Functional Solutions occupational therapy services

Tomorrow is aged care employee day! August 7th is a chance to say to the more than 500,000 aged care employees who work tirelessly to support over 1.5 million older people receiving care in Australia. To those whom I have had the pleasure to work with, both in residential care facilities and within the community- the industry could not exist without you!

Functional Solutions Occupational Therapy Services We are a mobile Occupational Therapy service primarily based in the Southwest region, so it is fitting that we want our community to age like a fine wine!

Let's Talk About Carer Stress: A Vital Conversation 🗣

Behind every patient's journey, there's often an unsung hero – the caregiver. Whether it's a family member, a friend, or a professional carer, the role they play is indispensable. But amidst the selflessness and dedication, there's a silent struggle that often goes unnoticed – carer stress.

Caring for a loved one, especially someone who is elderly, or has a chronic illness, disability, or special needs, can be emotionally and physically taxing. The responsibilities are immense, often extending far beyond the typical 9-to-5 job. From managing medications to attending appointments, providing personal care, and offering emotional support, carers carry a heavy burden.

The stressors they face are multifaceted. Financial strain, social isolation, and the emotional toll of witnessing a loved one's suffering are just a few examples. Unfortunately, many carers neglect their own well-being, prioritising the needs of their loved one above their own.

Ignoring carer stress can have detrimental effects on both the carer and the person receiving care. Burnout, depression, anxiety, and even physical health problems are common outcomes. Recognising the signs of carer stress is crucial – it could be feeling constantly overwhelmed, experiencing changes in sleep patterns or appetite, or withdrawing from social activities.

So, what can we do to support carers and alleviate their stress?

💖 Firstly, raising awareness is key. By shedding light on the challenges carers face, we can start meaningful conversations and break the stigma surrounding carer stress. Education is vital – providing resources, workshops, and support groups can empower carers with coping strategies and self-care techniques.

💖 Secondly, we need to ensure that carers have access to practical support. Empowering carers to ask for help without feeling guilty is essential – after all, they cannot pour from an empty cup. This could be in the form of respite care services, financial assistance, or flexible work arrangements. and are two organisations that are made available in WA.

💖 Thirdly, fostering a culture of appreciation and gratitude can make a world of difference. Recognising the invaluable contribution of carers – both formally and informally – can boost morale and validate their efforts.

Because when we support carers – we're ensuring better care outcomes for everyone involved.

❗Do you, or someone you know experiencing carers stress? Help is available. For more information, visit:

🔹Carers WA
1300 227 377
www.carerwa.asn.au

🔹Carers Gateway
1800 422 737
www.carergateway.gov.au

We are halfway through the 8 week falls prevention course already! It has been fantastic to see our two groups grow confidence in their balance and mobility in such a short space of time.

Thanks again to the grant from and , our clients have found the sessions very valuable and are keen to keep improving.

Stay tuned for potential further course dates.

https://functionalsolutionsot.com.au

❗️DISCLAIMER: All information provided on social media by Functional Solutions is of a general nature only. Individual health matters and circumstances should always be discussed with a medical professional to determine your needs.

EDIT: after an overwhelming response, we had made adjustments to accommodate double the participants! We have reached capacity of 40 with a waitlist and interest register for future sessions.

The moment Julie and I have been working towards. We are incredibly excited to now be able to have registrations of interest for our falls prevention program starting in April. Please see the poster for more details, spaces are limited!

Advanced care planning... Do you know what this is?
March 18-24 is advanced care planning awareness week.

Advance care planning involves planning for your future health care. It enables you to make some decisions now about the health care you would or would not like to receive if you were to become seriously ill and unable to communicate your preferences or make treatment decisions.

Everyone should consider advance care planning, regardless of your age or health. Ideally, you should start planning when you're healthy- before there's actually an urgent need for a plan.

Advance care planning helps to ensure your loved ones and health providers know what matters most to you and respect your treatment preferences.
- It helps to ensure you receive the care you actually want
- It improves ongoing and end-of-life care, along with personal and family satisfaction
- Families of people who have undertaken advance care planning have less anxiety, depression, stress and are more satisfied with care
- For healthcare professionals and organisations, it reduces unnecessary transfers to acute care and unwanted treatment.

Please take a moment to watch this video and look at this link to see why it's important.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsZ287okI8c

https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/understand-advance-care-planning/advance-care-planning-explained

Love Is Not Enough - Advance Care Planning How well do you know your partner? We put couples to the test. You know their favourite food. You’re pretty sure about their bucket list holiday destination....

Today is World Delirium Awareness Day!

