In Home Care, Occupational Therapy, Recruitment, Residential Aged Care

Amanda’s Enjoys Career Progression As An Occupational Therapist At Empower

Posted on July 8, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

08
Jul

Empower has amazing occupational therapists and Amanda Chan reflects on her career progression and journey at Empower.

When I joined Empower Healthcare four years ago as a newly graduated Occupational Therapist, I was looking for positions close to home and support to develop as a clinician. Today, I am a Team Leader supporting other clinicians to grow and thrive, just like I did.

Empower has encouraged my professional development and given me leadership and managerial opportunities, while supporting me to return to work after maternity leave, twice!

I love being able to balance work and home life with

Flexible, family friendly work hours.
Leadership opportunities and career progression.
Varied opportunities within Home Care, NDIS and Residential Aged Care.
The ability to work from home when possible.
Internal and External professional development in my areas of interest.

I love the clients and residents I work with and being part of the team that makes the environments I work in healthy and happy for everyone.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Working as an Occupational Therapist, I often get this question, “What is occupational therapy?”. The World Federation of Occupational Therapy defines Occupational Therapy as below.

“Occupational Therapy is a client-centered health profession concerned with promoting health and wellbeing through occupation… to enable people to participate in activities of daily life… by working with people and communities to enhance their ability to engage in the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do, or by modifying the occupation or the environment to better support their occupational engagement.” WFOT, 2012.

While many other people in the health industry are involved in the diagnosis of diseases, the occupational therapist’s role is about collaboratively setting and achieving meaningful goals.

Amanda explains, “Whether it be helping a person with selecting a chair that can help them stand because they have difficulty standing from their couch or introducing a person to a bath lifter to help them enjoy a bath again, I always feel a sense of satisfaction when seeing the joy on people’s faces as they successfully engage in these simple yet meaningful activities again.

About Empower

We Change Lives

At Empower Healthcare, we deliver life changing allied health services. Our whole team is dedicated to building and delivering exceptional services for clients, loved ones, referrers and partner organisations.

Our therapists genuinely care about the people we work with and take the time to build strong relationships that holistically improve social, physical and mental well-being.

We are a successful privately owned and operated organisation that continues to experience significant growth, driven by our fantastic services and family of professionals.

Empower healthcare is changing lives – yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

At Empower Healthcare we believe that our strength lies in our people. By building strong teams and supporting the professional development of our clinicians, we have established ourselves as a national Allied Health provider that raises the standards of clinical practice in Home Care, NDIS and residential aged care.

Every day we deliver high quality, innovative allied health solutions across Australia. We have opportunities for clinicians looking to develop at all career stages, from newly graduated to well established therapists wanting to lead in:

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Discover the possibilities with mentoring, career planning, on-line and in-person learning modules, extensive New Graduate program and external professional development. We look within for promotion to leadership roles and develop our own people to grow our business.

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

View current job opportunities…

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Professional Development, Recruitment

Why James Enjoys Working At Empower Healthcare

Posted on June 23, 2021July 9, 2021 by Nicole Cook

23
Jun

When I joined Empower Healthcare after 9 years in private practice, I didn’t know how much working in home care would change my life. The freedom of being on the road, working in different environments and having a varied case load was a welcome change from spending 6 days a week inside at the same 4 walls.

I have the opportunity to perform real rehabilitation with real outcomes that really make a difference from helping someone learn to stand up and walk after years of being in a wheelchair to helping a father reach his goal of walking his daughter down the aisle, and surpass it, by dancing at the reception at her wedding.

For me, achieving work life balance is vital and Empower Healthcare helps me to do that by:

Guaranteeing steady income, independent of case load.
Ensuring great working hours and flexible leave arrangements.
Not expecting overtime and weekend work.
Allowing me to work independently but supporting me when I need it.

Working within a supportive team that prioritises my professional development and respects my professional autonomy and personal goals means that I enjoy going to work every day and building a career that allows me to live life, my way.

