Who can access Astrad's Occupational Therapy services?

We work with children, adults and older people funded through self-managed or plan-managed NDIS, Home Care Packages (HCP), CHSP, DVA, and privately.

Are you NDIS-registered?

No. Astrad is not a registered NDIS provider. We work directly with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants, but not agency-managed participants.

Do you really come to our home, school or workplace?

Yes. That's the whole point of a mobile OT service. We run assessments and therapy at home, at school, at work or in the community.

How soon can I see an Occupational Therapist?

Most new referrals are booked within two to four weeks, depending on region and clinical fit.

What qualifications do your OTs have?

All Occupational Therapists at Astrad are registered with AHPRA. Our clinicians hold current NDIS Worker Screening, First Aid, CPR and professional indemnity insurance.

What kind of OT reports do you write?

Functional Capacity Assessments (FCAs), Assistive Technology assessments and reports, Home Modification reports, progress reports for NDIS plan reviews, cognitive assessments, return-to-work and workplace assessments.

Older Adult OT · Carer education

OT-led carer education and training, in the home you care in.

An OT trains family members and paid carers in safe handling, daily care techniques and strategies that protect both the person and the carer.

Caring for someone at home involves physical work: helping them get out of bed, shower, walk, transfer from chair to car. It's easy to do this in ways that risk injury to both the carer and the person receiving care. Our mobile OTs deliver carer education in the home, working through the specific tasks that are causing difficulty, demonstrating safe techniques, and helping carers build confidence. We also coach family members supporting someone with dementia on how to communicate effectively, reduce agitation and structure daily routines. Most families access this through a Home Care Package or DVA; some book privately.

Hands-on training in your home, using your actual equipment
AHPRA-registered OTs with aged-care experience
HCP, DVA & private funding accepted
Safe handling, dementia strategies and daily routine support

Call (07) 3477 9366

You'll speak with one of our AHPRA-registered OTs.

Book a callback

We usually call back within one business day.

Free intake call
No obligation
No referral needed

Carer education for family and paid carers

AHPRA-registered OTs

Home Care Package (HCP)

DVA Gold & White Card

Safe manual handling

Home visits across 4 states

Older Adult OT · Carer education

Hands-on training in your home, using your actual setup

Carer education from an OT is not a classroom course or a pamphlet. It's an OT coming to your home, watching how you support the person you care for, and working through the specific tasks that are difficult, risky or exhausting. The training covers the person's actual bed, their shower, their walking frame and their front steps, not a generic scenario. Most families access this through a Home Care Package or DVA. Some book privately when they need help quickly.

Safe manual handling and transfer technique

Helping someone out of bed, assisting them from a chair, supporting them in and out of the car: these tasks done poorly cause back and shoulder injuries in carers and falls or skin tears in the person being helped. Your OT demonstrates the correct technique for each relevant transfer, practises it with the carer in real time, and makes sure both people are comfortable before leaving. This is the most requested and highest-impact part of most carer education visits.

Showering and personal care assistance

Assisting with showering, dressing and toileting requires a combination of technique, timing and respect for dignity. Your OT works through the specific steps with the carer, identifies where the current approach is creating physical strain or distress, and demonstrates alternatives. Equipment that's already in the bathroom is incorporated into the training rather than assessed separately.

Dementia-specific communication strategies

For carers supporting someone with dementia, how a task is approached matters as much as the task itself. Your OT coaches carers on communication techniques that reduce resistance and agitation: approaching from the correct angle, using simple single-step instructions, working with the person's remaining routines and preferences rather than against them. Knowing how to respond when the person says no, or becomes distressed, is addressed directly.

Equipment use and setup

Hoists, transfer boards, commodes, walking frames, shower chairs and hospital beds all require correct setup and technique to be safe. Carers often receive equipment without being shown how to use it properly. Your OT works through each item in the home, confirms it's set up correctly for this person, and trains the carer on safe use. This includes knowing when not to use equipment and when to call for additional help.

Structuring the care day to reduce strain

Carer fatigue is one of the main reasons home care arrangements break down. Your OT looks at the daily care routine, identifies where the load is concentrated and where tasks could be redistributed, sequenced differently or simplified. This might involve recommending additional funded support at peak times, using equipment to reduce the physical demand of particular tasks, or adjusting the timing of care tasks to match the person's better times of day.

Written carer support plan

Following the education visit, your OT provides a written summary of what was covered, the techniques demonstrated and any follow-up recommended. For HCP clients, this document forms part of the care file and can be shared with new paid carers joining the support team. Having a written plan means consistent technique across all the people providing care, which is safer for everyone involved.

