been accepted into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and/or have recently been provided with a new NDIS plan, chances are it may include funding for an “Occupational Therapy Functional Assessment”.

So, what does this involve?

Essentially, an OT functional assessment focuses on what your goals/hopes are for your future then seeks to identify how you are managing day to day at present and what challenges/gaps need to be addressed in order for you to make progress towards achieving these goals.

Where Do I Start?
The best place to start is to give us a call and let us know where you are at in your NDIS journey. From there we will be able to discuss the most appropriate practitioner to help you.

NDIS Service Agreement
At the initial appointment, your OT is required to provide you with an NDIS service agreement, a document which outlines the following:

• Summary of services to be provided by OT for participant

• Schedule of supports for the OT service, including pricing/cost of service which will come from funding provided in your plan

• Responsibilities of OT service

• Responsibilities of NDIS participant receiving OT services

• Details re changing and/or ending service agreement

• Details re providing feedback, making complaints & addressing disputes

What does an OT Functional Assessment involve?
Sessions may be completed in the clinic or in your home or community environment depending on the challenges/needs identified.

Step 1 – Will usually involve you meeting with your OT to discuss your situation. This may occur in person (either at the clinic or in your home), online via telehealth or via telephone. This conversation will focus on the following areas:

Self care Your OT will explore with you how you are managing with daily tasks such as showering, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene, sleep, nutrition etc to ascertain if you are experiencing any challenges associated with your condition/s and how these may be impacting on you completing these tasks. For example, low mood may make it a struggle to get out of bed and shower each morning, while chronic back pain may make previously simple tasks such as putting on shoes challenging

Home Management
Similarly, your OT will discuss with you how your condition/s are impacting your ability to manage tasks such as meal preparation, shopping, cleaning, laundry, managing the household budget/paying bills etc. They will discuss your living situation and current supports in place and identify challenges you’re are experiencing which may be preventing you living the life you would like to be living.

Work/Study/Vocational Activity
Chronic health conditions can also significantly impact on an individual’s ability to engage in voluntary or paid employment and/or study. Your OT will work with you to identify any challenges you are currently experiencing or if you are not currently engaged in any vocational activity, identify if this is a short or longer term goal and what challenges may need to be addressed in order to assist you in reaching this goal.

Leisure/Recreational/Social engagement
Are you engaged in regular recreational/social activity – either hobbies/interests you pursue at home or groups/activities you attend in your local community such as exercise, craft/art or music groups, attending church etc? How is your condition/s impacting on your ability to engage in these activities? Do you find yourself bored and socially isolated? Do you lack confidence to meet new people/engage in
conversations with others? These are some of the questions your OT may discuss with you in order to ascertain what you would like to be doing and what is currently difficult for you.

Step 2 – Practical Assessment – If particular areas are identified as challenging for you, your OT may request to observe you completing certain task/s to gather further insight into the challenges you face and to assists in making recommendations regarding ongoing support, therapy or possibly assistive equipment (Assistive Technology/AT) that they could recommend to increase your independence. Such assessment may include self care, shopping/meal preparation or catching public transport.

Step 3 – Report & Recommendations
Once your OT has established the challenges you are experiencing and your goals, they will formulate a report which will include a summary of your current function and recommendations for future therapy, supports, assistive technology etc that they feel would assist you to optimise your independence and achieve your goals. This report will then be forwarded to NDIA for consideration when it comes time to review your
plan for ongoing funding of NDIS supports.

If you have any further questions regarding OT Functional Assessments for NDIS, please contact Rebound Health.