Cognitive assessments focused on daily function and safety, written to spec.

An OT cognitive assessment examines how changes in thinking, memory, attention and executive function affect a person's ability to manage daily tasks safely. This includes self-care (medication management, meal preparation, personal hygiene), home management (finances, phone use, household tasks), community participation and, where relevant, work or driving. We use standardised tools and functional task observation to build a complete picture.

Neuropsychological testing is typically conducted by a psychologist and focuses on measuring cognitive abilities across standardised domains. An OT cognitive assessment focuses on how cognitive abilities (or their limitations) translate into functional performance in daily life. The two types of assessments are complementary. An OT report is often what funding bodies require because it connects the cognitive findings to specific support needs and daily living recommendations.

Our OTs use a range of standardised cognitive screening and functional assessment tools appropriate to the person's age, diagnosis and the purpose of the assessment. Commonly used tools include the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), MMSE, IADL assessments, and executive function measures. The specific tools used will be documented and justified in the report. Note that OTs use tools within their scope of practice; for full neuropsychological evaluation, a referral to a psychologist is appropriate.

OTs can assess functional capacity in specific domains such as financial management, medication management and home safety. These assessments inform recommendations about supervision and support needs. Formal legal capacity assessments (for decision-making under guardianship and administration frameworks) require input from a medical practitioner or specialist team. If your referral involves legal capacity, please discuss this with our intake team so we can confirm the appropriate scope.

Referrals come from GPs, geriatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, support coordinators, aged care providers, DVA case managers and families. No formal referral letter is required to book with us. We ask that you describe the purpose of the assessment (NDIS, aged care planning, safety concerns, DVA, workers comp) so we can scope the report appropriately.

For NDIS participants, OT cognitive assessments are typically billed against the Capacity Building budget, within NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. For older adults, assessment costs may be covered under a Home Care Package or privately. DVA clients may be eligible for coverage under the DVA Allied Health scheme. We provide a written quote before any visit is scheduled.

Yes. Conducting the cognitive assessment in the person's home is clinically important, particularly for functional assessments. It allows us to observe actual performance on everyday tasks (like making a cup of tea, taking medication or using the phone) rather than relying solely on performance in a clinical environment, which can underestimate or overestimate a person's real-world function.