What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Holistic Occupational Therapy

Home
Australia
Port Lincoln, SA
Holistic Occupational Therapy

Adult Disability, Aged Care and Dementia specific support across the Eyre Peninsula.

24/07/2025

Bathrooms are a major concern for many ageing clients and their families, especially in some of the older style homes. Personal care (e.g., showering, dressing, grooming and toileting) activities are those that most of us want to be able to do independently. But for many older adults who experience physical and/or cognitive changes this becomes increasingly more difficult.

Recommendations to modify the environment to make it safer is one way us as occupational therapists support our clients to live more safely and independently in their homes. It also supports their dignity.

Whilst there are many, here are 5 common recommendations we might make following a detailed in home assessment:

💫 Shower platforms/ramps to create level access into the shower and avoid the trip hazard.

💫 Grab rails in the toilet and bathroom/shower.

💫 Bidets when wiping after toileting becomings a struggle.

💫 Removal of the shower screen/door to create a wider entry point to make things less confined.

💫 Hand held shower hoses for when our clients might need to shower seated.

This advice is general in nature. We suggest an in-home assessment from an appropriately trained occupational therapist for personalised recommendations suited to your specific needs!

22/07/2025

Dementia is the leading cause of death for Australian women. Whilst it is currently the second leading cause of death for ALL Australians, current data trends suggest it will soon be the leading cause of death.

Alzheimers disease incidences are greater in women than men of the same age, however the incidence of non-Alzheimers dementia is not greater in women according to Andrew Budson MD - Harvard Health Publishing, 2025.

What does this suggest?
In addition to women living longer, there must be an interaction between Alzheimers disease and gender, given women are more likely than men to get it.

Whilst more research is needed, possible factors may include:

🧠 The amyloid plaques that are found in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease may be part of the immune system to fight infections.

🧠 Women’s immune systems are stronger than men’s and because of this, women may end up having more amyloid plaques when compared to men.

To read the full article, link is in comments.

20/06/2025

Are you an experienced Occupational Therapist looking for a bit of a career shake up? Where you leave work each day feeling fulfilled and as though you have had a real impact on peoples lives?

Then you may just want to JOIN OUR TEAM!!

We have a position available and are looking for our newest team member! See the link below for the position details and please get in touch if you have any questions!

https://www.happyhr.com/jobs/job-by-happyhr?id=1122

29/05/2025

Happy Birthday to you Emily 💫💫

We hope you have a special day and are so grateful to have you apart of the Holistic OT team!

20/05/2025

Are you worried about your memory? 🧠

Do you want to know more about dementia?

FREE dementia talks by Kylie from Dementia Australia are coming up in the below locations.

💫 Streaky Bay
💫 Elliston
💫 Ceduna

See the below flyers for more info!

10/05/2025

I’m sorry; I’m a mum too.

To the lady I was due to call back this afternoon about the referral for your husband. I’m so sorry. The school just rang and said my daughter is sick so I need to go and pick her up. I will call you though, I promise. And you can betcha I won’t forget, because it will be at the forefront of my mind as soon as I lay my head on the pillow tonight.

To the client whose wheelchair trial I was late to, I’m so sorry. I had to quickly pop into my son’s childcare centre between client visits to breastfeed him and he was a bit hungrier than usual today!

To my colleagues, I’m sorry I’m late for our weekly clinical meeting. My daughter wanted extra cuddles on the couch this morning and I lost track of time. I just know these moments will not last forever.

To the equipment provider I just abruptly ended the phone conversation on. I’m so sorry, my daughter’s childcare centre was calling and I had to answer; they never just call for nothing. Luckily this time she had just fallen over and slightly bumped her head, protocol, she’s ok though.

To the NDIS support coordinator who I told I would have that Functional Capacity Assessment Report to by the end of the week. I’m so sorry, my daughter has been sick all week with hand foot and mouth, can’t go to childcare and I’m her primary carer.

To the builder who I was meant to send updated measurements to for those home modifications this morning. I’m so sorry. It’s on my list, and I’ll get to it, I promise!

To the student who sent an email to me last week asking about clinical placement and I said no. I’m so sorry. I really, really want to help you and support our future profession. But the season in my life won’t allow this right now, I hope you can understand.

To the man I visited last week. I’m so sorry I got our appointment times mixed up. I’m and exhausted mum and I’m doing my absolute best.

And to the 85 year old lady I saw today for a home assessment, thank you. You saw me arrive looking exhausted. You noticed the leftover weetbix on my shirt from my daughter’s breakfast this morning, and you saw me as a mum first and OT second. You looked at me like you saw something so familiar, maybe a younger you, and you said to me in such a reassuring, wise voice - “everything will be ok dear.”

I’m sorry, I’m a mum too. And I’m doing my best!

