Connections - February 2019 by Occupational Therapy Australia

The magazine of Occupational Therapy Australia, the peak body representing occupational therapy in Australia

Print Post Approved PP340742/00147 ISSN 1832-7605

FEBRUARY 2019 | VOL 16 ISSUE 1

Making Connections A Guide to Networking for OTs Strengthening Community Connections in Tonga Connecting with the Evidence for Practice And much moreâ&#x20AC;¦ CONNECT WITH OTA ON SOCIAL @OTAUST

CONTENTS

NEWS

President’s Report

CEO’s Report

Policy, Lobbying & Advocacy Update

Professional Practice & Standards Update

National CPD Update

AOTJ Report

WFOT Report

Connections is a publication of Occupational Therapy Australia, the peak body representing occupational therapy in Australia. Contact us Occupational Therapy Australia ARBN 007510 287 ABN 65 470 069 906 6/340 Gore Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 Ph: +61 3 9415 2900 1300 682 878 Email: info@otaus.com.au Web: www.otaus.com.au Design: Perry Watson Design

FEATURE

DIVISIONS

Making Connections: A Guide to Networking for Occupational Therapists

ACT/NSW Division

NT/QLD Division

Strengthening Community Connections in Tonga

SA Division

VIC Division

WA Division

New Competency Standards: What you need to know 18 What is Palliative Care and Why is it Important for Occupational Therapists? 20

Contributions and Advertising

Disclaimer

Would you like to contribute to Connections, or do you have a product that is attractive to occupational therapists and would like to advertise your product?

This newsletter is published as an information service and without assuming a duty of care. It contains general information only, and as such, it is recommended that detailed advice be sought before acting in any particular matter. The materials included in this newsletter by third parties are not attributable to Occupational Therapy Australia, and are not an expression of Occupational Therapy Australia’s views. Occupational Therapy Australia is not responsible for any printed expressions or views in any third parties’ inclusions. Any enquiries regarding inserts, advertisements or articles placed by these third parties should be directed to them.

Editorial material including letters to the editor, upcoming events, research material, and important information for inclusion in Connections should be sent by email to marketing@otaus.com.au. The editor reserves the right to edit material for space and clarity and to withhold material from publication. Deadlines for submissions Edition April edition June edition

Deadline 22 Feb 26 Apr

Cover image: ©gettyimages/Caiaimage/ Martin Barraud CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 3

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

elcome to Connections for 2019 and to the new year. For this edition our team at Occupational Therapy Australia has asked me to reflect on the theme of Making Connections. I do hope over the summer each of you found a moment to rest and recuperate in the manner that best fits your spiritual and occupational needs. I myself was very lucky to spend my summer break at the beach, walking each day with my feet in the water and taking the opportunity to decompress. My other holiday pleasure is to read and this year two of my Christmas books were focussed on letters. Letters to Santa is a whimsical, sad and bolshy collection of letters that were gifted by leading Australians, with proceeds to the Love Your Sister charity. While To Obama: with Love, Joy, Hate and Despair tells how the Obama administration respectfully read, coded, curated and responded to millions of letters from the American public. Every day Obama read ten letters, which informed his policy, actions and kept him connected to his purpose. I’ve mentioned letters received from members several times in these musings. We don’t receive many, but when we do, they are always passionate insights into member’s concerns. Letters are important connectors between people and ideas. I’m also perennially interested in politics and have read various articles over the summer about our major parties and the upcoming election, with many articles referencing the notion of the Canberra ‘bubble’. The Obama book mentioned it too, with the letters helping everyone in the administration stay connected with the world outside the ‘bubble’. Rest assured that your association will be working hard to connect in Canberra in the leadup to t he 2019 Federal Election as that period presents a strong lobbying opportunity. 4 www.otaus.com.au

On my beach walks I let my mind wander over what I might write in this edition. What might be of interest to you? Unsurprisingly, my reading filtered in and I kept coming back to this notion of a bubble, as it had also come to me in another way recently. I occasionally catch up with occupational therapy graduates who reach out for a chat. Usually it is during a time when that person is seeking a career change—they might be bored with their current role, frustrated with restrictions on what they can do or sometimes it is during a time of crisis when they have lost faith in occupational therapy itself. These are always tricky conversations as I try to listen and give ‘should-less’ advice (i.e. avoiding You should statements). I do try to tease out the connections between what they are skilled at, their passions and the opportunities I’m aware of that are emerging in the various sectors and funding streams. In one of these conversations, the person listened to my brainstorm of ideas and said in reply, “I think I’ve been living in a bubble”. I wonder if we all do? Our work lives are increasingly complex, yet our daily tasks and responsibilities tie us to particular parts of occupational therapy practice. We work operationally with tools and techniques and client groups dictated by funding or policy. Our corner of occupational therapy becomes our frame of reference as we connect with people who do similar things as us, with similar evidence. We attend CPD and conferences that are within our focus area and we improve outcomes for our clients as a result. However, do we simply reinforce the boundaries of our own bubble? As members of Occupational Therapy Australia, one powerful tool we can use to look outside our bubble is through connection.

Angela Berndt, OTA President

We can connect our daily occupational therapy practice to not only our peers doing similar work (for example via SIGs), but to the wider occupational theory community (for example by attending varied streams at the National Conference or reading journals articles or policy statements outside our focus area). By doing so, we connect practice back to core theory and occupational therapy values, staying connected to each other as a large and growing practice community. I invite you to write to Connections and to visit and engage with OTA’s communication streams to share and connect—your passions, your outcomes, your practicebased evidence and your unique occupational therapy stories. However, one of the roles of OTA is to connect us to the wider community. We can’t do everything alone and should not only talk to ourselves! That is a bubble of another form. Your OTA staff work hard to provide direct services to members but also to link our profession to others and to shared opportunities. Many of the portfolio reports you will read in this edition evidence this connecting work. The start of 2019 marks the half way point of OTA’s 2017 – 2020 Strategic Plan, connecting vision to action. It also indicates that very soon it will be time to begin working on the strategy for 2020 and beyond! Remember, you have a standing invitation to participate in the future of your association. Stay Connected. Angela Berndt

CEO’S REPORT

ith a frantic lead up to Christmas (and with all the professional and personal commitments around the festive season), it has been quite a relief to spend time focussing on the year ahead. 2019 is shaping up to be a dynamic year with many opportunities to showcase the work of Occupational Therapy Australia— both the association itself and its members too. It seems fitting then that the focus of this edition is Making Connections. I would like to start the year by acknowledging that the most important connections OTA holds is with our members—with each Occupational Therapist that forms this association. OTA supports such a wide membership base which covers a vast range of professional capabilities, interests, career stages and locations. However, it is through our strength as a national association with our focus on local issues that we can cater to such diversity in the scope of practice areas and interests of our members. Our role as your association is to connect and understand the opportunities and issues that matter most to you. In order to represent you, we need to hear from you. This year we will be introducing new ways of engaging that will enhance the value of your membership and, we hope, allow you to feel more connected to us. Our staff strive to provide members with the streamlined services, timely advice and activities that enable connections and learning throughout your career. As the new year starts, so do new careers! I’d like to extend a very warm welcome to all of our New Graduate members who are transitioning from students to professionals.

Our first “real” job is an exciting time but is not without its challenges. As a member of OTA, remember help is always available. MentorLink, OTA’s mentor/mentee matching service, is a wonderful member benefit and a great opportunity for an exchange of ideas and information. I have always found that as a mentor I often feel like I learn more from the experience than the mentee! I encourage our experienced OTs to give some thought to becoming a mentor in 2019 and giving back to the next generation of your profession. Maintaining and forging relationships and connections requires work—sometimes a lot of work. That is especially true for our Policy & Advocacy Team who will continue to work with our members and with other allied health professions as we build up to the Federal election. Now is an opportune time to re-affirm to politicians the value and benefit of not only the work of occupational therapists but the immense benefit both individual clients, and the community derive from our profession. We rely on you, our members, to provide technical and specialist advice and to help keep us abreast of arising issues affecting the profession. It is through connections and communication amongst members and the OTA team that allows us to be a persuasive voice on your behalf. OTA continues to be an active member of AHPA (Allied Health Professions Association) which allows us to exercise influence with a greater collective voice— working collegiately with other allied health professional associations continues to re-affirm that we have more similarities than differences.

Samantha Hunter, CEO

“I WOULD LIKE TO START THE YEAR BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS OTA HOLDS IS WITH OUR MEMBERS— WITH EACH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST THAT FORMS THIS ASSOCIATION”.

