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SOLUTIONS CENTRE NEWSLETTER
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This month we welcome Erin Clinch, the WA Division Manager of Occupational Therapy Australia, to update us on developments within the industry. Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) is the peak professional body representing the interests of occupational therapists within Australia. Comprising over 12,000 members across every state and territory. OTA represents, supports, strengthens and resources the continually evolving occupational therapy profession.
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Providing representation for the profession over the past few months has meant our policy and advocacy team has been busy, lodging ten submissions to governments across areas impacting occupational therapy practice. These submissions generated invitations for OTA to appear before: ✔ The Parliamentary Joint Standing Committees on the NDIS ✔ The Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and ✔ The Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Recent submissions in Western Australia have focussed on a review of the Motor Vehicle (Catastrophic Injuries) Act 2016, informing the development of legislation to authorise restrictive practices within disability services in WA, as well as the WA Primary Health Network needs analysis. OTA continues to lobby for adoption of the inclusion of mandatory minimum accessibility standards in the 2022 National Construction Code (NCC) by all states and territories. Unfortunately, Western Australia has yet to indicate if it will adopt the new mandatory minimum accessibility standards within the new Code. This means that people with mobility limitation in WA will be left behind and face continued exclusion every day. What can you do to help? Email the Western Australia Building Minister Hon John R Quigley LLB JP MLA, and let him know you support accessible housing for ALL Australians. Use the Building Better Homes email template, the process is quick and easy. We are excited to celebrate OT Week from Monday 25 October to Sunday 31 October this year. OT week is an opportunity to celebrate OTs, and educate the broader community on the value that OTs provide. This year's theme of participation, inclusion and independence celebrates the role OTs play in supporting people of all abilities to engage in activities they find meaningful. This year OTA encourages the community to celebrate OT week, whether that be with peers, colleagues, your teams or departments! OTA has put together a suite of digital resources to assist you in spreading the word about OT week. Don’t forget to keep an ear out for OTA’s Stories from OTs being shared as part of the celebrations. To help you prepare, OTA has organised hampers available for pre-order, with packages starting from $50. Now is the time to start planning how you will celebrate OT week, your way, within your community!
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CHOICES, CONNECTION AND SUPPORT
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Last month we quizzed our followers on our socials to see if they knew which wheelchairs were used in which Paralympic event… and the results were quite interesting!
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Just as football, tennis and basketball players wear different shoes, Para-athletes use a variety of wheelchairs in the different sports! We had 284 responses and as a combined group we scored 70% on this spot quiz! Interestingly, most identifiable to everyone was the Wheelchair Tennis chair, with 85% of responses correct! Whereas our Road Cycling chair was least identifiable with only 62% of responses correct.
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So, what really is the difference between these wheelchairs? First, we asked about the Wheelchair Rugby chair – with the most identifiable difference being the wings positioned in front of the main wheels to make the wheelchair more difficult to stop and hold. Also, a really obvious difference is the spoke guard which prevents spoke damage – Yes! If you haven’t had a go at this sport before.. it is quite intense and dangerous.. Originally known as Murder Ball!
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Whereas our Wheelchair Basketball chair includes rear casters for manoeuvrability and a more lean bumper to make the chair lighter for this more explosive and less contact sport! A rounded ring is also normally included in front to prevent chairs from getting stuck when they make contact. Whereas, Wheelchair Tennis does not need features to protect against contact, but rather is longer, with extended wheels in the front that allow the para-athlete to reach out when returning shots.
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In Wheelchair Basketball, athletes sit higher than in a racing chair, with bigger push rims so that the para-athletes stroke length is a lot shorter, as they require quicker hands and explosive power to stop and change directions during Basketball. Meanwhile, everything that has gone into a Racing Wheelchair is designed for straight ahead speed, and athletes have to manage their energy efficiency depending on the distance they are racing. These chairs are much harder to stop once they’re going and have a wider wheelbase with three large wheels.
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Something you will also notice is that there is a lot of variance between chairs in the same sport! Chairs are often customised to the person’s needs and preferences like a racquet, and it is important that the para-athlete is comfortable with the equipment selected!