Empower healthcare is changing lives- yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

View current job opportunities

…

Continue reading →

Graduate Program, Professional Development, Recruitment

Jovita Shares her Reflection on Empower’s Graduate Program

Posted on June 21, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

21
Jun

In February 2021, I started my career as a graduate occupational therapist at Empower Healthcare. As you can imagine, Home Care clients have found dealing with the pandemic very challenging, especially those who live alone. I had a client who had been discharged from the hospital and her daughter was very distressed as she could not visit her during lockdown. Initially, the client was guarded and anxious. By actively listening to their story and concerns, I was able to identify the fall risks and provide suitable options and recommendations that were received with relief and happiness in reducing their fears around falling, while increasing quality of life.

I realise that my role as an occupational therapist can be more important and influential than I once thought. It is very rewarding when clients thank me with a big sincere smile! I now know that being an occupational therapist is one of the best decisions I have made.

Empower’s Graduate Program

The foundations for a bright career!

How does our program work?

Empower Healthcare’s comprehensive graduate program offers personal development and mentoring, to successfully transition you from a student into talented clinician. Here’s how it works:

12 month structured program
Individual development plan & goal setting
Weekly 1:1 mentoring
Monthly online professional development courses
Monthly clinical development workshops
Quarterly company-wide professional development & social events
Quarterly progress report
$1,500 yearly professional development allowance
Grad year completion bonus

Highlights:

$1500 PD fund

We provide all graduates with a $1500 professional development fund, which can be used to attend events of your choosing, to help you further your skills and development.

Mentoring and quarterly progress reports

Our grads have access to weekly 1:1 mentoring. Every three months, you and your mentor will discuss your progress in working towards your development plan and goals.

Company-wide professional development and social events

Every three months we have an Empower family reunion, which involves an evening of professional development and social activities to bring our team closer together.

Learn about our graduate program in more detail.

Click Here for our grad flyer

We accept graduates all-year round. Call 03 9068 3739 to talk to a member from People and Culture about our national grad opportunities.…

Continue reading →

Occupational Therapy, Professional Development, Recruitment, Uncategorized

A Day in the Life of a Home Care Occupational Therapist

Posted on June 17, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
Jun

Ever wondered what a day in the life of a home care occupational therapist is like? We go behind the scenes with occupational therapist Catrina Mastroianni, to explore what a typical day looks like and answer a few questions that you may have about becoming one.

Mornings:

My alarm goes off at 6am, giving me usually 2 hours before starting to work, to be able to get some morning exercise in. I either spend my mornings before working going to the gym or walking my dog. I then begin to get ready for work, having a coffee and looking over my schedule and tasks for the day. This usually means, looking at my appointment times, where I’ll be going, and who I will be seeing. I also check over the referral notes to find out more about my clients and the reason I am going to see them. Usually, my first appointment is at 8:30 or 9am, however if it is a later start, I will usually spend my time completing some admin tasks in the comfort of my own home office.

Travel:

Empower ensures that my clients are as close as possible to my own suburb, being anywhere from a 5-minute to a 30-minute drive. However, longer drives also allow me to have some relaxing time in the car, listen to my favourite artists new album or even listen to a podcast.

Client Appointments:

As an occupational therapist, I have a range of different types of client appointments, ranging from initial appointments to follow ups, equipment trials or builder consults. My client load for the day, will usually vary depending on what type of appointments I have throughout the day. Empower has a range of diverse clients, from NDIS funded to HCP funded, allowing clinicians to have multiple learning opportunities with a range of different clientele with different conditions, needs and goals.

The reason I enjoy community / home care OT is because the home and community are two important environments for an individual. It is always interesting to see how individuals are within their home environment and I enjoy the problem-solving involved in making them safer at home. This often means liaising with equipment providers and builders to find adaptive technology or performing home modifications for the client.

For Example, 78-year-old Ellen with a level 4 HCP, has had multiple falls in her bathroom due to not having enough space to use her 4WF. This often means Ellen has to leave her 4WF outside the bathroom and navigate through the bathroom by holding onto different items. This makes Ellen a falls risk in the bathroom, especially with the slippery tiles. Ellen’s goal is to be able to shower and go to the toilet independently minimising the falls risk. Ellen’s old-style bathroom had minimal room between the shower, toilet and bathtub making it difficult to navigate, which makes Ellen feel extremely anxious about falling on the slippery tiles. A joint builder consult was completed with a friendly building team, who were able to come and assist with a plan for Ellen’s new bathroom. The new plan allowed Ellen to have more space to be able to use her 4WF within the area and also reduced the slipperiness of the tiles. This meant Ellen’s goal was achieved, leaving her overjoyed that she could perform important ALDs independently and bring her 4WF into the bathroom to increase her safety.

