Frequently Asked Questions

Occupational therapy (OT) helps people of all ages participate in the activities — or "occupations" — that matter most to them. This includes everyday tasks like dressing, cooking, writing, working and socialising. OTs assess and treat physical, cognitive, sensory and emotional challenges that affect a person's ability to function independently and meaningfully in daily life.

OT supports people across the entire lifespan — from newborns with developmental concerns through to older adults managing age-related changes. Country Therapy works with children with developmental delays, adults with disabilities, people recovering from injury or illness, older Australians in aged care, and people with mental health challenges.

Sessions vary depending on your goals and needs. Your first appointment usually involves an assessment — your OT will ask about your daily life, challenges and goals, and may observe you completing specific tasks. From there, sessions typically involve targeted therapy activities, strategy development, equipment trials, home modifications advice, and collaboration with your family, carers or school as needed.

All three are allied health professions, but each has a distinct focus. Physiotherapy primarily addresses movement, strength and injury recovery. Speech therapy focuses on communication and swallowing. Occupational therapy focuses on a person's ability to engage in meaningful daily activities and occupations — it's broader in scope and looks at the whole person in their environment.

No. You don't need a formal diagnosis to access occupational therapy. Anyone who is experiencing difficulty with daily tasks, independence or participation can benefit from OT. A diagnosis may be required for certain funding pathways (such as NDIS), but for private OT you can simply contact us and book directly.

Yes — Country Therapy is entirely mobile. We don't have a clinic that you visit. Instead, our therapists travel to you — at your home, school, workplace, aged care facility or community setting. This means therapy happens in the environment where it matters most, leading to more practical and immediately applicable outcomes.

We service a wide area of regional and metropolitan Victoria, including Ararat, Stawell, Horsham, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Melton and Melbourne's outer western suburbs. Our service area is constantly expanding — if you don't see your town listed, please contact us as we may still be able to help or arrange a telehealth session.

Yes. For clients in more remote areas or those with transport barriers, we offer telehealth OT sessions via video call. Telehealth is particularly useful for consultations, progress reviews, carer education, and certain assessment types. Our therapist Rebecca Atkinson specialises in telehealth delivery.

We offer a wide range of assessments including Functional Capacity Assessments, Home Safety Assessments, Sensory Processing Assessments, Paediatric Developmental Assessments, Cognitive Assessments, Assistive Technology Assessments, Parenting Capacity Assessments, and High-Risk Tenancy Assessments for DFFH. We also provide medico-legal reports for insurance and court proceedings.

Yes. We provide on-site occupational therapy to schools across Victoria — state, Catholic and independent. Our school OT services include classroom participation assessments, sensory processing support, fine and gross motor programs, handwriting intervention, assistive technology recommendations, and teacher professional development. Contact us to arrange a school consultation.

Yes. Country Therapy is contracted with aged care providers and offers on-site OT services to residential aged care facilities across regional Victoria. We also provide in-home aged care support. If your facility is seeking an allied health partner, please contact us to discuss a service arrangement.

Yes. Country Therapy works with NDIS participants. We support participants of all ages — from early childhood through to older adults — under both plan-managed and self-managed NDIS plans.

No referral is needed. If you have an NDIS plan that includes funding for occupational therapy (typically under Capacity Building — Daily Activities or Improved Daily Living), you can contact us directly. We'll ask for a copy of your plan to understand your goals and allocated budget, though this isn't mandatory to get started.

We support NDIS participants aged 0 to 100 and beyond. This includes Early Childhood Approach participants (0–9 years), children and young people, working-age adults, and older NDIS participants. No age is too young or too old for Country Therapy's NDIS services.

We provide a full range of NDIS occupational therapy supports including Functional Capacity Assessments, Progress Reports, early childhood intervention, capacity building for daily living and community participation, sensory and emotional regulation programs, fine and gross motor development, assistive technology assessments, home modification recommendations, and transition planning.

Absolutely. We work closely with Support Coordinators, Local Area Coordinators, plan managers and other service providers as part of a participant's wider support team. We're happy to attend planning meetings, provide progress reports and collaborate on service agreements.

Yes. All NDIS-funded services are billed in line with the current NDIS Support Catalogue pricing. We'll always confirm rates with you before starting services so there are no surprises. Contact us for the most current pricing information.

Yes. You can access OT with a Medicare rebate under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan. You'll need your GP to provide a GP Management Plan (GPMP) and Team Care Arrangement (TCA) — ask your doctor if you're eligible. Once referred, you can access up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year with a Medicare rebate.

Under a Chronic Disease Management plan, Medicare covers up to 5 allied health sessions per calendar year across all allied health disciplines combined (not just OT). These sessions attract a Medicare rebate, meaning you pay a gap fee rather than the full session cost.

Medicare CDM plans are designed for patients with a chronic medical condition that requires multidisciplinary care. This includes conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, neurological conditions, chronic pain, mental health conditions and more. Your GP will assess your eligibility and determine whether a CDM referral is appropriate for your situation.

Better Access is a Medicare mental health initiative that provides rebates for mental health treatment. Eligible OTs can provide Better Access sessions for clients with a mental health care plan from their GP. Ask us whether you may be eligible for Medicare-funded OT under Better Access.

Yes — before your first session you'll need to visit your GP and request a GP Management Plan and Team Care Arrangement referral to Country Therapy specifically. Once we receive your referral, we'll contact you to book your first appointment.

Yes. Country Therapy provides comprehensive in-home occupational therapy for older adults — helping people remain safely and independently at home for as long as possible. We conduct home safety assessments, falls prevention programs, equipment prescription, home modification recommendations and carer education.

