Dubbo: Week 4;2

So it's pretty much been the same thing at work. Finishing up all the reports from last week.

Have MOST DEFINITELY conquered my fear of the phone and have even returned some phone calls that weren't specifically for me but I thought I could help out by returning them AND I SUCCEEDED!! WOO!! The phone is not as scary as I thought it was. Big personal achievement for me.

Went on a home visit to meet with a builder to discuss mods. The family have just bought a house and there are a lot of things that need to be changed to accommodate for the father who's in a powered wheelchair. It's pretty major mods like redoing a bathroom, widening doorways and putting in ramps. So the man is in hospital looking at discharge but he can't be discharged until. But the major mods could take 12 months to approve and complete. So we had to look at minor things that could get him home to start with and then the rest could be done later. But if the first mods are functional for the client, will they approve the rest of the mods? They might see the rest of them as unnecessary and not approve them.
It's also hard working with a million people with different opinions. The clients know what they want. The builder knows what's practically possible with the building. The OTs know what needs to happen to maximise safety and independence.
There are recommendations from a private OT who knows the client but hasn't seen the house and recommendations from the OTs here that have seen the house but don't know the client. Then another OT who prescribed the seating equipment for the client. And another OT who is organising his adaptive equipment such as environmental control unit and voice activated computer and phones.
The application gets written up and goes to a committee. They approve the mods, the mods get done, the client moves in... sounds simple... it's not.

Have to go out again in the mornin and meet with another builder.
Front accesses have to be to Australian Standards as they are pubic accesses. Interiors can be slightly modified as they are not public.
AS 1428.1
New guidelines.
Front door: 1 door, inward opening = certain dimensions for landing
If they want a security door, which would be outward opening, the landing has to be larger to accommodate the swinging door.
COMPLEX!!

There are no specific requirements for OTs prescribing major home mods. A new grad could do it. The company here has a policy that you have to be a level 3. But if there's no policy at a specific workplace it could be done by anyone. I know I wouldn't be confident doing major mods! Too many things to consider and without experience you could get so many things wrong! Hand rails I can handle!

Andrew Hansen is very talented.

Avagard general hand and body wash smells like crap.