Delirium is the sudden change in your thinking and behaviour.
It is very quick to occur and can last only a few days. Delerium can be caused by changes in your health, such as an infection or a medication change. Delerium occurs frequently in older adults and often it's those who are close to them (family/friends) or who provide care with them that recognize the sudden change.

Things you can do today:
Raise awareness ✋
Educate yourself 📚
Know the signs 👀
Advocate in your communities 📣

Delerium needs to be recognized early and managed properly.
If you would like learn more visit DTA for a FREE course on delirium

Decoding Delirium | DTA Delirium is a serious medical condition producing sudden and often severe changes in a person’s mental function.

Happy International Women's Day! It's a perfect time to celebrate the women in our lives. Sarah from functional Solutions would like to pay gratitude to 3 very important women in her life, Maureen, Amy and Judi! A special mention also to Tamsyn at Virtual Freedom who is the admin brains behind the business!

A little about functional solutions owner and OT Sarah. Sarah has been fortunate enough to call Margaret River home after moving down in 1991 as a young child. She completed both primary and high school education in the area before leaving to complete university education in Perth.

Sarah graduated in 2013 with a master's degree in occupational therapy from Curtin University. She started her career splitting time between working in the hospital system and within community rehabilitation, before finding a passion for working with older adults. Since then, Sarah has worked extensively in residential aged care and in the community for home care packages. She has also worked with people living with progressive neurological conditions under the WA-NDIS funding system.

On her days off, Sarah spends time with her partner, her loved ones and enjoying every aspect of living in the southwest. Sarah lives an active lifestyle and also loves surfing with her friends, you will often hear her infectious laugh from the beach before you spot her in the water.

Sarah loves being an Occupational Therapist and is passionate about providing a quality service to the southwest community that she calls home.

Craig from South West Taxis have confirmed that they now have a Toyota Commuter Wheelchair Assist Taxi in Margaret River!!

What do you need to know?

The hoist system is brand new.

They accept TUSS vouchers and fuel cards as well as standard payments. The TUSS scheme pays for 75% of the cost of the taxi up to a maximum of $35.

The costs for Wheelchair taxis are dictated by Department of Transport – you can find a schedule of tariffs on their web site https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/On-demandTransport/taxi-user-subsidy-scheme-tuss.asp but broadly speaking it is the same as the maxi taxi rate which is around $3.50 per kilometre.

There are no weight restrictions on wheelchairs, and no special requirements. The vehicle is equipped with a restraint system.

To book a cab please ring the South West Taxis call centre on (08) 9752 2730 and advise that you require a WAT.

IMPORTANT: Please try and give a day’s notice where possible.

Hooray! It's time to blow out the candles and celebrate the 1st birthday of Functional Solutions Occupational Therapy Services! 🎂🎉 Thank you to all our clients and providers for their unwavering support and for entrusting us with your Occupational Therapy needs.

Let's continue to be passionate about what we do by providing a quality service to the community. Like our clients, may functional solutions OT services only get better with age!

I am incredibly excited to announce that Functional Solutions occupational therapy services and Julie Ruzich physiotherapy have successfully recieved a grant from Stay on your feet/move your body for 2024.
We are joining our physiotherapy and occupational therapy knowledge together to provide falls prevention exercise sessions in Margaret River!

Julie and myself are very passionate about being proactive in managing falls risks and keeping people in their own homes. Please see the link for the full article and watch this space for more information.
https://www.injurymatters.org.au/stay-on-your-feet/meet-the-stay-on-your-feet-move-your-body-grant-recipients/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Falls%20Prevention%20eNews%20%20January%202024&utm_content=Falls%20Prevention%20eNews%20%20January%202024+CID_1faaf1f2b23ed8dd5640d9e201411c5e&utm_source=Source%20Google%20Analytics&utm_term=Learn%20more%20about%20their%20grant%20projects

After a restful Christmas break, Functional Solutions occupational therapy services is back in the office. Days of availability have increased and there is capacity to see clients all over the Lower Southwest. We are also able to see clients in Nannup, Manjimup and Bridgetown areas.

our services include;
ACROD permit applications
Daily living assistive technology
24 hour postural care
Pressure injury prevention
Manual wheelchair scripting
Gopher assessments
Power wheelchair scripting
Minor home modifications (ramps, rails)
Fatigue management
Falls prevention.
Cognitive assessments
Ongoing therapy to improve function and engage in the community.

www.Functional Solutions occupational therapy services

It's time for a nice break over the Christmas period. Functional Solutions occupational therapy services will be back January 4th, rested and ready for 2024. Thank you to the wonderful clients, care providers, equipment suppliers, friends, family and my number 1 support for this year. Onwards and upwards to continue to work with clients in the community.

