Frequently Asked Questions
We are fortunate to be in a position to help bring about positive change in the lives of people and the community as a whole.
What do you do?
We have the qualifications, experience and expertise appropriate to provide early intervention rehabilitation management services to help injured/ill people maintain or return to activity.
We assess, coordinate, advocate and organise services and/or equipment that you may need to get back to your daily life following an injury or illness. This involves setting goals and creating rehab plans with you, and communicating with your doctors, therapists, employers, insurers, unions regarding your needs and progress.
Service provision is largely delivered in the community
We identify and designing suitable activities to assist with the overall rehabilitation process
We identify and coordinating rehabilitation strategies that ensure the individual is able to safely perform their activities
We advocate and forge the link between the individual and the community to ensure co-ordination and integration of all involved.
We ensure all aspects that have an impact on an individual returning to activity are understood.
What happens on my first appointment and thereafter?
Your designated RTW Rehab Team Member will contact you to arrange a suitable time and place to discuss your needs and conduct an initial assessment.
We may do other assessments with you depending on the circumstances. Following this, the Team Member will work with you to create suitable goals to work towards, which will then be created into a Plan in consult with all concerned.
For example, if an greed goal is to return to suitable employment, the RTW Rehab team member will help you to either:
- get back to the same or similar/modified job with your same employer
- get the similar or different job with a different employer
The RTW Rehab team member continues to work with all concerned and will meet with you as often as is needed to review your progress and reassess your needs until you achieve your goals.
What happens if I don’t achieve my goals by the date(s) set?
Life is constantly changing and so our plans and goals are dynamic and are adapted to changing situations. Plans are not set in stone – they are used as a tool to guide an individuals progress with an end in sight. Each person’s needs is unique and therefore needs to be addressed in consultation.
Who Pays?
As is the same for another other service provider, RTW Rehab needs to seek approval from the relevant funding body to provide appropriate services.
Who lets my doctor know about where I’m up to with rehab?
It is both the responsibility of RTW Rehab and yourself to keep your doctor informed with your progress and to discuss any concerns you may have. RTW Rehab also consults with those necessary parties (employer, insurer, treating therapists, unions, etc.) on a regular basis to keep them updated with your case.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is a client-centred health profession concerned with promoting health and well being through occupation.
The primary goal of occupational therapy is to enable people to participate in the activities of everyday life.
Occupational therapists achieve this outcome by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.
(WFOT 2012)
Definition Occupation / Work
In occupational therapy, occupations refer to the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.
Occupations include things people need to, want to and are expected to do.
http://www.wfot.org
http://www.otaus.com.au
Reflections on Occupation
Occupation is simple and intuitive to the experience of all humans. . .
- the things we do in our life roles
- the things we do to be who we are
- the things we do to create life and world into all it can become
Occupation / Work is. . .
Subjectively experienced
- to one person the occupation of “shopping” feels like “a real chore”, to another it’s “fun”, to yet another it’s “a chance to relax”.
- Activity can be classified into cultural categories such as “work”, but each occupation is experienced as blend of productivity, pleasure and restoration
Situated in time
- Consider the meanings of a “shopping” occupation for an individual over time –
- shopping for lollies as a kid,
- shopping after a first pay check and
- shopping with a wheel chair for the first time
Definition of Case Management
Case management is a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation, and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality, cost-effective outcomes.
(http://www.cmsa.org/)
A continuum of ongoing
- assessment of need
- planning
- active implementation and
- review of services and re-evaluation
until the end goal is achieved.
What is Injury Management?
Provided by qualified health professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Exercise Therapists and Rehabilitation Counsellors.
It is strategic health planning and management of an injury to recovery.
Can involve one-off services such as workplace ergonomic assessments to comprehensive case management.