Team Meeting:

Every afternoon, the new graduates have a daily debrief that allows us to discuss the day that we had and discuss any questions that had come up throughout the day. While we do chat regularly throughout the day on a team’s chat, it is also nice to attend the meeting while doing our works, to be able to have that office like support and social interaction when working from home. It is also a great way to get to know the other new graduates and learn from some of their experiences.

Empower’s Graduate Program

The foundations for a bright career!

How does our program work?

Empower Healthcare’s comprehensive graduate program offers personal development and mentoring, to successfully transition you from a student into talented clinician. Here’s how it works:

12 month structured program
Individual development plan & goal setting
Weekly 1:1 mentoring
Monthly online professional development courses
Monthly clinical development workshops
Quarterly company-wide professional development & social events
Quarterly progress report
$1,500 yearly professional development allowance
Grad year completion bonus

Highlights:

$1500 PD fund

We provide all graduates with a $1500 professional development fund, which can be used to attend events of your choosing, to help you further your skills and development.

Mentoring and quarterly progress reports

Our grads have access to weekly 1:1 mentoring. Every three months, you and your mentor will discuss your progress in working towards your development plan and goals.

Company-wide professional development and social events

Every three months we have an Empower family reunion, which involves an evening of professional development and social activities to bring our team closer together.

Learn about our graduate program in more detail.

Click Here for our grad flyer

We accept graduates all-year round. Call 03 9068 3739 to talk to a member from People and Culture about our national grad opportunities.…

Continue reading →

Professional Development, Recruitment

Why Hongyi Enjoys Working for Empower Healthcare

Posted on June 17, 2021November 22, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
Jun

Hongyi is a valued member of our Occupational Therapy Team and reflects on why he enjoys working for Empower Healthcare.

I have always been passionate about building strong, positive relationships with clients and helping them to live independent and happy lives. For me to do that requires constantly expanding my knowledge and experience. Empower Healthcare has helped me grow every step of the way with:

A culture of teamwork
Emphasis of professional development
Mentorship and support
A multidisciplinary approach to client care
Career goal setting

For me, work/life balance is vital. My job allows me to do what I love while having time to exercise, relax and continue to develop other parts of my life. When an opportunity for further study arose, my managers supported me in reducing my work hours to allow me time to study and attend uni.

Having the freedom to reach my personal and professional goals means that I enjoy coming to work every day!

Empower healthcare is changing lives- yours could be next.

Join us to open the door to what is possible.

Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Nursing
Podiatry
Dietetics
Osteopathy
Massage Therapy

Fastrack Your Career

Work, Your Way

Create true balance with work hours that work for you, flexible leave arrangements and low stress environments.

Be Valued

We offer competitive salary packages that grow as you do and acknowledge your unique strengths and contributions.

Join the Team

Experience the satisfaction that comes from being a part of multidisciplinary teams, focused on delivering the best outcomes for the people we care for, while learning from each other.

If you’re interested to see how we can help open the door for your next career move, click on the link to learn more.

Learn more

…

Continue reading →

Graduate Program, Occupational Therapy, Professional Development, Recruitment, Uncategorized

Emma, Occupational Therapist Reflects on Empower’s Graduate Program

Posted on June 7, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

07
Jun

“I knew that Occupational Therapy was a broad field, however I didn’t realise how diverse it can be until working in the community. I feel privileged that I am able to help client’s remain safe and independent, and reach their goals through the interventions and recommendations I give.” Emma Austin, 2021 OT Graduate.

I started with Empower Healthcare in January 2021 as a part of their Graduate Program. I was worried having just graduated from university that I would be thrown into the deep end. However, since I have joined Empower, I have never felt more supported throughout my entire journey.

