Independent Living Skills
Forms: There are only now 2 forms, one for a child 7-14.11 and adult 15+ . The rationale for a 15+ form is to enable therapists to review the 16+ changes to the NDIS. So, this is to review yes/no questions to ensure that supports are covered for client.
Social Skills: have been removed as this is not aligned with our neuroaffirmative practices.
Assessment Rationale: This is the justification for completing the Ax. The idea of this is to help form clinical reasoning throughout.
Current Functional Status: is to be completed at the start of the report. This ties in with the AusTOMS (see below). This is essentially a motor, and an AT/equipment review for the client.
This is to ensure that any modifications (i.e, AT) are noted and accounted for.
The motor section will support everyone when we review independent living skills throughout the Ax.
There is also a tick box for referrals required if needed, and you can put these recommendations in the recommendation section at the end of the report (i.e., participant X requires physiotherapy for XYZ)
AusTOMS: We are using the AusTOMS rating scale moving forward, as we feel this suits our demographic better. We are using one of the scoring guides (scale number 4, Carrying out Daily Life Tasks and Routines, Activity Limitation) throughout the entire assessment which is referenced in the report. You can read more information about the AusTOMS here: AusTOMs
Grey Sections: are optional areas. These areas are not essential for independent living, however, may or may not be meaningful to the client. This way, we can be more neuroaffirmative in our approach. There are tick boxes at the start of the section to ensure that it is ‘checked’ prior to implementing the tool.
I.e., does the participant find hair maintenance meaningful? If ‘no’ then the questions related to styling are irrelevant to the client. We don’t need to be able to style hair to be independent, it is a personal preference and this is now reflected in the Ax with a range of skills.
i.e., some questions are also Grey as it applies to a ‘yes/no’ at the top of the Ax.
Additional Comments: Please complete this section. This is where you expand on the answers. Remember this form is used as a ‘guide’ the additional comments bring the report all together. A report without any additional comments will be sent back to the therapist to review further. Not every section needs additional comments if they are a 5 for each skill, but any section that varies in scores from 1-4, please add this in with full sentences.
Adult Form: Self-management: is a section for clients to review specific criteria for turning 16 and 18
Outcome: Section is basically the plan for ongoing OT sessions, what will be completed to skill develop self-care, domestic and community based skills as reviewed within the report.
Recommendations: is the section for NDIS Core, Capacity building recommendations