NDIS guide
What Does an NDIS Occupational Therapist Do at Home?
An NDIS occupational therapist (OT) helps a participant do the everyday things they need and want to do, more safely and independently.
At home, that means looking at how the person manages tasks such as showering, cooking and moving around, then recommending practical changes: a different way of doing a task, equipment, a home modification or a support strategy.
At a glance
Focus
Everyday tasks, safety and independence
Where
In the participant’s home
Can include
Equipment, home modifications and reports
Funding
May be NDIS-funded when it fits the plan
On this page
Why the assessment happens at home
A clinic room can’t show the real bathroom, the step at the back door or how a routine plays out on a busy morning. Seeing the home lets the OT base recommendations on the actual layout, the equipment already in use and the people who help.
What an OT might look at, room by room
The OT only looks at what is relevant to the referral and the participant’s goals. As a general picture:
Bathroom
Getting in and out of the shower or bath, toilet height, grab rails, a shower chair or hand-held shower, and slippery surfaces.
Kitchen
Reaching cupboards, carrying hot food or drinks, how long the person can stand, fatigue, and using appliances safely.
Bedroom
Bed height, getting in and out of bed, dressing, and getting to the toilet safely at night.
Entrances and steps
Stairs, handrails, ramps, door thresholds and lighting.
Living areas
Chair height, trip hazards, and room to move with a walking aid or wheelchair.
Routines
Where a daily routine keeps breaking down, and simpler ways to make it work.
Beyond the layout of the home
- Sensory needs, regulation and planning, approached in a neurodiversity-affirming way
- Getting out into the community and using transport
- Helping family members and support workers use a consistent approach
From referral to recommendations
ReferralShare the suburb, the concern, goals, plan type and the purpose of any report, with consent.
Fit checkWe confirm location, scope and availability, and explain fees and travel.
AssessmentThe OT talks through priorities and looks at the relevant tasks and rooms.
RecommendationsYou discuss the findings and agree on next steps.
Follow-upWhere ongoing support is needed, progress is reviewed over time.
Equipment and home modifications
Equipment
Before recommending equipment, an OT may compare options, arrange trials and show the person and their supporters how to use it safely.
Home modifications
From grab rails to larger changes. They depend on the home, relevant standards, landlord or owner permission and the NDIS approval process.
A recommendation isn’t the same as funding approval.
Reports, including functional capacity assessments
Some referrals need a written report. A functional capacity assessment describes how disability affects daily life and what support is needed. A report provides evidence; the NDIA decides what is funded.
Funding and costs
How funding works
The NDIS lists occupational therapy as an example of a therapy support it may fund. Funding still depends on the approved plan, its stated supports and the budget available; a plan doesn’t mean every assessment, report, item or session will be funded.
What it costs
OT is billed at the NDIS occupational therapy hourly rate, with travel where agreed in advance. We confirm fees, travel, report scope and service-agreement terms before starting. Current rates: NDIS allied health price guide.
Children and adults
A diagnosis alone doesn’t decide the right service. We consider the person’s concern, goals, age, home and risks, and whether an available OT has the right experience. If a request is outside our scope or current capacity, we’ll tell you.
Common questions
Does the NDIS pay for an occupational therapist?
It can. The NDIS lists occupational therapy as an example of a therapy support it may fund, depending on the participant’s approved plan, stated supports and available budget.
Can an OT recommend equipment?
Yes, when it’s within the OT’s scope. The OT may compare options, arrange trials and show you how to use the equipment safely.
Will the NDIS pay for home modifications an OT recommends?
Not automatically. Modifications depend on the home, relevant standards, landlord or owner permission and the NDIS approval process. A recommendation isn’t funding approval.
Does Healthroos see children and adults?
Yes. We consider the person’s concern, goals, age, home and risks, and whether an available OT has the right experience.
Related guides
Talk to us about occupational therapy
Tell us what’s hard in everyday life, the participant’s suburb and how their plan is managed. We’ll confirm availability and the next step. More about NDIS occupational therapy in Sydney and OT for autism.
This guide is general information. It does not replace advice about an individual NDIS plan or clinical care. The NDIA determines eligibility, plan budgets and funding decisions.