A moment that has stood out to me was during one of the shadowing sessions with my mentor. We completed a joint session with the client’s family and carers to teach them how to correctly and safely complete hoist transfers. It was a great session, and throughout we were all having fun and laughing. The client had a smile on his face the entire time. My mentor was very happy at the end of the session, as in previous meetings, the client was always quiet and appeared sad. It was a great feeling to know that we were able to make the client smile.

Empower’s Graduate Program

The foundations for a bright career!

How does our program work?

Empower Healthcare’s comprehensive graduate program offers personal development and mentoring, to successfully transition you from a student into talented clinician. Here’s how it works:

12 month structured program
Individual development plan & goal setting
Weekly 1:1 mentoring
Monthly online professional development courses
Monthly clinical development workshops
Quarterly company-wide professional development & social events
Quarterly progress report
$1,500 yearly professional development allowance
Grad year completion bonus

Highlights:

$1500 PD fund

We provide all graduates with a $1500 professional development fund, which can be used to attend events of your choosing, to help you further your skills and development.

Mentoring and quarterly progress reports

Our grads have access to weekly 1:1 mentoring. Every three months, you and your mentor will discuss your progress in working towards your development plan and goals.

Company-wide professional development and social events

Every three months we have an Empower family reunion, which involves an evening of professional development and social activities to bring our team closer together.

Learn about our graduate program in more detail.

Click Here for our grad flyer

We accept graduates all-year round. Call 03 9068 3739 to talk to a member from People and Culture about our national grad opportunities.

…

Continue reading →

Professional Development, Recruitment

Rubie Shares her Reflection on Empower’s Graduate Program

Posted on May 17, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

17
May

When I first started at Empower, I shadowed my mentor and visited a client managing multiple sclerosis. By recommending a bed pole to assist with bed transfers, we changed their life, improved independence, and boosted self-confidence to live alone. It was this moment that reminded me of the reason why I chose to be an occupational therapist in the first place – to improve the quality of life and overall happiness for everyone.

As a graduate occupational therapist at Empower, we get to meet all types of people and by taking the time to get to know them as individuals, learning their daily routines and interests, as well as challenges in everyday activities, we gain experience and knowledge in providing individualised support and a solution for activities they have trouble participating in.

What I love most, is the opportunity to connect daily with fellow grads to share the experience of our work, as well as brainstorming solutions and ideas for challenging works that we have encountered.

I’d highly recommend Empower to new graduates because Empower is such a close-knit family and you get so many learning resources and support from your team leader, mentor and work colleague, which is exactly what a new graduate needs during the transition period from university to a clinical setting.

Empower’s Graduate Program

The foundations for a bright career!

How does our program work?

Empower Healthcare’s comprehensive graduate program offers personal development and mentoring, to successfully transition you from a student into talented clinician. Here’s how it works:

12 month structured program
Individual development plan & goal setting
Weekly 1:1 mentoring
Monthly online professional development courses
Monthly clinical development workshops
Quarterly company-wide professional development & social events
Quarterly progress report
$1,500 yearly professional development allowance
Grad year completion bonus

Highlights:

$1500 PD fund

We provide all graduates with a $1500 professional development fund, which can be used to attend events of your choosing, to help you further your skills and development.

Mentoring and quarterly progress reports

Our grads have access to weekly 1:1 mentoring. Every three months, you and your mentor will discuss your progress in working towards your development plan and goals.

Company-wide professional development and social events

Every three months we have an Empower family reunion, which involves an evening of professional development and social activities to bring our team closer together.

Learn about our graduate program in more detail.

Click Here for our grad flyer

We accept graduates all-year round. Call 03 9068 3739 to talk to a member from People and Culture about our national grad opportunities.…

Continue reading →

Graduate Program, Physiotherapy, Recruitment

A Day in the Life of a Homecare Physiotherapist

Posted on March 16, 2021February 24, 2022 by Nicole Cook

16
Mar

Ever wondered what a day in the life of a home care physiotherapist is like? We go behind the scenes with physiotherapist Patrick Jones, to explore what a typical day looks like for a home care physio and answer a few questions that you may have about becoming one.