Creating connections doesn’t just happen, it requires commitment and planning. I encourage you to kick start your year by identifying how you will stay connected to your profession. Perhaps join a Special Interest Group, consider sitting on your Divisional Council, signing up for MentorLink or a CPD session or registering for OTA’s National Conference in Sydney from 10-12 July. As always, I value your feedback and ideas. Please feel free to contact me via haveyoursay@otaus.com.au I look forward to connecting with you in the coming months. Sam Hunter

CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 5

P O L I C Y, L O B B Y I N G & A D V O C A C Y U P D A T E

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS OTA’s advocacy work in late 2018 has reaffirmed our status as a key stakeholder in both the health and disability sectors, with the Department of Health and the NDIA looking to consult with peak bodies on important policy reform. Major announcement around eating disorders

NDIA review of therapy services pricing

From November 2019, people diagnosed with severe eating disorders will be able to access up to 40 subsidised psychological services and 20 dietetic services each year. This announcement is an outcome of the federal government’s review of Medicare items pertaining to eating disorders, which is part of the broader Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review.

In mid-December the NDIA announced on its website that there will be a new review of existing price controls and other market settings under the NDIS as they relate to therapy services. The need for such a review arose from the unfavourable reception accorded several key recommendations of the earlier Independent Pricing Review (IPR), most notably tiered pricing on the basis of clients’ ‘complexity’.

OTA joins with other peak bodies in welcoming the introduction of a separate program for eating disorders. Key stakeholders have noted that the ten annual sessions available through the Better Access to Mental Health initiative are not sufficient to address the underlying mental health factors contributing to eating disorders, and successfully treat these conditions. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has said that the program will be funded regardless of who forms government after the next federal election. OTA has sought clarification on whether the new program is inclusive of occupational therapy services, and has been advised that the initiative will be consistent with Better Access. The Department of Health will consult with peak bodies in early 2019 before determining how the program will operate and which providers will be eligible to deliver services.

6 www.otaus.com.au

As part of this new review, on 17 December OTA attended a consultation session with a representative of McKinsey and Co., which is conducting the review. It became immediately apparent that, arguably for the first time, the allied health sector and its concerns are being taken seriously by the NDIA and McKinsey. Some providers have already left the NDIS because of the administrative burden of the work, and others are poised to do so should lower prices render their businesses unviable. This has led to thinning provider markets. McKinsey appears to have concluded that, as OTA made clear at the time of the IPR, categorising clients on the basis of complexity is problematic, and it is now unlikely there will be differentiation based on clients’ complexity. While the NDIA believes differentiation, and the development of coded line items for

particular therapy services, would help it gather and analyse data, the allied health sector is understandably concerned that it could also pave the way for a structure of different prices for different professions and services. Significantly, we were given an assurance that there will be no changes in the prices paid to service providers without a further round of consultation with the professions. OTA, along with all the other professions around the table, made it clear that the new travel arrangements—whereby providers are only subsidised for the first twenty minutes of a journey— are completely inadequate and are forcing providers to cease working with participants in more remote areas. While OTA is delighted to be actively consulted by the NDIA and McKinsey, there is clearly going to be a need for vigilance in 2019—a year of significant change for the NDIS, its participants and its providers.

Inquiry into assistive technology – report released In December the Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS tabled its report from the inquiry into assistive technology. OTA lobbied hard for this inquiry to be established, and it was pleasing to see that we were quoted and referenced a number of times in the report.

P O L I C Y, L O B B Y I N G & A D V O C A C Y U P D A T E

The committee also outlined a number of recommendations that are consistent with those made by OTA, including recommendations 1 and 4: • The committee recommends that the Agency revise the AT information on its website to improve clarity around all aspects of the AT process, and ensure training and guidance is provided to NDIA staff to improve consistency in the information provided to participants, providers and AT assessors. • The committee recommends that the Agency publish criteria of the circumstances which will require the Agency to conduct further assessment beyond that provided by a registered therapist. As part of the inquiry, OTA was asked to appear before members of the committee on 22 November to elaborate on points made in our written submission. Of particular note was the fact that two thirds of the way through the hearing, committee members (i.e. the politicians) steered the discussion away from assistive technology and asked questions around the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission’s requirement that certain service providers undergo a process of certification that involves a prohibitively expensive audit. This was a heartening development because it indicates that MPs are being challenged about this issue in their electorates. OTA was pleased to be

“WHILE OTA IS DELIGHTED TO BE ACTIVELY CONSULTED BY THE NDIA AND MCKINSEY, THERE IS CLEARLY GOING TO BE A NEED FOR VIGILANCE IN 2019—A YEAR OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FOR THE NDIS, ITS PARTICIPANTS AND ITS PROVIDERS”.

able to tell the committee that the issue is indeed a concern, and to ask why one arm of government—the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency—can deem an occupational therapist fit to practice, while another—the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission—can suggest they are not.

Mental Health Australia Parliamentary Advocacy Day November 2018, Canberra By Geoff Lau, OTA MHA Delegate I had the privilege of representing OTA at the 2018 Mental Health Australia (MHA) ‘Parliamentary Advocacy Day’ at Parliament House in Canberra. This day is a large-scale lobbying event coordinated by the peak body for mental health organisations in Australia. Each of the twenty Senators and MPs in attendance met with small MHA delegations (three to four) made up of representatives from various consumer, carer, NGO and professional organisations across the mental health sector. OTA was one of the associations invited to

participate, alongside people with a lived experience of mental illness and recipients of care within the mental health system. As the day also coincided with the announcement of the next federal election, MHA Chair Jennifer Westacott encouraged each of the MHA delegates to draw MPs’ attention to the lack of continuity in health policy as governments transition. Traditionally, the post-election period has led to the erosion of mental health reform, placing safe practice and recovery for mental health consumers at risk. I was allocated an interview with crossbench MP Rebekha Sharkie from South Australia. Unfortunately, due to the ‘crossing of the floor’ of a Coalition MP and the subsequent media frenzy, our scheduled meeting was understandably cancelled. Despite this, I met with her senior advisor alongside two fellow MHA delegates (one representing the national mental health carer perspective and the Continued next page

CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 7

P O L I C Y, L O B B Y I N G & A D V O C A C Y U P D A T E

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS Continued from previous page

other from the Red Cross). Together, we advocated for the following: 1. Standalone mental health policy as part of a federal election platform 2. Addressing the urgent gaps opening up in psychosocial support and community based mental health as the NDIS roll out continues 3. Better investment in mental health programs while the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into mental health is underway Fortunately, amongst the chaos, we were still joined by the Minister for Families and Social Services, the Minister for Health, and the Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health. Here are some reflections of those discussions. The Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Families and Social Services A new psychosocial disability NDIS pathway will progress across Australia with a focus on the recommendations made by MHA. This includes more specialised psychosocial support coordination, and people with a lived experience need to lead the design of interventions. There are only 15,700 NDIS participants with a primary psychosocial disability accessing the NDIS nationally.

“OTA WAS ONE OF THE ASSOCIATIONS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE, ALONGSIDE PEOPLE WITH A LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND RECIPIENTS OF CARE WITHIN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM”.

8 www.otaus.com.au

This is well short of the estimated 64,000 places allocated in the NDIS for people with psychosocial disability. Overall, it is estimated 192,000 people with serious mental illness are without the psychosocial support they need. Over $100 million will be allocated to PHNs to support people either not eligible or yet to access the NDIS. This will include family support services with a focus on children and young people up to 18 years old. There will also be a focus on young people and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) trials in locations such as Headspace. On behalf of our members, I provided positive feedback regarding IPS trials for child and youth, but emphasised the struggle that many adult consumers are experiencing in accessing IPS models due to competing demands. The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Minister for Health A growing concern is the increase in suicide rates, especially in drought-stricken areas. The single largest group to die by suicide are those who have attempted suicide and subsequently admitted to hospital within six months. Historically, federal governments haven’t done enough, so an allocation of $37 million for The Way Back Support Service will target people discharged from hospitals to be tracked by Primary Care. There will be an attempt to normalise mental health in Australia with an expansion of services and research across all age groups and areas including Medicare, Indigenous health, workplaces, schools and aged care facilities. Focussed funding allocations to improve services for people with eating disorders is also a priority, delivering on recommendations from the National Taskforce.

Importantly, there will be an opportunity for our profession to contribute to one of the Productivity Commission targets. That is, the generally under-utilised environment of the ‘workplace’. Initiatives aimed at improving physical health, with a focus on addressing chronic disease, will also receive $120 million through the Medical Research Future Fund. The Hon. Julie Collins MP, Shadow Minister for Ageing and Mental Health The Shadow Minister echoed much of what was stated previously, however she also expressed a commitment to, and passion for, decisions influenced by data and evidence. Her acknowledgement of the significant gaps in mental health data came with an undertaking to enhance this systematically. In summary, key take home messages for occupational therapists are: 1. Politicians are finally talking about physical health and wellbeing, vocational outcomes, housing and early intervention 2. Ultimately, the national concern is the impact of mental health issues on suicide deaths in Australia 3. How do we strengthen the opportunities for occupational therapists to partner with people with a lived experience to provide and measure the impact of our services in a collaborative care approach with various stakeholders?

P R O F E SS I O N A L P R A CT I C E & STA N D A R D S U P D AT E

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING WITH THE EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE Anita Volkert OTA National Manager: Professional Practice and Development New: Evidence Based Practice Position Paper

implications for educators, researchers and Occupational Therapy Australia.