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PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT This month we took time to sit down with our very own Marilyn & Chris, Directors @OT Services Group, to ask a few questions and get to know them a little better… Congratulations on everything you have both achieved so far! Can you tell us a little about how you both ended up here today? The practice initially began in the spare bedroom of our family home and evolved from many years of Marilyn working as a sole practitioner and subcontracting DVA services. Over the past 18 years, OT Services Group has expanded and changed in-line with healthcare funding changes to provide a range of specialty OT services under different funding bodies. What do you enjoy most about working together? Getting to collaborate and work together with clients is very special to share and we are constantly challenging and learning from each other. Marilyn, were there any similarities between Chris and you as a child? I think we’re both very perceptive – Chris is able to quickly pick up on what is important to someone, and identify what someone’s strengths and limitations may be. He has good interpersonal and communication skills & is able to relate well across the board with people from all different backgrounds/status. I also think, like me, Chris is persistent and will continue to work on a problem until a resolution is reached, considering all options.
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Chris, what is Marilyn like as a mum? Very tough! And she still is! At the same time though she is the kindest, most selfless and compassionate human I know! Marilyn, what is your favourite memory together? When Chris was a teenager we used to do a lot of gardening together, propagating and selling home grown plants at the Sunday markets. Chris adds – we still spend a day together now in the garden when we get a day off!
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Marilyn, what was Chris like as a kid? Full of energy – it took both myself and Chris’ Dad to keep him occupied! He was always doing something. He was very agile and well-coordinated – he could have played any sport at a high level but lacked the passion for sports.Marilyn, when were you proudest of Chris? Every day! But especially when he is happy! I wish he took more time for enjoying life rather than working so many hours… but that is also probably a trait we share! What joint accomplishment are you proudest of? Marilyn answers - establishing our Leeming clinic in 2011 when working in private practice was difficult to sustain, and creating an innovative workplace where everyone is so passionate about working towards achieving the best for our clients. Finally, we have to ask! Who is the better OT? Hahaha… I think our strength over the years has been our ability to compliment each other! We always look at problems quite differently though manage to find some common ground and learn from each other, even today!
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ASK THE TEAM ! Do you have any questions or problems you want our team of experts to help you solve? We're here to help you! Just reply or send us an email and one of our experienced therapists, suppliers & engineers will work together to find you a solution!
This month we did not receive any questions 🤔, but have received a lot of good feedback 😃 about our newsletter. We are very pleased you're enjoying the content and thank each of you who have been reading, contributing and supporting our Solutions Centre Newsletter.
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📣 Join us as the sun sets on OT Week 2021 with our very first Fundraising Quiz Night!! 🎓🎉
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Who will be awarded the 2021 OT Week Quiz Night Trophy?? Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to network with other like minded people, organisations and community groups in the industry! Tickets and tables are limited with plenty of prizes and giveaways on the night! This event is fully accessible ♿️ OT Week 2021 is an opportunity to celebrate Occupational Therapy and promote the awesome work that occupational therapists do across Australia. This year's event will bring together allied health practitioners, students, suppliers & clients to decide who will be awarded the 2021 OT Week Quiz Night Trophy! This event will raise funds for @Break the Boundary Inc., a WA based charity which operates solely on donations, grants & volunteers to provide opportunities to promote participation, inclusion and independence through nature based mountain biking around Australia. 📩 DM us if you’re interested in sponsoring or supporting this event further!
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Intelligent Home Voice Controls Updated. Our home automation demo system was recently updated with a visual sign showing / demonstrating some of the voice controls to adjust climate control, turn on and off lights, open the blinds and much more.
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Confidence Care Packs which include adult wet wipes, bed bath wipes, shampoo caps and perineal treatment gloves. These packs supplied by @HospEquip help clients feel clean and comfortable as well as minimising the risk of skin breakdown and infection.
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Wall Mounted Shower Seat was installed helping people with limited mobility to shower safely while sitting comfortably, using a fold up seat which folds out of the way for convenience. They are specially made out of durable materials and have drain slots so water won't collect on the seat and cause a hazard.
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Coloplast Catheter which showcases a variety of intermittent catheters as well as some indwelling catheter bags and accessories. Having these items on display helps people who are looking for new products to actually see and touch the product before ordering in a safe environment.
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