It was a great night celebrating OT week with other OT's in the Southwest on Friday. Thank you South West OT professional development group for organising the evening! We are spoilt for choice with so many passionate and skilled OT's in the area. And I agree 100% that google can't do our jobs!

It's OT week! A day is simply not enough time to give a shout out to the profession and the people working in all areas of Occupational Therapy. Happy OT week everyone!

Client Goal: To be able to access the beach again.

This was a great opportunity to link a client to free services within the community, to trial a new piece of equipment and to engage in a meaningful occupation. The Shire of Augusta Margaret River have free hire for a beach wheelchair and beach wheeled walker. If interested, please see the shire website for hire details. Today was a great day for myself and this client as we were able to share something that brings joy to us both.

Referring to a Functional Solutions Occupational Therapist has never been easier.
Click on the below link to complete our referral form and get started today!

Referral Form

On August the 7th we celebrated aged care employee day!!
This is to give thanks to everyone who works in the aged care industry.
I am fortunate to be an Occupational Therapist who works in both the community and in residential care. I see unconditional love daily from carers, lifestyle teams, allied health, nurses, GP's, admin, site managers, home care managers, domestic teams, maintenance teams, contractors and gardeners. It takes a whole community of all skills to ensure the care and safety of our aged care recipients. May we continue to do what we can, with a genuine smile, kindness and always with a sense of humour.

www.functionalsolutionsot.com.au

This. Is. Breathtaking.
Absolutely stunning footage of WA and so many things that resonate with the OT profession! Adaptation, meaningful engagement in valued occupation, making connections, sharing passions and focusing on the ability of a person, not the disability. The talent of Gabi in the water was captured perfectly by the talented drone footage from Jaimen. Please watch and share this fantastic video!

The Art of Adapting I Kitesurfing I Gabi Steindl This is an inspirational must-watch by Gabi Steindl. Featuring Professional Kitesurfer & Solo Adventurer Gabi Steindl, the twenty-first episode of ION‘s “Wri...

Nothing beats a good old equipment expo!

Spending time exploring what equipment is now available not only put a spring in this OT's step, it was also important to see what can be brought into the community so that clients can continue to live at home and age well.

www.functionalsolutionsot.com.au

Here are some ways that you can recognise ANZAC day in residential care or with older adults in the community
1) Make ANZAC biscuits together
2) Listen to a live service, podcast or audio books about ANZAC day
3) Make a wreath using paper or leaves/bushland
4) If appropriate for the person, look up old photos or medals from family who fought for our country and spend time listening to the stories of that person.
5) Complete painting or art that are ANZAC themed.
6) Spend time listening to the person on what ANZAC day means to them and validate all of their feelings.

Lest We Forget...

An ode to the humble shower chair....

You're feeling a little tired and unsteady on your feet
So the doctor says when you wash, that you need to have a seat
Sitting whilst you bathe, shave or even wash your hair.
You decide to look at something, called a shower chair
Off to the shops you go to find something just right
disappointed with the limited choice of powder coated white.
You take your new seat home ready to give it a try
unfortunately there were some details that had passed you by
For the shower space is tiny, the drainage is on a slope
This chair isn't working and you start to give up hope.
There is so much more to this humble item that we talk of here,
It is worth giving an OT 5 minutes of your 'good' ear
Height, weight, transfers and shower size to start
an OT will turn problem solving skills into a fine art
Your OT will suggest options quicker than a flash
Arrange you to trial the item before you pay your cash
There are so many options to choose, its enough to make you dizzy
So leave it to the OT's we love keeping ourselves busy!

Written by Sarah Lindsay 21/04/2023

It's been a fantastic time reading about all of the strong women near and far for international womans day. These are Women whom we know, women we have never met and those who are working hard to raise future strong women. With this in mind, it seems fitting to introduce the face behind the functional solutions name.
Sarah is the friendly face that completes the Functional Solutions OT work in the community. She has been a passionate OT for 10 years and finds the most value in spending time with people in their homes. Sarah has been described as not having a 'poker face' at all and has a raucous laugh. When not working, Sarah enjoys spending time with her partner, her family and her friends. You will often see Sarah walking her dog sonny or surfing (more like sitting on her board chatting)
Here's to all the women working hard to make a difference in their community!
www.functionalsolutionsot.com.au now to see more

There has been many comments around the functional solutions OT logo. I want to take a moment to thank Malcolm Lindsay who came up with the logo! This would not have happened without his creative genius.

Scribbles Illustration