Occupational Therapy Australia has just released its new Position Paper on Evidence Based Practice. The paper outlines the importance of working to the evidence base for occupational therapists, providing definitions, a rationale and key recommendations. These recommendations for occupational therapists include:

With the theme of this issue of Connections being that of “making connections’, I wanted to consider how making connections with other occupational therapists might be a great way to connect with and develop evidence-based practice.

• The expectation that occupational therapists will offer evidence-based practice, and integrate the best available research evidence with clinical expertise, client preference and the practice context. • The expectation that occupational therapists will use their clinical reasoning to integrate information from a range of sources to inform decision making in practice. • The expectation that occupational therapists use the evidence base to set measurable goals and outcomes, and feed back to clients and significant others the effectiveness of the work done. • The expectation that occupational therapists undertake reflection in and on their practice, and seek clarification and advice where necessary. The paper also encourages employers to consider their responsibilities for providing a positive evidence based practice environment for occupational therapists to work in, as well as considering

• Attend a special or regional interest group meeting and discuss recent evidence in your field If you are struggling to engage with the evidence, remember you can access the CINAHL database through your Occupational Therapy Australia membership (under the Member Benefits tab of the OTA website).

“I WANTED TO CONSIDER HOW MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS MIGHT BE A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT WITH AND DEVELOP EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE”.

Is one of the first things you think of when hearing “evidence-based practice” a solitary activity—reading? It’s interesting to note that there is an increasing amount of evidence that tells us that not just reading, but also discussing the research evidence we might all read in solitary, will help increase our understanding, and our ability to apply it in practice. Talking through new research findings, and the challenges of applying them to our usual practice is a great way to think aloud, to hear other perspectives and solutions to road blocks and challenges we might have. Perhaps diary in some time for you and/or your team to: • Begin a journal club, using a recent research article that relates to your work • Discuss a recent case, using a new piece of evidence

Connecting with the History and Future of Occupational Therapy through the Elspeth Pearson Award 2019 Elspeth Pearson (1926-2015) was a member of the first cohort of occupational therapists to be trained in Australia. She became best known for her work as an occupational therapist in psychiatry, working as Chief OT at Larundel Psychiatric, based in Bundoora (one of the largest in-patient psychiatric hospitals in Victoria). During her 25 years at the hospital she developed industrial therapy programs, which provided long stay in-patients with the opportunity to not only be engaged in a work environment, but to participate in social interactions and practice money skills. Continued next page CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 9

P R O F E SS I O N A L P R A CT I C E & STA N D A R D S U P D AT E

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING WITH THE EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE Continued from previous page

Elspeth was also actively involved in assisting in the transition of long stay patients in mental health institutional care into the community and was one of the first to employ an art therapist in the early 1970s. In the mid-1960s Elspeth took up a secondment to Hong Kong at the request of the Victorian government, where the government was seeking the services of an experienced therapist to assist them in developing its psychiatric services. Elspeth was also one of the first awardees for the Victorian Public Service Award for her contribution to psychiatric services.

established an award fund to enable newly qualified occupational therapists and senior (final year) university students to broaden their education or experience within the profession. The 2019 round of the award is now open and I encourage recently graduated occupational therapists (graduated within the last three years) and final year students to apply. Previously unsuccessful applicants are actively encouraged to apply again as well. More information can be found on the OTA website by navigating to the About Us tab and visiting the Association Awards page.

In recognition of her dedication and contribution to her profession, the Pearson family and Occupational Therapy Australia have

SAVE THE DATE OTA is now hosting The Center for Innovative OT Solutions (AMPS) Courses Formerly AMPS Project International, The Center for Innovative OT Solutions is committed to client-centered and occupation-based evaluation tools used to evaluate the quality of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupational performance. OTA is hosting courses in various locations around Australia beginning in Melbourne on 4-8 March 2019.

For more information visit the AMPS page under PD on the otaus.com.au website

10â&#x20AC;&#x201A; www.otaus.com.au

N AT I O N A L C P D U P D AT E

DEVELOPING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS IN ONLINE LEARNING Lindsay Vernon OTA Professional Adviser: Learning and Development

have to confess, in writing this article I got side-tracked delving into online learning and developing an effective online learning presentation for our current and future CPD presenters. Only at the end of the day did I revert back to my original task. However, my exploration into online learning and effective teaching models gave me fodder for this article. Presenters ask me how to ensure their online learning remains engaging when there is no longer the luxury of immediate visual or verbal feedback (i.e. tangible connections). How can we develop these connections and why are they important? Garrison talks about the need for three elements in any teaching environment to ensure, or at least offer the opportunity for students to have a positive learning experience. They are a: 1. Cognitive, 2. Teaching and 3. Social presence (Garrison 2007). When we think about connections, the social arm of this approach may seem the most important. In Garrison’s (2007) model social presence is described as ‘the ability to project one’s self and establish personal and purposeful relationships’. In an online environment we may achieve this through presenting a personal bio (providing some personal information about our hobbies or interests) inviting questions or using strategies to help the group engage with each other (e.g. polls

or surveys). In courses that extend over several weeks or modules we could use strategies that ask participants to find and share resources or invite attendees to join online chat groups or contribute to blogs. However, Garrison goes on to note that without the other two elements a social presence is not enough to sustain effective teaching and/or learning. Garrison, Anderson, & Archer (2001) define cognitive presence as ‘the extent to which learners are able to construct and confirm meaning through sustained reflection and discourse’. This talks to the need for understanding the topic at hand and the desire within students to move from understanding to exploring and applying the information. Online, as much as in a workshop environment, this can be done through case studies, case formulations, personal reflections or group work. We don’t always have to hear someone’s reflections on a topic for them to be of value. It might be sufficient to ask participants to stop and consider their response for a minute or to jot down a couple of high-level thoughts. Teaching presence is the design and intended facilitation of the course. This involves providing boundaries within a course that supports learning but also allowing for individual exploration and the development of skills to explore their own inquisitive questions about a topic. In developing a CPD program fit for workshops, online live and online library purposes, I am constantly aware of the need to be engaging, to be connected to

not only the topic but more importantly the participants. Education literature from preparatory to higher education talk about the need for participants to be involved in the learning—to develop their own learning of a topic from the knowledge base they have. Literature talks about constructive alignment which is:

“HOW CAN WE ENSURE ONLINE LEARNING REMAINS ENGAGING? HOW CAN WE DEVELOP A MEANINGFUL AND PURPOSEFUL CONNECTION AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?” ‘…knowledge as created by individuals through their own experiences and with the support of their cognitive frameworks (Salmon, 2014)’. Back to the original question: How can Zwe ensure online learning remains engaging? How can we develop a meaningful and purposeful connection and why is it important? We can do this by seeking out relevant literature to read and guide our learning/ teaching. We can consider the threepronged approach outlined by Garrison and colleagues. We can utilise interpersonal and intrapersonal skill. And, we can ask Continued next page CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 11

N AT I O N A L C P D U P D AT E

CPD UPDATE Continued from previous page

for feedback (this is important because it fosters a sense of community and attachment, supporting opportunities for deeper learning). It is important for all involved (both facilitators and participants) in continuing professional development to be connected to the learning process. After all, we are all lifelong learners. I will leave you with a quote by Alfred Mercier (a doctor and writer during the late 1800’s) that, for me, embodies the need to provide well planned, skilful education opportunities that foster our innate desire for enjoyment in life. Our need to make connections. ‘What we learn with pleasure we never forget’ – Alfred Mercier References: Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2001). Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education. American Journal of distance education, 15(1), 7-23.

Garrison, D. R. (2007) Online Community of Inquiry Review: Social, Cognitive, and Teaching Presence Issues. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. v11 n1 p61-72 Salmon, G. (2014) Learning innovation: A framework for transformation. European Journal of Open, Distance and ELearning. 17(2), 220-236.

CPD Wrap Up

January brought an opportunity for the team to plan some OTA facilitated training and work on expanding the scope of online resources. In February we delivered 9 workshops, 1 webinar and 2 online series. We kicked off with addressing sleep in children and adolescents—a course that has had a number of requests throughout 2018. Annie O’Connell presented this comprehensive two-day course which covered typical sleep, sleep disturbance, communication, sensory and behavioural strategies. The course addressed sleep

disturbance, positive sleep practices, case studies, developing and monitoring a sleep plan, sleep research results and how to run sleep education sessions. If you missed this course Annie will be presenting with OTA again in Brisbane this September. We also welcomed a new presenter to the OTA CPD program, Sven Roehrs, who delivered a soft tissue workshop in Brisbane. Knowledge gained in soft tissue management can have wide reaching applications for practice including occupational rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, geriatric care and aid working with elite athletes and in the performing arts. Occupational therapists have excellent skills in task analysis which assist in identifying causative factors of occupational injuries. Developing these skills further to identify specific muscle involvement contributes to more accurate diagnoses of the condition and the occupational cause, diminishing the negative impacts of both the task and facilitating focused remediation for the individual.

