SERVICES

How Cairns Occupational Therapy can help you

Reducing risks and optimising function at work and home

Our Occupational Therapists take a holistic approach to the needs of their clients.

Treatment usually involves three stages of care:

Evaluation: The abilities of the client are assessed in the context of work, school, home, leisure, general lifestyle and family situation.
Consultation: Having made an assessment, the Occupational Therapist then talks with the client, other professionals and family members who may be closely involved, in developing a treatment programme.
Treatment: Depending on the nature and length of the program, it may take place in our practice, a hospital ward, residential care facility or at the client’s home or workplace. The goal is to maximise the client's skills for living.

HAND AND UPPER LIMB THERAPY

Our Occupational Therapists have additional skills in Hand Therapy.

We have expertise in evaluating and treating any problem related to fingers, hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, shoulders and arms.

We treat a range of injuries; from post surgical to long-term, chronic and neurological conditions.

The therapist uses their expertise to accurately assess and provide effective therapy programs for conditions such as:

Amputation / Detipping
Arthritis - OA and RA
Burns / Scars
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Tennis Elbow
Crush Injuries
Dupuytren's Contracture
Fractures
Joint Replacements
Soft Tissue Injuries
Sprains and Strains
Tendon or Nerve Injury
Spinal injuries
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson's Disease

Therapy may include:

Wound care - management of open or sutured wounds to prevent infection and assist with healing.
Scar care - management of keloid / hypertrophic (raised and thickened) or hypersensitive scars.
Graded exercise program - individually tailored home programs to improve range of motion and/or strength of affected limb.
Splint fabrication and fitting - for prevention or correction of injury, postoperative care, or conservative treatment.
Preparation to return to work or home responsibilities - training in the performance of daily life skills or work modifications through adapted methods and equipment.
Education - regarding your condition to help you better understand how to help yourself.
Oedema management - it is vital to good recovery to minimise the amount of swelling as quickly as possible. Prolonged exposure to swelling increases the likelihood of stiffness and loss of function.
Pain management
Trigger point release
Sensory re-education / Desensitisation treatment
Use of therapy mediums such as therapeutic ultrasound, low level laser therpy and heat via a wax bath or heat pack.

LYMPHOEDEMA (SWELLING) MANAGEMENT

Lymphoedema / chronic swelling can occur for a number of reasons including treatment for cancer or vascular issues. We offer a range of treatments to manage swelling.

Some indications that you may have lymphoedema include:

A history of damage or trauma to the lymphatic system (e.g. surgery, radiation, scar tissue)
Heaviness or aching in the limb
Difficulty fitting clothes (i.e. one side arm sleeves tighter than the other)
Difficulty fitting shoes
Difficulty wearing rings and watches
Swelling is "pitting" (leaves an indent in the skin after being pressed)

Lymphoedema is often quite distressing when symptoms first appear and is unlikely to improve without therapy management. Having a swollen limb also increases the likelihood of skin infections such as cellulitis, which if left untreated can create systemic problems, make you very unwell and make the swelling worse.

At Cairns Occupational Therapy, we complete a comprehensive initial assessment, taking into account your medical and surgical history, the nature of your swelling and how long your symptoms have been present. We will often work with your GP to create an effective and holistic management plan for your swelling.

We offer a range of treatments for lymphoedema which can include:

Multilayer compression bandaging / Coban2 bandaging to reduce the size of the limb
Prescription of compression garments to maintain the reductions achieved through bandages and to maintain results
Lymphatic massage (Manual Lymphatic Drainage)
Low Level Laser Therapy
Education on self massage and skin care
Education on exercises, central drainage/deep breathing exercises
Wound management

Our Lymphoedema OTs have completed post graduate training in this specialised area of practice and are listed as Lymphoedema practitioners with the Australasian Lymphology Association.

NEUROPATHIC PAIN MANAGEMENT

Our Occupational Therapists have extesnive post-graduate training in the management of Neuropathic / Chronic pain and Pain-system Hypersensitivity. Our treatment is individualised to each client and our work is all one-on-one.

Our goal is to accelerate the patient's return to a productive lifestyle, minimising the impact of complex pain on work, home and leisure activities.

