Occupational therapy
Our focus is simple: improving your quality of life.
Occupational therapy (OT) is about the everyday things you need and want to do: getting showered and dressed, cooking a meal, getting out into the community, keeping a routine going. Every plan starts with what matters to you, and everything we recommend, from a routine to a power wheelchair, is there to make your days safer, easier and more your own.
We work with you at home, out in the community, or by telehealth.
We see NDIS participants (plan-managed and self-managed) and private clients across metropolitan Melbourne, for both mental health and physical disability.
Functional capacity assessments and reports
Reports that make the case.
Your NDIS plan is often built on what an OT report says, so we put real work into ours. Every report is evidence-based and structured around the NDIA's own funding criteria. Each recommended support comes with:
- the assessment findings behind it;
- the published research that backs it;
- a plain explanation of why it's reasonable and necessary for you.
Who it's for: NDIS participants with a plan review or reassessment coming up, or whose needs have changed, for example after a hospital stay.
What happens:
- We spend time with you at home, and with the people who support you if you'd like them there.
- We use recognised assessment tools, such as the WHODAS 2.0, the Care and Needs Scale (CANS) and the LSP-16, and look at how you manage each part of your day.
- You get a clear, thorough report for the NDIA. It covers your day-to-day function, the risks, and the supports and hours you need to keep building capacity.
We also write:
- progress reports;
- letters of support for equipment, hire and funding requests;
- OT responses for NDIA reviews and the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART).
Assistive technology
The right equipment changes what a day looks like: showering safely, getting out the front door, remembering what's on today.
We've advocated for a wide range of assistive technology for the people we work with, and helped secure funding for items ranging from shower chairs and whiteboards to hoists, ramps and power wheelchairs.
Who it's for: anyone who could be safer, calmer or more independent with the right equipment.
Examples of what we've recommended:
- Bathroom and personal care: shower chairs, compression garments.
- Getting around and transfers: ramps, four-wheel walkers, hoists, power wheelchairs, footrests.
- Safety: falls alarms, seizure monitoring devices.
- Memory, routines and communication: whiteboards and visual planners, smart speakers for reminders, voice amplifiers.
- Sensory: sensory tools.
How we make the case:
- We assess what you need and trial options with you where we can.
- We prescribe the right fit and organise quotes.
- We write a support letter or report that shows the NDIA how the item supports your goals, keeps you safe, and represents value for money.
Our commitment to evidence-based practice. Funding decisions rest with the NDIA. Harmony is committed to evidence-based practice:
- every assistive technology recommendation is grounded in standardised assessment findings, sound clinical reasoning and current peer-reviewed research;
- this makes each request as defensible as possible against the NDIA's reasonable and necessary criteria.
We'll also be upfront about what's likely to be supported under current NDIS rules before any of your plan is spent.
Home modifications
Who it's for: people whose home is making everyday tasks harder or riskier, such as stairs at the front door, a hard-to-use shower, or nothing to hold onto.
What happens: we assess your home and how you move around it, then recommend changes, such as ramps, grab rails or bathroom changes. We provide the reports the NDIA needs to fund them.
Supported living assessments (SIL and ILO)
Who it's for: people exploring or reviewing Supported Independent Living (SIL), Individualised Living Options (ILO) or other home and living supports.
What happens: we look at the support you need across the day and night, and what living arrangement would suit you. We then write the home and living report for your NDIS request, including housing options where needed.
Daily living and routines
Who it's for: people who want more independence with everyday tasks.
What we work on:
- self-care;
- cooking and meal preparation;
- budgeting;
- household tasks;
- getting out into the community;
- building a routine that works for you.
Practical resources written for you, such as:
- meal-prep systems;
- budget planners;
- interest checklists;
- step-by-step guides for meeting new people and social activities.
Mental health occupational therapy
Who it's for: people living with psychosocial disability, or mental health conditions affecting their day-to-day life.
What we work on:
- routines and structure;
- managing burnout and energy;
- getting back into activities that matter to you;
- coping strategies;
- reconnecting with the community.
That can include safety plans, burnout guides and sensory assessments (such as the Adult Sensory Profile), with strategies and equipment to match.
Arman started out as a mental health support worker before becoming an OT, so this work is close to home.
Manual handling assessments
Who it's for: people who need help with transfers, positioning or moving around, and the teams who support them.
What happens: we assess how transfers and handling are done now, identify the risks, and write a clear manual handling plan, including equipment such as hoists where needed. Then we show your team how to follow it.
Carer and support worker training
Who it's for: families, carers, support workers and staff teams.
What we cover:
- safe manual handling;
- how to use prescribed equipment;
- carrying out the strategies from your OT plan, so progress continues between visits.
We can also run training sessions for staff teams in supported living settings.
What to expect at the first visit
- 1. BeforeWe call you after the referral to talk about goals, funding and timing.
- 2. First visitWe go through the service agreement together and get to know how your day works. If an assessment is needed, we start it.
- 3. AfterWe agree on goals and next steps, and let you know roughly how many hours they're likely to take before any larger piece of work starts.
Telehealth
Some sessions work well by video or phone, such as follow-ups, goal reviews and support with routines. We'll suggest it when it suits, and it has no travel cost.
Ready to refer?
Make a referral, or call 0422 144 588.