Direct Gift Recipient Grant – EOI Open The Occupational Therapy Australia Research Foundation is pleased to again be able to offer the opportunity for members of Occupational Therapy Australia to apply for a research grant.

Research output (typically in the form of a peerreviewed journal publication) is expected as a result of completing a project that is funded by this grant scheme.

The aims of the OTARF grant scheme are twofold: firstly, to generate new research knowledge relevant to occupational therapy practice; and secondly, to support the research capacity and career development of Australian occupational therapists.

Expressions of Interest open on 1 February 2019 and are to be submitted by 25 February 2019. Those EOI’s short listed will be adviced by the end of March of the need to submit a full application.

Further details are available on our website: www.otaus.com.au/about/grants 12 www.otaus.com.au

CPD CALENDAR

UPCOMING OTA CPD & EVENTS 2019 March – May 2019 Occupational Therapy Australia is excited about the vast selection of CPD & Events available to Occupational Therapists. Here is a quick overview of what’s coming up. DATE

COURSE

TYPE

LOCATION

1-2

Environmental Home Modifications – The Basics

WORKSHOP

Katoomba, NSW

4-8

Assessment of Motor and Process Skills – AMPS

WORKSHOP

Kooyong, VIC

5-6

Essential & Advanced Manual Handling for Occupational Therapists

WORKSHOP

Silverwater, NSW

Introduction to Home Modifications

WORKSHOP

Brisbane, QLD

8-9

Introduction & Advanced Home Modifications

WORKSHOP

Brisbane, QLD

9“XXX.”

Advanced Home Modifications

WORKSHOP

Brisbane, QLD

14-16

OT for Children: Principles of assessment and intervention

WORKSHOP

Melbourne, VIC

18-19

Leadership for Health Professionals

WORKSHOP

Perth, WA

21-22

Environmental Home Modifications – The Basics

WORKSHOP

Forrest, ACT

23-24

Foundation skills workshop – Introduction to Adult Physical assessment & management xx HOT TOPIC SERIES: The Occupation of Play

WORKSHOP

Banyo, QLD

WORKSHOP

Perth, WA

The Neurobiology of Safety in Autism

WORKSHOP

Melbourne, VIC

3 – 1 (May)

Understanding Stroke Recovery: From Knowing to Doing

ONLINE SERIES

Online

5-6

Introduction to Oedema Management

WORKSHOP

Brisbane, QLD

Positive Behaviour Support and Participation following Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

ONLINE SERIES

Online

HOT TOPIC SERIES: Soft Tissue Conditions: Considerations from a Vocational Rehabilitation Perspective

WORKSHOP

Perth, WA

MARCH

28 APRIL

xxx

MAY

Xxx

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION To register and for further information please visit: www.otaus.com.au/professionaldevelopment

CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 13

F E AT U R E

MAKING CONNECTIONS: A GUIDE TO FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS Mitch Green OTA Digital Marketing Coordinator

he Allied Health professional landscape is changing. Whereas 30 years ago a health professional might look to secure a job for life, today’s generation of professionals can be expected to shift between 12 different jobs over the course of their career1 . That’s a lot of change to navigate through. Strong professional networks help you to not only adapt to changing circumstances, but enable you to find the best application of your skills as you reach your potential.

Why Networking Matters

Think of your career as a building under construction—albeit one that takes decades to complete. Your studies and education help to lay the building’s foundations, while the experiences and skills you develop along the way form the actual building blocks. Your professional network acts like the scaffolding and framework surrounding the building. While the scaffolding itself won’t take your career to new heights, it does provide the necessary supports and opportunities to enable you to do so. Surrounding yourself with a strong, supportive network allows you to: 1. Seek out advice and learn from like-minded peers 2. Stay informed about the latest developments in your practice domain 3. Discover new career opportunities 4. Collaborate on new initiatives and programs 14 www.otaus.com.au

5. Build a series of references to vouch for your skills and achievements

How Should You Connect?

Now you know why it’s important to network, the second stage is learning how to build your network of peers and contacts. That can be quite the daunting prospect—this article wouldn’t exist if it were easy! It isn’t. Like all skills, networking takes time and effort. For those members who are still in the early stages of establishing their careers, the prospect of networking can be incredibly daunting. Particularly if you’ve only just entered the workforce and are simply told to “connect with industry experts”. How do I meet them? What would I even say once I did? Even for seasoned professionals, the process isn’t always an easy one. While your clinical/practice skills may have already been refined and honed over years of CPD and practical experience, networking presents an entirely new skillset to master. One which must be practised and refined like all others.

Where Do You Start?

Well, that’s the easy part! As a member of OTA, you’re already connected to Australia’s largest community of OTs. How then might you go about making these connections to help enrich your professional network? • OTA Conferences. Whether it’s a regional or domain-specific (i.e. OTA’s Aged Care Symposium in Brisbane this month)

conference, large scale conferences provide ample opportunities to not only mingle with other delegates, but to also meet exhibitors and connect with high-profile keynote speakers. • CPD Events, SIGs and RIGs. Workshops and Interest Groups present great chances to meet like-minded peers. Plus, having attended the group/event together, you’ll already have something in common when you first approach them. • Social Media. Whether you discover an online contact through one of OTA’s social pages or as part of a Facebook OT group, don’t be afraid to reach out. Consider simple interactions such as replying back to their comment, retweeting their idea or connecting with them on LinkedIn. • Across the Web. Look for websites/ blogs covering areas of interest to you, or make note of OTs profiled in news

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NETWORKING articles. Either contact them directly or reach out to the publication to express your interest.

Give More Than You Take Once you’ve established that initial interaction, it’s important to nurture the connection. Building networks for the longterm begins with giving more than you take. A simple way to start is by offering the person something without an expectation of reciprocation. It could take the form of offering a compliment on their presentation or sharing an interesting piece of research you’ve seen that they might be interested in. The key lesson here is not to view networking as a zero-sum game. That is, for you to benefit from the relationship, the other party doesn’t have to give up the equivalent amount of time or expertise. A piece of knowledge taken-for-

granted by an expert could completely change a new grad’s outlook on the field. Likewise, the enthusiasm expressed from a passionate student could inspire an academic to approach their research from an entirely new angle. Let’s consider an example. Younis is a final-year OT student who has a younger sibling with Cerebral Palsy and is passionate about helping other children with disabilities reach their potential. But after four years of study, he’s now concerned about securing a position after graduation. Younis looks through OTA’s upcoming event calendar and discovers that a workshop near him is being run by Laura, a senior staff member of Cerebral Palsy Alliance. After the event, Younis approaches Laura and thanks her for the insights shared, and how they will help inform and guide his approach to clinical practice.

That night, Younis finds Laura on LinkedIn and they connect. Younis thanks Laura again for her presentation and shares a piece of interesting research he found online. A week goes by. Laura sees a summer internship program open up at CPA and tags Younis in the comments. Younis thanks Laura for sharing and applies for the opportunity. While Younis’s networking here with Laura is far from a guarantee that he receives the position, it helped him to both discover the opportunity and provided him with something tangible to discuss in the cover letter and subsequent interviews.

Final Thoughts

After identifying influential peers who can help you succeed, you then need to approach and engage those professionals, offering them value in return. Whether that’s through your time, expertise or support, consider what they’ll get out of the interactions too. Some contacts may offer to assist or mentor you out of sheer goodwill (that’s wonderful if they do!), but don’t forget that they don’t owe you anything. View networking not as a transactional exchange, but as a mutual benefit. Successful networkers put the effort in, regularly. It’s no good to send off a single email to a thought leader and expect them to come knocking on your door with the job offer of your dreams. Don’t approach networking from the mindset of what can you gain from them? But rather, what can they gain from you?

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STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IN TONGA Raina Stella Reyes Occupational Therapy Australia Member

n September 2018 I left my work as a private practitioner in Australia to start my one-year volunteer assignment in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, through the Australian Volunteers Program. My partner organisation, Ma’a Fafine mo e Famili, Inc., and its team of four child development workers provide early intervention services to children with disabilities on the island of Tongatapu. Having immigrated to Australia from the Philippines, I have always been interested in gaining a better understanding of how my skills as an occupational therapist can contribute to sustainable change in vulnerable communities, particularly in developing countries like my own. Within the first month of my assignment I quickly learned that my role was not going to be confined to what was in my job description (which was to increase the staff’s knowledge and training in intervention strategies specific to children with disabilities). In fact, our early intervention team is already composed of four experienced, skilled and extremely passionate women who have learned and applied various therapeutic strategies with great success over the 6 years that the program has been in existence.

In Australia, we have long reaped the benefits of interdisciplinary services and multi-sectoral collaboration. In the developing world, however, limited resources, overburdened workers, and socio-political barriers, continue to reduce opportunities for collaboration. This effectively reduces the quality of services that children and other persons with disabilities can access.

However, despite the team’s efforts, there continues to be limited awareness of the program within the local community and amongst different stakeholders. One of the biggest challenges I have faced is encouraging partnership and communication between organisations that appear to be working towards common goals.