Yes. If you have a Home Care Package (HCP) at any level (1–4), occupational therapy can typically be funded through your package. We work directly with home care providers and care coordinators to arrange and bill services through your HCP. Contact your provider to check OT is included in your care plan.

Yes. Country Therapy is contracted with aged care providers and visits residential facilities across regional Victoria. We provide on-site OT including functional assessments, equipment prescription, falls prevention, pressure care recommendations, dementia interventions and manual handling training for staff.

Absolutely — this is one of the most common reasons families contact us. An OT can assess your parent's home environment and functional abilities, then recommend modifications, equipment and strategies that significantly reduce fall risk and support ongoing independence. Early OT intervention often delays or prevents the need for residential care.

A home safety assessment is an OT-led evaluation of a person's home environment to identify hazards and risks — particularly for falls. Your OT will assess lighting, floor surfaces, bathroom safety, stair access, grab rail needs and more, then provide a written report with recommendations for modifications and equipment to improve safety.

Occupational therapy can begin from birth. Early intervention is particularly valuable — the earlier challenges are identified and addressed, the better the outcomes. Country Therapy supports children from infancy through to young adulthood, including under the NDIS Early Childhood Approach for children aged 0–9.

Common signs include difficulty with fine motor tasks (holding pencils, doing up buttons), poor handwriting, sensory sensitivities (over- or under-responsive to touch, sound, movement), trouble with self-care tasks like dressing, difficulty regulating emotions, challenges with attention and focus at school, delayed developmental milestones, or social skills difficulties.

Yes. We work with state, Catholic and independent schools across Victoria, providing on-site OT support during school hours. This allows us to observe children in their natural learning environment, collaborate directly with teachers, and implement strategies that are practical and immediately usable in the classroom.

Sensory processing refers to how the brain receives and interprets information from the senses. Some children are oversensitive (e.g. distressed by certain textures or loud sounds) while others are undersensitive (seeking intense sensory input). OTs use sensory-based strategies and activities — known as a sensory diet — to help children regulate their sensory system and engage more effectively in daily life.

School readiness involves the physical, cognitive, social and emotional skills children need to engage in formal learning. OT can support school readiness by building fine motor skills (cutting, colouring, writing), self-care skills (managing a school bag, eating independently), attention and listening skills, and the ability to follow classroom routines.

Yes — handwriting is one of the most common reasons parents and teachers refer children to OT. Poor handwriting can be related to fine motor weakness, visual motor difficulties, sensory processing issues or poor pencil grip. An OT will assess the underlying cause and provide targeted intervention and strategies.

Download the relevant referral form from our Referrals page, complete it with the client's details and reason for referral, then email it to admin@countrytherapy.com.au. We'll respond within one business day to confirm receipt and arrange an initial appointment. We accept referrals from GPs, specialists, support coordinators, schools, aged care providers and individuals themselves.

We have three referral forms: Medicare (for CDM-plan funded OT), NDIS (for NDIS-funded OT), and Private (for self-funded or other funded OT). Each has a Standard version and a Paediatric version. Visit our Referrals page to download the right form, or contact us if you're unsure which applies.

Yes. For private OT and NDIS-funded OT, you can contact us directly without a third-party referral. Simply fill in a referral form or call us, and we'll arrange an initial appointment. For Medicare-funded OT, a GP referral is required.

We respond to all referrals within one business day. Appointment availability varies by location and current demand, but we work hard to schedule new clients promptly. Contact us for current wait times in your area.

Costs depend on your funding pathway. NDIS-funded sessions are billed at the current NDIS Support Catalogue rate. Medicare-funded sessions involve a gap fee after the Medicare rebate. Private sessions are charged at our standard rate — contact us for current pricing. We are always transparent about costs before services begin.

For NDIS-funded participants, services are billed directly to your plan at the NDIS rate — there are typically no out-of-pocket costs if your plan has sufficient funding allocated. Your support coordinator or plan manager can help confirm what's covered in your plan before we begin.

The Medicare rebate for allied health services under a CDM plan is set by the Australian Government and updated periodically. Your OT session will have a total fee, and Medicare will rebate a portion of this — you pay the gap. Contact us for our current gap fee, or ask your GP when getting your referral.

Yes. Country Therapy has a strong commitment to community and offers pro bono or subsidised services for individuals facing genuine financial hardship. If cost is a barrier to accessing care, please contact us — we'll do our best to help or connect you with the right funding pathway.

Some private health insurance extras policies cover occupational therapy. Coverage and rebate amounts vary significantly between insurers and policy levels. Check your policy details or contact your insurer directly to confirm your OT entitlements before booking.

We operate across regional and metropolitan Victoria, including Ararat, Stawell, Horsham, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Melton and Melbourne's outer western suburbs. Our service area is continuously expanding — contact us if you don't see your town listed.

Yes. Reaching clients in rural and remote areas is central to Country Therapy's mission. We regularly travel significant distances to support regional clients who would otherwise have no access to allied health services. We also offer telehealth for clients where in-person visits aren't feasible.

A travel fee may apply for visits to locations outside our standard service areas or for long-distance travel. We'll always discuss any travel charges with you transparently before confirming an appointment. For NDIS clients, travel is billable under the NDIS Non-Face-to-Face and Provider Travel support items.

Please contact us — we may still be able to help. Depending on your location, we may be able to arrange a scheduled visit, refer you to a trusted provider nearby, or offer telehealth sessions to meet your needs remotely.