How it works

Getting started with a mobile OT

Whether NDIS, aged care, DVA or private, the admin can feel complicated. We handle the paperwork and explain the funding options in plain English so you can focus on the person, not the process.

Call us or request a callback

Phone (07) 3477 9366 or drop your details in the form. Our intake team usually responds within one business day. We'll ask about age, goals, funding and where you're based.

Matched with the right Occupational Therapist

We pair you with an AHPRA-registered OT experienced in your context: paediatric, adult, older adult, rehab or reports. You know who's coming, and why they're the right fit.

Mobile OT, we come to you

Intake team

Swipe to see more

Request a clinician match

Tell us your preferences: gender, language, cultural background, clinical experience. We'll match you with a clinician who fits.

Transparent pricing

No surprises on your invoice

We can't list fixed prices publicly. What you pay depends on your funding stream, the service, and your location. But every Astrad client gets the same three things, in writing, before any visit is booked.

Request a written quote

A written quote before we start

Every client gets a clear written quote setting out session rates, expected travel time and any reports, before we schedule a single visit.

Within NDIS price limits

For NDIS participants we bill within the limits set out in the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. No surprises at invoice time.

Travel disclosed up front

Travel and non-face-to-face time are always quoted in writing, at the rates allowed for your funding stream. What you see is what you pay.

Coverage

Mobile OT across four states

Our Occupational Therapists travel to you. At home, at school, at work or in the community. We cover metro and many regional areas across Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Not sure if we reach your postcode? Ask us. We usually confirm within one business day.

Check availability

Queensland

Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Toowoomba

New South Wales

Sydney, Central Coast, Wollongong, Newcastle

Victoria

Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat

Tasmania

Hobart, Launceston, Devonport

Questions & answers

Carer education: questions from families and providers

We hear these questions from family carers, home care coordinators and aged care providers. If yours isn't here, call us.

What does OT carer education actually cover?

It varies based on what's needed, but the most common areas are: safe manual handling (how to assist with transfers, bed mobility and walking without injuring yourself or the person), personal care techniques (bathing, dressing, toileting), dementia-specific strategies (communication, distraction, routine management, responding to distress), equipment use (how to correctly use a hoist, commode, walking frame or transfer board), and home safety in the context of the care tasks being performed. Education is practical and done in the actual setting, not in a classroom.

Why does carer technique matter so much?

Poor technique is one of the most common causes of both carer injury (back strain, shoulder injuries) and falls or injuries to the person receiving care. A carer who is injured can no longer provide care, which puts the whole home arrangement at risk. OT carer education isn't about theory; it's about showing the carer exactly how to do each task in a way that is safe, sustainable and effective for both people involved.

Can the training be done at home, with the actual equipment we use?

Yes, and that's exactly how we prefer to do it. Carer education delivered in the actual setting, using the real bed, shower chair, walking frame and home layout, is far more effective than any workshop. Our OT works through each task with the carer and the person being cared for, adjusting technique based on the specific environment and the person's abilities.

Does a Home Care Package cover carer education?

Yes. Carer training and education is a fundable service under HCP (all levels) and in some cases through CHSP. The service is set up by the home care provider, who organises the OT referral. If the family is self-managing the package, they can request the service directly from us. We provide a report for the file documenting what was covered and any follow-up recommended.

Can DVA fund carer education for a veteran's family?

DVA Gold Card holders can access OT services including carer education as part of their entitlements. A GP or specialist referral is typically needed to initiate OT services under DVA. We can advise on the current process and help with the paperwork.

We're not a funded client. Can we still book carer education privately?

Absolutely. Some families aren't yet in the aged care system or prefer to manage things privately. We provide a written quote before any sessions and book a visit that covers your specific concerns. A single two-hour session with an OT can make a significant difference to how a carer feels about the tasks they're doing every day.

What if there are multiple carers? Can they all be trained together?

Yes, and we'd encourage it where possible. Consistent technique across all the people supporting someone (family members, paid carers, neighbours) reduces confusion for the person and keeps everyone safer. We can structure the session to cover all the relevant tasks and make sure each person has practised the technique before we leave.

Ready when you are

Book OT carer education for your family or care team

Our mobile OTs deliver carer training in the home, tailored to the specific tasks, environment and person. Funded through HCP, DVA or privately, across QLD, NSW, VIC and TAS. Call us to discuss what you need and we'll match you with the right OT.

Call (07) 3477 9366 Request a callback

We usually call back within one business day.

Mon–Fri 9am–5pm Brisbane time