I have come to realise that, as occupational therapists, we have a significant role to play in the development sector. As a profession, the value we place on context has served as an important tool in helping me navigate an unfamiliar work environment and adapt to an uncommon role. It has also helped me keep an open mind when analysing the environmental,

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Above and right: The Early Intervention Program Team, composed of Manu Vehikite, Rowland Salt, Mele Siulua and Raina Reyes, conducting a home visit to one of their clients with cerebral palsy who lives on the island of Siasia which is only accessible by crossing a river on foot. Photo Credit: Martian Maroon Photography

“AS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A UNIQUE CAPACITY TO INITIATE AND STRENGTHEN LINKAGES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES—BOTH LOCALLY AND FURTHER ABROAD”.

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Right: The women of Ma’a Fafine mo e Famili, Inc. created posters to educate their local communities on how to prepare for earthquakes, cyclones and tsunamis, which are common in the Pacific. Photo Credit: Graeme Atkinson

cultural and socio-political strengths or barriers that may impact our program. Through this, my team and I have been able to celebrate a few small successes in recent months. First, we presented information about our program to the doctors at Vaiola Hospital (the only public hospital on the island), with the aim of increasing referrals and opportunities for professional development. We also gave a short lecture on the importance of early intervention to the Disability Taskforce, organised by the local Ministry of Internal Affairs which funds our program. Finally, we applied for and successfully received two funding grants from the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation and Australian Volunteers International, which will support us in providing lectures and workshops on various topics (such as healthy eating, hygiene and play) to the parents of the children we work with. However small, these activities will serve as stepping stones to increasing further opportunities for collaboration between

our organisation and others that aim to improve the quality of life of children in Tonga. As occupational therapists, I believe that we have a unique capacity to initiate and strengthen linkages within our communities—both locally and further abroad. I would encourage others to extend their impact, connecting and collaborating to help others reach their potential.

Raina with Manu Vehikite, the Early Intervention Program Case Manager. Manu has been working with children with disabilities in Tonga since the program started in 2012. Photo Credit: Graeme Atkinson

For information on the Australian Volunteers Program, visit: https:// www.australianvolunteers.com/ For information on Ma’a Fafine mo e Famili, Inc., visit: – https://mfftonga. wordpress.com/ CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 17

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NEW COMPETENCY STANDARDS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Ms Julie Brayshaw Chair, Occupational Therapy Board of Australia

he new Australian occupational therapy competency standards (the competency standards) developed by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (the Board) have been in effect for over a month now. The Board expects all occupational therapists to understand and meet the requirements of the competency standards. The competency standards outline professional behaviours that, as an occupational therapist, you should demonstrate to practise safely and ethically. They apply to all registered occupational therapists, whether you work in a specific occupational therapy field, research, education, management or a role that may not involve direct care. The competency standards focus on four conceptual areas of occupational therapy practice:

“THE COMPETENCY STANDARDS OUTLINE PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOURS THAT, AS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, YOU SHOULD DEMONSTRATE TO PRACTISE SAFELY AND ETHICALLY.”

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1. Professionalism 2. Knowledge and learning 3. Occupational therapy process and practice 4. Communication. The competency standards specifically acknowledge the need to enhance your cultural responsiveness and capabilities with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. They also include reference to the integration of evidence, reflective practice, digital literacy and the use of appropriate assistive technology as it is relevant to your practice. The Board developed the competency standards after extensive wide-ranging consultation to clearly benchmark the expected standard of practice for the profession. The Board wishes to thank all the participants for their involvement, including occupational therapists, educators, the Board’s accreditation authority, members of the public and consumers of occupational therapy services, and Occupational Therapy Australia. The competency standards replace the Australian competency standards for new graduate occupational therapists which were previously developed by Occupational Therapy Australia. They have been developed to acknowledge changes in the profession since it first became nationally regulated on 1 July 2012 under the National Accreditation and Registration Scheme.

The Board is producing a suite of tools, including a new video series, to help you understand your obligations. These will be posted on the Board’s website along with more resources to help you understand your obligations. Learn more about the competency standards here: www.occupationaltherapyboard.gov.au/ competencies.

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Standard 1: Professionalism An occupational therapist practises in an ethical, safe, lawful and accountable manner, supporting client health and wellbeing through occupation Standard 2: and consideration of Knowledge and learning the person and An occupational their environment. therapist’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in practice are informed by relevant and contemporary theory, practice knowledge and evidence, and are maintained and developed by ongoing professional development and learning.

Get to know the new competency standards so you can apply them to your practice

Standard 3: Occupational therapy process and practice

An occupational therapist’s practice acknowledges the relationship between health, wellbeing and human occupation, and their practice is client-centred Standard 4: for individuals, groups, Communication communities and populations. Occupational therapists practise with open, responsive and appropriate communication to maximise the occupational performance and engagement of clients and relevant others.

The standards are available to read at www.occupationaltherapyboard.gov.au/competencies. You’ll also find videos and other tools to help you understand and apply the competency standards.

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WHAT IS PALLIATIVE CARE AND WHY FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS? Palliative care provides a support system for people living with a life-limiting condition to live as actively as possible for as long as possible.1 The World Health Organization defines palliative care as an approach to care that supports the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of a person with a life-limiting illness 2 —a definition adopted by the Australian Government National Palliative Care Strategy3 and Palliative Care Australia4.

alliative care may be required either throughout the course of a condition or towards the end of life as the time course or trajectory of life-limiting conditions is highly variable. Similarly, the involvement of allied health professionals depends on individual needs.

wife, a mother to young children, and an active member of the school community. Local community support has raised funds and the OT has arranged the hire and trial of a motorised wheelchair. This helps Jane to mobilise in the community with more ease and feel less fatigued.

As Occupational Therapists, we5 can facilitate progressive adaptation and coping with the challenges of change and deterioration6 across the disease trajectory.7 We can enable participation in valued activities through the optimisation of function and/or non-pharmacological symptom management (such as the relief of fatigue, breathlessness, or pain). It’s important to remember the value of a team approach to support the person, along with their family and carers.

The OT has also helped Jane address anxiety about managing everyday activities at home, identifying new priorities for her such as creating memory boxes for her children. This goal-directed care has helped Jane to continue to participate in the roles and activities that she values.8

Consider the case of Jane who has advanced metastatic breast cancer. Following radiotherapy for spinal metastases, Jane developed back pain and leg weakness and has been told that she may not completely regain her mobility and strength. She is overwhelmed by the recent deterioration and acknowledges that her future is uncertain. An OT member of Jane’s care team has worked with Jane to increase her independence in showering and dressing. The OT has also helped Jane to explore ways for her to keep an active role as a 20 www.otaus.com.au

Jane’s story is an example of how allied health professionals (such as OTs) can contribute to the person-centred care and support of people living with a life-limiting condition.9 Life-limiting conditions10 can affect people of any age. Trajectories of these conditions vary from a rapid death to a slow progressive deterioration over many years. In the above Jane has cancer, a commonly recognised life-limiting condition, but there are others including many common chronic conditions such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and advanced stages of respiratory, kidney and liver disease. Palliative care supports people with a life-limiting condition as their capacity for normal functioning deteriorates and their quality of life and

that of their family and carers is affected. Jane’s story illustrates how palliative care can help a person to remain in the place or community where they feel they belong, enhancing their quality of life11 and dignity.12 A significant number of Australians live with multiple chronic conditions and as they approach their end of life they may also benefit from palliative care.13 Similarly, older people approaching their natural end of life (with or without chronic conditions) may also have palliative care needs. Although their conditions may not be life-limiting, their state of health may be such that they are likely to die in the foreseeable future. The role of allied health professionals in supporting older people is increasingly being recognised, and opportunities for the provision of services and innovative approaches to care are increasing as the Australian population ages. 14 Deciding what is the best approach to providing palliative care and support will depend on the individual’s situation. Keeping up with new treatments, evidence, and best practice allows us as a profession to optimise care for each person. Ongoing professional development and education15 provide us with the confidence and understanding required to work with people in whatever care setting as they approach the end of life.

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IS IT IMPORTANT

“ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION PROVIDE US WITH THE CONFIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING REQUIRED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE IN WHATEVER CARE SETTING AS THEY APPROACH THE END OF LIFE”.

To find out more about the role of occupational therapy in palliative care, you can read Occupational Therapy Australia’s position statement online here: www.otaus.com.au/advocacy/ position-statements.