We use a variety of pain management treatments to best suit individual needs including:

Education +++++ using modern pain science theories
Supportive counselling, as mood is often affected and help to learn techniques that can reduce the pain by using our brain's processing power.
Graded Motor Imagery including laterality training, imagined movement and mirror therapy.
Pacing and graded return to everyday activities including the micro-pacing that is often required when pain is problematic.
Therapy to help reduce muscle tightness and increase the slide and glide of nerves.
Task modification to help permit increased function without increasing symptoms.
Reducing the links between movement and pain by utilising lots of different methods.
Desensitisation of skin that is hypersensitive
Very graded exposure to the "just right" amount of movement, touch and use.
Liaison with the treating team to help facilitate the right amount of therapy,exercise and work.

It is complex and individual.

We have a great track-record with helping our clients get back to their usual lives and feeling like "themselves" again.

Lifting assessment during pre-employment screening

HOME MODIFICATION & ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY PRESCRIPTION

Our Occupational Therapists have expertise in prescribing assistive technology / devices that can help you to be more indepedent and safe. We provide home assessments and ensure that the right equipment is prescribed to meet your needs.

This can include home assessments and prescription of assistive devices and trials with adaptive equipment. e.g.

rails
handheld showers
wedges and threshold ramps
lift recliner chairs
adjustable beds
wheelie walkers
pressure relief cushions / mattresses
manual and powered wheelchairs and scooters
battery operated can openers, jar openers, ring pull gadgets
built up grips for cutlery

WORK REHABILITATION AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENINGS

Our Occupational Therapists have expertise in helping injured workers get back to work in a safe and sustainable way. We assess your functional abilities, liaise with your treatment team and employer to organise the right duties for your graduated return to work plan. We are on the Return to Work Panel for WorkCover Qld. Referrals from WorkCover Qld need to be organised by the Customer Advisor at WCQ or employer.

We also offer Pre-Employment Screenings / Functional Assessments in our purpose built assessment room.

NEUROLOGICAL /
COGNITIVE
REHABILITATION

Our Occupational Therapists have expertise in helping clients with neurological conditions such as strokes, head injuries and long covid to accelerate the client's return to a productive lifestyle, minimising the impact of cognitve / perceptual deficits on work, home and leisure activities.

We take a very functional therapy approach and often utilise assessment and treatment models such as PRPP.

OnLINE CONSULTATIONS

What are online consultations?

Online consultations are a dedicated appointment between yourself and your therapist using an online platform over the internet. It can be a good option if you can't make it to therapy due to being unwell and needing to remain at home or if you live remotely and still need to access expcetional care.

Do I need anything special?

You will need to be able to use either your computer, a laptop, a tablet device (such as an iPad) or a mobile phone. If you are using a computer or laptop you just click on the link emailed to you immediately before your session. If you are accessing your online consultation from a tablet or phone, you will need to download / update a free app (ZOOM) so that the session is secure. You will also need stable access to the internet - either by Wifi or cellular data.

What do I get out of it?

There are some great benefits to having online consultations:

Saves you time and money
No need to travel
Feel confident in your progress if you can't attend the practice
Get real-time feedback on how you are going with your home program
Access to the expertise you need
Progression through your therapy program at home with the encouragement and assistance from your therapist
Continue to work towards a timely recovery, even if you are unwell, or can't leave home

Ask questions and your therapist can answer straight away - no waiting for a call back.

What should I expect?

Well, basically the same great service, and passion you would experience face to face! You'll be greeted with a friendly smile, and someone who is ready to listen, help you work towards your goals, and ensure your outcome isn't compromised, despite physically not being able to attend. Now, of course there will be some things we can't do exactly the same, but we have some strategies in place if that happens.

What if I need equipment or supplies?

Don't, worry! We've got you. We will drop off whatever you need to your letterbox or post it to you.

What if I have a question after my online consultation?

Just email your therapist, or our friendly admin team.

Are online consultations secure and private?

Yes absolutely. We take privacy very seriously. We only use platforms and programs that have the best protections, and also take other steps to ensure you feel comfortable, confident and most importantly, safe, during these sessions.