Getting Ready:

My typical morning routine for the day is waking up at about 8am or 8:30am (a nice sleep in compared to my wife who has to leave at 7am for the hospital) and getting ready for the day. I officially start at 9am from home (if I don’t have a patient at 9am) and check my schedule for the day while drinking a coffee at home. This includes confirming the client’s names, conditions and address’ I will be seeing as well as answering any emails or printing any paperwork such as HEP.

Going to work:

The joy of community physiotherapy is being able to start at home and the varied environments you travel to from rehabilitation centres, client’s homes, nursing homes or independent living units. Empower ensures to provide clients where possible close to your surrounding area which means not too much driving but enough for a good podcast throughout the day!

Lunch:

During the day you get an allocated lunch break and since you are on the road you get to have a choice of amazing food options. Alternatively, you can also pack lunch and bring it on the road. I find it’s nice either way to stop at a park or beach and enjoy the food which is one of the big perks of working in homecare. Occasionally when we have a meeting you may even be able to score a free lunch.

Treating Clients:

During my typical day I am expected to see six clients, a combination of new referrals and follow up clients. One of the best parts of community is the diversity of conditions and clients we get to see. In a typical day I could see an orthopaedic client recently discharged from rehab, a NDIS participant, a client with Parkinson’s and an elderly client who is at risk of falls. This allows me to continue to grow and develop my skills in a number of physiotherapy clinical areas.

The aspect of home care I find the most rewarding is that we can focus on the client’s goals in their own environment. Unlike hospitals where the aim is to get them to a safe mobility for discharge, in the community we get to help the client return to their most optimised self. This means that we collaborate and partner together to achieve agreed goals.

For example, Linda is a 65 year old female who has had 3 falls in the past which has caused her to be too afraid to leave her house. Her main goal was to be able to leave the house and walk to the local shops. By implementing short term goals with an exercise program focused on balance, lower limb strengthening and mobility, Linda was empowered to build back her confidence. Together we were then able to practice her outdoor walking and preferred route to the shops. Linda is now feeling more self-assured about her walking and with ongoing practice and progress, believes she will be able to soon walk independently.

Team Environment:

Every fortnight the national physiotherapy team meet online. This is a great chance to receive ongoing professional development, bounce ideas off one another as well as meet the rest of the team and participate in fun social activities. As the Sydney team we also meet once a fortnight for coffee and case discussion. This allows us, as a smaller team to debrief on any complex cases over a coffee. Part of your training also includes a trip to the Melbourne head office, if you time it well you might be able to catch a game, Go Giants!

Empower Healthcare’s Graduate Program

We now offer year-round graduate intakes.

As the demand for allied health contribution to our overburdened Australian health system grows exponentially, we are strengthening our capacity nationally to help deliver better health outcomes for Australians and continually looking for new grads to join our team.

Empower Healthcare provides a comprehensive graduate training program across physiotherapy, occupational therapy, osteopathy and podiatry.

If you’re a physio that is seeking to strive and thrive then visit our Graduate careers page and apply today!

Learn more about our Graduate Program

…

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Announcements, Community, In Home Care, Physiotherapy, Recruitment

In Profile with Cristina Speranza – Physiotherapist NSW

Posted on February 22, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

22
Feb

We welcome Cristina Speranza to the Empower family. Cristina is our newest graduate physiotherapist in NSW.

Tell us a bit about yourself

Hi! My name is Cristina Speranza and I am a new graduate Physiotherapist that has recently joined the Empower NSW team. I completed a Bachelor of Human Science majoring in Human Movement at Macquarie University and a Masters of Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney. During my degree, I discovered that Physiotherapist’s can treat much more than your usual musculoskeletal injuries, in fact we can EMPOWER client’s to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. I have discovered a deep passion for neurological rehabilitation and in the future I aspire to become a clinical educator and share my knowledge and passion for Physiotherapy with the future generations to come.

In your new position at Empower, what will you be looking to achieve in 2021?

Being the first Physiotherapist on the NSW team, I would love to share my current knowledge with future Empower Physiotherapist’s and contribute to expanding the team. I would also love to learn and expand my own Physiotherapy skill set to ensure I am delivering quality care to all clients.

What do you love most about your role?