Contributors:

Susan Gravier, Research Associate, CareSearch, Flinders University Susan trained as a physiotherapist in Adelaide and worked in regional Victoria, Canada and Hong Kong. Having worked on healthy ageing and active ageing projects for many years, she is now a researcher in palliative care. CareSearch and palliAGED are Commonwealth Government-funded online resources that pull together and consolidate evidence-based information and resources into accessible language and formats. CareSearch provides evidencebased palliative care information across the lifespan and across the health system, palliAGED provides that information for the aged care sector. Susan is currently leading the allied health component of the CareSearch and palliAGED Engagement Project (www.caresearch.com.au/ EngagementProject). Dr Deidre Morgan, Lecturer, Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University. Deidre is an Occupational Therapist with a clinical background in acute, rehabilitation

and palliative care. She has thirteen years clinical experience working in specialist inpatient palliative care. Deidre works as a researcher and lecturer at Flinders University, Australia, Discipline of Palliative and Supportive Care and is the inaugural chair of Australian Allied Health in Palliative Care (AAHPC). Deidre’s research interests are around ways to optimise the performance capacity of people at the end of life and how to best support occupational priorities at this time. https://www.flinders.edu.au/ people/deidre.morgan 1

Position Paper: Occupational therapy in palliative care http://www.otaus.com.au/sitebuilder/ advocacy/knowledge/asset/files/21/positionpaperoccupationaltherapyinpalliativecare%5Baugust20 15%5D-occupationaltherapyaustralia.pdf

2 http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/ 3 http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/ publishing.nsf/Content/Palliative%20Care-1#pcs 4 https://palliativecare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/ dlm_uploads/2018/02/PalliativeCare-ServiceDelivery-2018_web2.pdf

smallthings -become-extraordinarilyimportant%E2%80%A6.aspx 7 http://www.otaus.com.au/sitebuilder/advocacy/ knowledge/asset/files/21/positionpaper-occupatio naltherapyinpalliativecare%5Baugust2015% 5D-occupationaltherapyaustralia.pdf 8 https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/ TabId/3781/ArtMID/6000/ArticleID/87/The-Role-ofthe-Occupational-Therapist-in-Palliative-Care.aspx 9 https://www.hospiceuk.org/what-we-offer/ clinical-and-care-support/rehabilitative-palliativecare/what-is-rehabilitative-palliative-care 10 http://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/ detail/palliative-care 11 https://www.palliaged.com.au/tabid/4427/Default. aspxpalliaged.com.au > Practice Centre > Evidence in Practice > Quality of Life 12 https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/ Clinical Practice/PsychologicalSocialSpiritual/ Suffering/DignityConservingTherapy/tabid/600/ Default.aspx 13 https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/ health-conditions-disability-deaths/chronicdisease/overview

5 https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/ tabid/2733/Default.aspx

14 Rahja M, Comans T, Clemson L, Crotty M, Laver K. Economic evaluations of occupational therapy approaches for people with cognitive and/or functional decline: A systematic review. Health Soc Care Community. 2018 Mar 12.

6 https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/TabId /3781/ArtMID/6000/ArticleID/62/When-the-

15 https://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/ tabid/3882/Default.aspx

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NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

A C T/ N S W D I V I S I O N

CONNECTING CAREERS – MEMBER PROFILE: ALISON HARTIGAN

lison Hartigan is an occupational therapist, a Navy veteran, an Army wife, a mother of three and a volunteer as a member of the Occupational Therapy Australia Divisional Council in the ACT. After working as a full-time Navy officer and a part-time Navy Reservist for almost 30 years, Alison (as a mature age student) graduated from the University of Canberra with a Master of Occupational Therapy. She recently commenced working as a Complex Needs Case Manager with Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling

(formerly Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service) in a multidisciplinary Community Engagement Team with Social Workers, Community Peer Advisors and Psychologists. Alison uses the MOHO model, Acceptance Commitment Therapy and discussions of current and future occupations as a way to support veterans and their family members, as they both transition out of military service and during other difficult times in their lives. Alison’s own lived experience as a veteran helps her connect with clients in an empathetic way, while her occupational therapy professional skills enable her to assist clients to:

Trauma Education

• Develop self-management techniques for engaging in their chosen occupations and daily living activities

Dr Leah Giarratano

• Develop an occupational balance to recover or thrive

with

These two acclaimed, highly practical, evidence-based workshops will underpin your clinical practice in this field for both adult and adolescent populations. Each attracts 14 CPD hours and are endorsed by AASW, ACA & ACMHN.

• Access additional resources • Overcome the barriers that prevent their transition and engagement in new occupations Alison believes that her past and current career roles combine well and she looks forward to seeing similar Community Engagement Teams develop across Australia.

Treating PTSD (Day 1-2)

Highly practical (case-based) for treating traumatised clients. Techniques are cognitive behavioral, evidencebased, and will be immediately useful and effective for your clinical practice.

Treating Complex Trauma (Day 3-4)

Based on phase-based treatment for adult survivors of child abuse and neglect. Incorporates practical, current experiential techniques showing promising results with this population. You must have first completed Day 1-2. Offered in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland Leah Giarratano is a clinical psychologist with 23 years of clinical and teaching expertise in CBT and traumatology.

To register, please visit www.talominbooks.com 22 www.otaus.com.au

Alison Hartigan

NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

N T/ Q L D D I V I S I O N

CONNECTING MEMBERS WITH THE QUEENSLAND DIVISIONAL COUNCIL

n behalf of OTA, a sincere “thank you” goes out to Kieran Broome for his dedicated service as the QLD Divisional Chair for the last 8 years. Kieran has decided to step down from the chair role, however he will still remain on the QLD Divisional Council (DC), continuing to provide his invaluable knowledge and experience.

2019 will include a focus on connecting our QLD DC members to all of our members across the state. The work of the DC benefits all members and is something we will be promoting with pride throughout 2019.Your DC members for 2019 are:

The new QLD DC Chair is Kim Walder and the Vice Chair is Sue Smith, who both bring an enormous amount of experience at a Board, Council and Practitioner level.

• Penny Power

• Kim Walder (Chairperson) • Sue Smith (Vice Chairperson) • Anna Young • Kieran Broome

• Jed Townsin • Lachie Pascoe Each member of your DC generously offers their time and expertise to promote the development of occupational therapy in Australia. As role models in their fields of practice, we invite you to connect with them over the coming year. Feel free to share your practice experiences and to work with your DC, using our collective knowledge, skills and leadership to grow the profession together.

SA DIVISION

SUPPORTING PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS

ith the new year truly underway, many of us have set goals, made plans and some of us have even started along new career paths. Whatever your individual journey is within the ever-growing world of Occupational Therapy, you will be making new connections and Occupational Therapy Australia can help support you with this.

Special Interest Groups

In South Australia we have a range of Special Interest Groups you may like to connect with to meet new peers and further explore topics you want to develop your knowledge in. More information on Special Interest Groups is available through: www.otaus.com.au/practicesupport/interest-regional-groupintroduction

Mentoring

Mentoring provides opportunities to make connections either as a mentor or mentee. Occupational Therapy Australia supports this relationship through its MentorLink program. MentorLink is a facilitated mentoring program for occupational therapists, offered as a free member benefit. For more information about the program (and for how to get involved!) visit: www.otaus.com.au/singular-pages/ content-pages/mentorlink

Connecting Online

You may choose to make connections with like-minded OTs via LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. This is another area OTA is able to assist with. Be sure to follow us on these channels to connect with those who have similar interests.

You can also make online connections through our range of Webinars. While there may appear to be fewer attendee interactions within this particular learning format (compared with, for example, face-to-face workshops), you will still gain ample opportunities to connect with the content, considering how it will impact upon your practice and then sharing your learnings with peers for years to come. Occupational Therapy Australia encourages you to make connections not only within your profession, but also across professional boundaries—advocating for the impact of OT in traditional and emerging areas. It is through these connections that we develop and enrich our profession for the better.

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NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

VIC DIVISION

MAKING CONNECTIONS TO ADVANCE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN VICTORIA

TA has welcomed our Victorian members’ involvement in a variety of representation, advocacy and professional promotion activities in 2018. Key to many of these activities has been the connections that our association has made, via staff and member representatives, to enable us to be agile, influential, authoritative, persuasive, and informative as key stakeholders in a variety of situations. Our members have answered our call to respond to one-off requests, such as providing the expert occupational therapy perspective on road safety for seniors for an exhibition at a Seniors Festival event in conjunction with TAC and VicRoads. On the other end of the spectrum, a number of committed bands of members connect regularly to advance our profession’s profile or focus on work to support quality service delivery via targeted committees and working parties. Examples briefly outlined in this article are the Restrictive Interventions & Prescribing AT – OTA Working Party, the OT in Schools Working Party and the Workforce and Professional Issues Committee. In the spirit of this edition of Connections (Making Connections), this article provides a taste of the ways in which our members connected with OTA, and how OTA

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connected with Victorian agencies and stakeholders, to support and advance our profession’s development in 2018. VicRoads On-road OT Driver Testing Project OTA has been involved with two separate VicRoads projects to provide occupational therapy driver assessor expert input into trial development of a standardised on-road OT driving assessment for medically impaired and older drivers, and then to provide specialist occupational therapy input to support OT driving assessors to implement the new standardised assessment guidelines in their practice. Advanced Practice Project – OTA Vic Workforce & Professional Issues (WFI) Committee The Vic WFI Committee has overseen near-completion of a suite of credentialing documents that can be used by OTA members as templates for developing Advanced Practice OT roles. The Committee applied successfully to the OT Trust Fund for a project officer to support this volunteer member-generated work. The templates will be used in conjunction with the Advanced Practice Framework (currently under development by the OTA National Professional Practice and Standards Committee).