To all the mums out there, Happy Mother’s Day from all of us mums at Holistic OT.

We see you, we feel you - we’ve got this 💫

08/05/2025

3 reasons why I LOVE being an Aged Care OT!!
—-

1. I get to learn about life through other people’s experiences.

They tell me of their struggles, their achievements and their joys. We laugh, and we cry together. I get to know them on a deeper level and with that comes respect, understanding, a broader outlook on life, and a feeling of true human connection. 65+ years of life experience and wisdom, and they share it with me - how amazing is that 🤍

2. I get to help them.

It’s a simple as that. I get to be a part of making someone’s life better. Whether it’s getting them a gopher so they can get out of the house each day and do their own shopping, or whether it’s supporting their carer learn ways of dealing with their distress and forgetfulness. I know that what I am doing is having a positive impact on their life and wellbeing and that gives me joy.

3. I feel appreciated.

There’s just something about working with older adults. Many of them have not come from much and have had to work hard for what they now have. Some of them have experienced significant trauma and adversity. I always walk out of our sessions feeling appreciated, because even if it’s the smallest thing (a grab rail or falls watch) they are always, always thankful.

💫💫💫

24/04/2025

War and conflict is such a horrible thing and there continues to be so much of it even in this “modern world.”

I feel so grateful for those that have served and those that continue to serve for our country to make it what it is today, and to enable our freedom and safety.

So many made the ultimate sacrifice to protect what we have today. Lest We Forget 💫

02/04/2025

Are you a health or aged care professional looking for a clinic space to work from? We have a large office space available for rent in a prime CBD location in Port Lincoln!

Please email Brooke for details:
Brooke@holisticoccupationaltherapy.com.au

01/04/2025

A small but mighty team who are passionate about getting the best outcomes for our clients and their families across the Eyre Peninsula 💫

15/03/2025

Keep it familiar!

Change is difficult for people living with cognitive decline because their brain has to work overtime trying to process new information (in this case new item/product and how to use it).

This can lead to increased confusion and distress.

So, even though buying the most modern and best looking kettle sounds like a good idea... it can mean that when you bring it home your loved one can no longer make a cup of tea ☕️ which means further loss of independence.

So if ever replacing something in the home, try and replace it with the same model/product or something very similar to reduce confusion.

26/02/2025

Whilst the physical environment and layout of a home/facility is important for people living with dementia, it’s important to always keep in mind how we meet the social and emotional needs of people living with dementia.

Have you heard of unmet needs?

Unmet needs are things/needs/feelings that a person with dementia experiences but can’t communicate it - often leading to distress and certain behaviours. They can be physical, emotional, physiological and environmental needs. Some examples are:

👉🏻 Pain
👉🏻 Temperature
👉🏻 Infection
👉🏻 Loneliness
👉🏻 Boredom
👉🏻 Sadness
👉🏻 Loss of choice/independence
👉🏻 Constipation
👉🏻 Hunger/thirst
👉🏻 Lack of sleep
👉🏻 Loud sounds
👉🏻 Glare
👉🏻 Clutter/over-crowding

If we can look at certain behaviours as an expression of “unmet need” we can help to create an environment that ensures that the person living with dementia gets what they need when they can no longer use words to ask for our help/tell us what they need.

Address

Port Lincoln, SA

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.holisticoccupationaltherapy.com.au/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Holistic Occupational Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Holistic Occupational Therapy:

Shortcuts

Our Story

Holistic Occupational Therapy was founded in 2018 by Brooke George (Occupational Therapist) after deciding that she wanted to follow her passion and work primarily in aged, disability and dementia care.

Brooke’s passion lies within aged and disability care and stemmed from her work as a personal care worker in residential aged care where she developed a love for supporting older adults, particularly those living with dementia to continue to have a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives despite their diagnoses. Working in both residential aged care and mental health settings, Brooke noticed a gap in aged and dementia specific support services locally. With a passion for dementia care and limited services, it was a no brainer for Brooke to open her own practice focusing on providing aged, disability and dementia specific support.

Brooke is passionate about educating caregivers and the broader community about dementia and how we can adapt our approach and the environment to better support people living with dementia; helping them to experience an enhanced quality of life. Brooke’s experience as a personal care worker meant that she observed first hand the impact that limited access to dementia specific training had on the quality of dementia care provided. Brooke would like to see dementia training become mandatory and ongoing for everyone working in dementia care, as the impact this can have on a person living with dementia’s quality of life is profound.

Brooke works in both residential and community care settings and regularly travels across the Eyre Peninsula (EP) to support those living outside of the Port Lincoln area. Together with Jess, Holistic OT Administrative Assistant, Brooke is excited to continue to provide much needed support to clients and their families across the EP.