How Occupational Therapists can support people with disability with ILO

Occupational therapists (OTs) play an important role when it comes to therapy support for people with disability. But did you know, OTs can also play a significant role when it comes to looking at Individualised Living Options (ILO)?

Learn more in this guide.

How OTs can participate in the ILO process

OTs can participate in the ILO process by:

Providing excellent evidence about what type of physical housing you would require when thinking about your ILO.
Helping you work out what kind of support you might need to live in your ILO arrangement, which occurs in ILO Stage 1: Exploration and Design.
Providing ongoing support and capacity-building while you are living in your Stage 2 ILO arrangement.

OTs also provide evidence for the NDIS forms by doing a full functional assessment. This means they spend time with you at home, (or online during COVID-19), and at work, to observe and ask questions. Specifically, your OT will look at how you physically move and what mobility supports you need to be independent. This process takes 10-20 hours and can be taken out of capacity-building funding. NDIS rates are $193 per hour.

Assisting with mental health supports

OTs are also trained in mental health, and some specialise in it. These professionals will look at the type of emotional support you might need to overcome psychosocial barriers and live independently. This might include ways of relating to housemates or hosts, and navigating boundaries.

Providing written evidence

Hireup recommends that OTs provide written evidence to your support Home and Living Supports Request form, and your ILO Service Proposal. We always start with the ILO Operational Guidelines and ask OTs to address some of the key points in them. These include the questions around Exploration and Design (E&D) and how this is related to the NDIA's definition of reasonable and necessary, including:

How is E&D/ILO related to your disability?
How does E&D/ILO help you achieve your goals?
How is E&D/ILO likely to be effective and beneficial for you?
How is E&D/ILO legal and safe for you and any co-residents and supporters?
Is E&D/ILO value for your money?
Is E&D/ILO something we don't expect informal, mainstream or community supports to provide?
How are these other supports included in your ILO service proposal?
Why is E&D/ILO not more appropriately funded or provided by someone else?

We also encourage OTs to consider other options such as:

Remaining in the same place that you are currently in.
Going into Supported Independent Living (SIL) in a group home environment.
Explaining why ILO is likely to be a better fit for you, and produce better whole-of-life outcomes.