Intermediaries Pilot Project – Victoria Department of Justice OTA is a member of an expert reference group to support the set up and implementation of a pilot in the justice system for a new service for children and adults with a cognitive impairment who are giving evidence in criminal hearings. For the pilot, OTs and other allied health professionals act as ‘intermediaries’ to assess and provide professional recommendations to police and the judiciary to assist the communication process. VicRoads Disability Parking Permit Eligibility Reference Group The OTA Victorian Division Manager represented OTA on a VicRoads reference group focused on reviewing the eligibility criteria for disability parking permits in Victoria. “Nature is Good Medicine” and OT OTA was invited amongst a select group to attend the “Nature is Good Medicine Summit” at Melbourne Zoo. Nature as ‘prescriptions’ and therapeutic use of the natural environment were discussed at the summit. Following this, OTA was selected to be invited to be involved in one of three pilot projects to be conducted in 2019 in collaboration with Parks Victoria.

NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

“KEY TO MANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES HAS BEEN THE CONNECTIONS THAT OUR ASSOCIATION HAS MADE, VIA STAFF AND MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES...”

Restrictive Interventions & Prescribing AT – OTA Working Party. OTA and the Vic Office of Professional Practice have identified the need for support for clinicians who prescribe AT and other devices to ensure that they are considering issues around mechanical restraint as they prescribe (following the implementation of the restrictive practices framework in Vic). Eight OTA members responded to a call to be involved in a working party that is developing an issues paper for the OTA Board and members, leading to a resource to support OTs. OT in Schools Working Party OTA member volunteers, supported by an OT student evidence review project, are working together to develop evidence outlining the value and role of OT in schools. This work is implemented in the working party’s lobbying activities to the Department of Education (DET) towards a recommended model of DET employed and private practice OTs to work in school settings. Vic DHHS Mental Health Workforce Project Group OTA and a member representative were invited to be members of a Vic DHHS reference group which aims to support growth and development of disciplines in areas of need for mental health services

in Victoria. The work focuses on workforce planning (informed by routine workforce data collection) to highlight where development and growth need to be focused. VicRoads Older Road User Reference Group An OTA member (and OT driving assessor) volunteered to be the OTA representative on a VicRoads reference group aimed at exploring issues for older road users (drivers, scooter users and pedestrians) in Victoria. After one meeting in 2018, this group will meet again in 2019. Victoria Seniors Festival Event OTA partnered with the TAC and VicRoads for a Seniors Festival event focused on road safety & community mobility. Three OT Driving assessor members represented the profession to provide expert advice about driving and road safety for seniors at three separate Victoria Seniors Festival events. Community Mobility for Older People Scoping Project OTA secured TAC funding to conduct a scoping review of programs in Victoria, Australia and overseas that support safe mobility for seniors in the community. Recommendations were made to the TAC in mid-2018 for an OT-led, evidence-based program to be implemented in Victoria.

SWEP & NDIS – Support for AT Prescription OTA and the Victorian branch of the APA (Physio Association) collaborated to bring together the Director of AT for the NDIS and the Chief Allied Health officer for SWEP to provide information for therapists struggling with the dual systems in Victoria. Victoria State Election – Positioning OT in Major Parties’ Policy Platforms Following OTA’s pre-election communications with the major political parties, members were informed of policy commitments from Labor and the Liberal/ Nationals Coalition to key issues important to OT. OTA’s Victoria Division wishes to thank all of the volunteers who have forged important connections via their involvement in these and other activities for the profession. We invite members to contact OTA’s Victoria Division at info.vic@otaus. com.au for more information about the activities described in this article that may be of interest, as much of this work continues in to 2019!

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NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

WA DIVISION

NEW HOT TOPIC SERIES COMING TO WA

he year ahead is an exciting one for WA members and I am pleased to announce that we already have a variety of opportunities on our calendar to help you make and foster connections—both new old! Our CPD calendar is filling up fast with a variety of new workshops across various practice areas and this is in addition to showcasing Western Australian OTs through our hot topic series (more on that below). Attending CPD events is more than just accumulating points. They are opportunities to meet your fellow OTs, reconnect with your peers (we all know how small Perth is!) and share knowledge to enhance our collective learning.

Our Interest Group meetings are designed to promote peer interactions, so I hope I get to see you at these events throughout 2019. I also encourage you to read the OTA communications that come your way, either through e-nOTices, Connections, social media or on email—these are all full of information rich content, highlighting additional ways to stay connected. This year the WA Division is working on an Academic and Clinician Taskforce. The taskforce aims to understand the landscape in WA, propose pathways and identify opportunities to meet the need of collaborative approaches for clinicians and academics to share their knowledge (particularly in changing, new and emerging areas). I look forward to bringing you updates on this across the year. Your WA Division is also bringing together conveners of interest groups in WA to offer support, guidance and planning assistance. The aim here is to ensure conveners are well supported to provide you with informative and relevant interest group meetings.

Get around with Scooters Australia

Through the divisional council we are also exploring key advocacy issues for 2019. Should you have particular issues to raise, I encourage you to contact myself or your chair, Felicity Beaulieu. We can be contacted on mgr.wa@otaus.com.au or ChairWA@otaus.com.au

Introducing WA Division’s New Hot Topic Series for 2019

In addition to a variety of new and interesting workshops for 2019, the WA Division will be showcasing Western Australia’s Occupational Therapists and their knowledge through the new Hot Topic Series. The series will strengthen community connections by partnering with local organisations such as the Independent Living Centre and Developmental OT WA, as well as respected presenters Roisin Sullivan and Sue McCabe.

• Portable travel scooters, hill climbers and everyday scooters • Big savings on used and demos • Trade-ins accepted

26 www.otaus.com.au

SCA33003

FREE home demo, call 1300 622 633 www.scootersAus.com.au

The series will compose of 2–2.5 hour information sessions that delve into topics relevant for your practice. Coming up across the year, the series will feature topics on smart technologies, sleep interventions, the occupation of play, soft tissue and more. Visit the PD section of the OTA website to find out more. Lea Rawlings, OTA WA Division Manager

A O TJ R E P O R T

AUTHORS SUBMITTING TO SCHOLAR ONE – “FINESSED” RATHER THAN FINISHED Professor Anne Cusick Editor in Chief, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal

hen authors submit to the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, a milestone is reached. After months or years of working on a particular topic, investigating a problem or exploring solutions, the work is finally ‘written up’ ready to share with the world. For some authors this may be the first time someone else will read about their work. Others may have presented findings at conferences or even had abstracts of published as part of conference programs. Still others may have had they work examined as part of research training programs. All of them, to a greater or lesser extent, will feel that they have “finished” the work. So, when the Author Portal on Scholar One™ opens, it can be daunting, frustrating or tiresome to find that many precise steps need to be negotiated before the “submit” button finally appears. For someone new to journal submission, the multitude of rules and stages can seem unnecessarily bureaucratic. For an experienced author, the extraordinary length and specificity of our journal’s guidelines can seem cumbersome. Either way, the process of article submission needs time, attention to detail and a certain finesse – a finished paper may not be a submission-ready work!

Here are tips to help smooth your submission experience and finesse your paper. 1. Check and update your Scholar One account. It may be years or months since you have submitted. Where once you were Ms or Mr you may now be Dr or Professor. You may have changed email addresses and qualifications. Update your details – they automatically appear in a published paper from the Scholar One data base – not the title page you submit – and you delay publication if you have to correct details on a typeset proof. 2. Get your co-authors to create Scholar One accounts or update their details. This will save you entering all of their information for them. 3. Learn about CINAHL or MeSH controlled vocabularies. Your key words much be from one of these. As an OTA member, you have access to both. These resources have online tutorials so you can learn how to identify appropriate key words and how these words help discoverability. Remember many scoping and systematic reviews use controlled vocabulary terms – so even if you do not like the terms, they help make your work visible to an international and interdisciplinary audience.

4. Keep your abstract within the word limit – the system automatically cuts off any words beyond 300. 5. Read and use the Author Guidelines. These are more detailed than many other journals. There are two reasons for this. First, we have many first time authors who need information about what is required and where it should be located. Second, while Scholar One processes are managed by Wiley, all other journal functions are honorary – we do not have paid staff who will correct format, spelling, referencing or other problems – authors need to do their best to assure quality and consistency. 6. Take the time to learn more about being an author. Use the author resources available through Wiley at https:// authorservices.wiley.com/authorresources/index.htm Once your paper is submitted you will receive automated acknowledgements. You can keep track of your paper on your author dashboard. Another Connections article later in 2019 will describe what happens to your paper once it has been received. Until then, take the time to finesse your finished paper to smooth the submission experience.

CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 27

WFOT REPORT

WFOT UPDATE Adam Lo WFOT 1st Alternative Delegate Welcome to 2019

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first WFOT update for 2019. Best wishes for a safe and peaceful year ahead. If you are still finalising your plans for 2019, there are many opportunities to connect with other occupational therapists around the world through WFOT’s various programs and activities. This includes the OT4OT Virtual Exchange and the Occupational Therapy International Online Network (OTION), which I have introduced in previous editions of Connections. You may want to browse the WFOT Bulletin or even submit your work and share it with the world. There is also the opportunity to further develop your skills and knowledge by taking WFOT’s first online course, ‘Disaster Management for Occupational Therapists’. For further information and to keep up-to-date with WFOT’s activities, please go to www.wfot.org.

2018 Throwback

2018 was a big year for WFOT, including a successful Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. Here are just a few photographs to remind us about the various activities over the past year, and how WFOT is making connections across the world—from volunteers to the WFOT President.

Student volunteers at the WFOT Congress 2018

28 www.otaus.com.au

WFOT Vice President, Samantha Shann, visiting a site for a potential new occupational therapy service on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana in August 2018

Associate Professor Lynette MacKenzie, Delegate for OTA at the WFOT Council Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa

Discounted Resources for Members

Routledge is a global publisher of academic books, journals and online resources in the humanities and social sciences. Founded in 1836, Routledge has published many of greatest thinkers and scholars of the last hundred years. WFOT members are able to access a 30% discount on all Routledge titles when ordering online. Simply enter the discount code WFT18 at checkout to receive the discount.

World OT Day 2018 in Saudi Arabia

WFOT President, Marilyn Pattison, at the WHO (World Health Organisation) Global Conference on Primary Health Care, in October 2018

WFOT REPORT

A few titles I would recommend include: 1. Implementing Occupation-centred Practice (edited by Karina Dancza, Sylvia Rodger). 2. Qualitative Research Methodologies for Occupational Science and Therapy (edited by Shoba Nayar, Mandy Stanley). 3. Occupational Therapy Across Cultural Boundaries (by Susan Cook Merrill). 4. The Occupational Therapy Managers’ Survival Handbook – A Case Approach to Understanding the Basic Functions of Management (by Florence S Cromwell, Chestina Brollier).

11th OTARG Congress 2019 (26-29 August) The WFOT’s regional group for the African region (OTARG – Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group) will be hosting its 11th congress at the Serena Hotel, at Kigali, Rwanda, in August 2019. OTARG started with nine member countries in 1996 and by 2015, has grown to 17 African country members with more to follow. OTARG holds a biennial congress which brings together occupational therapists and other professionals to converge in a chosen African country, to promote the profession in Africa. The theme for 2019 is ‘Giving back meaning to life: occupational therapy at the centre’. Please visit www.otarg. org.za/rwanda for more information.

Occupational Science Europe Conference 2019 (30-31 August 2019) The Occupational Science Europe Conference 2019 will be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands. A pre-conference program will start on the 29 August. The theme this year is ‘Europe in Transition: Impact on Occupation and Health’. This conference will explore the impact of current global trends on the occupational lives and health of individuals, groups and communities in Europe and will pose the question: What can occupational science contribute to this transitioning context and the challenges and possibilities it presents? Please find out more at www.amsterdamuas.com/achieve/ events/ose-conference-2019/oseconference-2019.html

To explore their range of occupational therapy products, visit: www.routledge. com/products/SCHS0550

Conferences and Events

Some upcoming occupational therapy conferences and events (which are great opportunities for networking) around the world which may be of interest to our members include: CAOT Conference 2019 (29 May-01 June) The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is hosting its National Conference this year at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It will be held at the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel. Pre-conference workshops will also take place during 28-29 May, 2019.

WFOT Congress 2022 (28-31 March, 2022) Forward planning and the involvement of many volunteers and other personnel are underway for the 18th WFOT Congress to be held in Paris, France, 28-31 March 2022. The official Congress 2022 Facebook page is www.facebook.com/wfot2022 and more updated information will be provided at www.wfot.org/Congress.

Conference registration opens on 1 February 2019 and Occupational Therapy Australia members can access the member rate which is significantly less than the non-member rate (e.g. full registration by 30 April is $595 for members and $950 for non-members). Please visit www.caot.ca/ site/pd/conferences for more information. CONNECTIONS FEBRUARY 2019 29

CAREERS FORUM CALLING ALL...

OT STUDENTS AND NEW GRADUATES WHY ATTEND?

THURSDAY 11 JULY 2019

The Careers Forum is designed for students and new graduates who are interested in gaining more information on employment to support them in their first year/s of job seeking. As you focus on commencing your career as an occupational therapist, the careers forum will provide you with important insights and tips, including:

International Convention Centre, Sydney

• • • • •

Expectations of new graduates What managers look for in applications and interviews The current job market for occupational therapists Some strategies to support your entry into the market Opportunity to hear about the job and what a day looks like in a range of work settings • Hear about the supports available to you to successfully transition into the workforce • Spend some time practicing your interview technique • Opportunity to interact with Conference exhibitors and view a range of products and services currently available in the market.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear directly from experienced clinicians, employers and managers, and recently graduated OTs. Ask your questions, and interact with other graduating, new and experienced occupational therapists.

Held in conjunction with the Occupational Therapy Australia 28th National Conference and Exhibition 2019.

REGISTER TODAY Purchase a full registration or day registration (Thursday) for the 28th National Conference 2019 to access the Careers Forum and more!

Full Early Bird

Day (Thursday)

New Graduate Member

$355

$230

New Graduate Non-Member

$725

$395

Student Member

$295

$185

Student Non-Member

$445

$285

BECOME AN OTA MEMBER AND SAVE – STUDENTS BECOME A MEMBER FOR FREE! To find out more about becoming a member of Occupational Therapy Australia, visit www.otaus.com.au/membership

28th NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION 2019

TOGETHER TOWARDS TOMORROW

PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE

EARLY BIRD CLOSES 7 APRIL 2019 Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA) is the national peak body and professional association representing occupational therapists in Australia. We have a presence in all states and territories. We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney for Australia’s major occupational therapy scientific conference.

10-12 JULY 2019 International Convention Centre

SYDNEY

www.otaus2019.com.au #otaus2019

GALA DINNER Thursday 11 July 2019, 7.00pm-11.00pm LUNA PARK $139 – Ticket includes Dinner, Drinks, Dancing, Ferry Transport and Ferris Wheel Ride. *LIMITED TICKETS - BOOK EARLY*

REGISTRATION FEES REGISTRATION TYPE

FULL REGISTRATION Early Bird*

DAY

Standard Standard

Member

$765

$895

$435

Non-Member

$1355

$1465

$625

New Graduate Member

$355

$430

$230

New Graduate Non-Member

$725

$845

$395

Student Member

$295

$340

$185

Student Non-Member

$445

$520

$285

Conference fees are in $AUD and inclusive of GST *Early bird fee only applies if booked and paid by 7 April 2019

MEMBER BENEFIT: REGISTER BEFORE EARLY BIRD CLOSES AND GO INTO THE DRAW TO WIN YOUR 2019-2020 OTA MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERS SAVE UP TO 50% ON 2019 NATIONAL CONFERENCE FEES

SPECIAL EVENTS »» Education Day Workshop

Tuesday 9 July 2019, 8.30am-5.00pm

»» First Timers Briefing

Wednesday 10 July 2019, 7.15am-8.15am

»» Welcome Reception

Wednesday 10 July 2019, 5.00pm-6.00pm

»» Gala Dinner

Thursday 11 July 2019, 7.00pm-11.00pm

»» Careers Forum

Thursday 11 July 2019

»» Exhibition Open to the General Public

Thursday 11 July 2019, 10.45am-12.15pm Friday 12 July 2019, 10.45am-12.15pm

ACCOMMODATION Special discounted rates have been negotiated for Conference delegates at a number of Sydney hotels and apartments, starting from $216 per night. Book via the ACCOMMODATION page on the website.

FURTHER INFORMATION Phone: + 61 3 9415 2900 Email: conference2019@otaus.com.au www.otaus2019.com.au

www.otaus2019.com.au

Aon Professional Indemnity Insurance Get 15 months cover for the price of 12 Approved insurance provider of Occupational Therapy Australia Benefits include: • Receive 2 hours FREE legal advice! • Product and Public Liability included up to $20m each claim • Pay no excess when making a claim • Protection even after you leave or retire from your profession • Retroactive cover for unknown incidents that occurred before you were insured with us

For additional information, speak with one of our Insurance Specialists:

1800 805 191 aon.com.au/ot

* Conditions apply. For full policy wording please contact 1800 805 191. © 2018 Aon Risk Services Australia Limited | ABN 17 000 434 720 | AFSL 241141. This information is general in nature and should not be relied on as advice (personal or otherwise) because your personal needs, objectives and financial situation have not been considered. So before deciding whether a particular product is right for you, please consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or contact us to speak to an adviser. AFF0859A 0818