I love when client’s feel a sense of accomplishment and happiness when they have achieved their goals. That is the reason why I wake up every morning and do what I do. I also love being able to connect with client’s and hear their stories and wisdom.

What has been your most memorable moment?

The most memorable moment of my Physiotherapy career was when I was managing a paraplegic client and she had been hospitalised for 5 months since her injury. She had not left the hospital in that time and her goal was to complete a car transfer to go for a drive to Coogee beach. The only thing that was stopping her, was her inability to complete a transfer out of her wheelchair. After a lot of motivation, intensive practice and strength training she was able to complete the car transfer and her husband drove her to Coogee beach. After the drive, she was crying of pure happiness and could not stop thanking me for never giving up on her. That was the moment when I realised no matter what condition the client has there is always an alternative solution for them to achieve their goals.

What attracted you to Empower?

Being a new graduate Physiotherapist, I initially found it quite overwhelming to start practicing with minimal to no supervision. Empower offered a great new graduate program that has a great balance of support and independence. Another aspect that attracted me to Empower was that it permits me to treat clients in their own homes. This enhances the specificity of treatment options and it makes the therapy more relatable and functional for each client.

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

The best piece of advice I would give to myself and any new graduate was a mantra I was told by a UTS lecturer, and it is “Don’t overcomplicate it. Keep it simple stupid.” Also take any opportunity that comes your way because opportunities breed opportunities.

Out of the workplace, what are your interests and hobbies?

I love going to the gym and exercising. I enjoy a variety of training styles including strength training, cardiovascular training, Pilates and boxing. More importantly I love food and cooking, especially baking! Being Italian it’s in my genetics. I also love to travel (COVID has been a bit of a buzz kill with that) but I am definitely making the most of traveling around Australia.

What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?

A fun fact is that I was a dancer for 15 years and I used to compete around NSW. I also used to play the piano at a very high level during school. I still know how to play “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys, “End of the Road” by Boys to Men, “Clocks” by Coldplay and a few others.

Our Service Guarantee

“Our promise: We respond faster. Whether it’s our short waiting lists, same day reporting or simple referral process, you can rest assured that your client is in the best hands.”

We have listened to our clients and they don’t have the time to micro-manage their portfolio. They want to partner with someone that is reliable and dependable with transparent pricing structures.

Adam Gilroy Smith, CEO reveals, “Empower has grown by 100% over the past year based on our service model across Home Care, NDIS and Residential Aged Care. By listening to our clients and the challenges they face, we adapt, stay well positioned and respond fast to deliver exceptional care. The launch of our new service model is another example of Empower Healthcare’s ability to be agile in a rapidly changing environment.”

How To Get Clients Started With Our Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

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Announcements, Community, In Home Care, Physiotherapy, Recruitment

In Profile with Felicia Yapp – Occupational Therapist VIC

Posted on January 27, 2021November 27, 2023 by Nicole Cook

27
Jan

Felicia joined the Empower team in 2020 as an occupational therapist, during a challenging 2020 Felicia managed to work with her clients and excel in providing quality service and care.

Tell us a bit about yourself

Originally from Malaysia, I came to Australia in 2007, completed my Foundation Studies in Adelaide and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Deakin University, Geelong. I started my professional OT career in 2012 predominantly working at a private hospital in Geelong – acute medical care, inpatient rehabilitation (orthopaedic, reconditioning, neurological conditions). I was also involved with facilitating individual/group treatment sessions for Outpatient Programs such as Parkinson’s and Cognitive ‘Rust Removers’ group, Pulmonary and Reconditioning program.

I moved to Adelaide in 2018 and worked at a not-for-profit residential aged care and home care community organisation as well as Transitional Care Program. I also had the opportunity to work alongside Psychologists from Spain to establish a cognitive program adapted from Spain within the residential aged care facility and as part of the community program. I moved back to Melbourne in 2020 and began working with Empower in March.

What attracted you to Empower?

I was referred to join Empower by a mutual friend and the opportunity seemed like a good fit.

What do you love most about your role?

As a Community Occupational Therapist, it continues to challenge my skills and knowledge gained over my working experience. I find that I learn something new each day. Most of all I love to see the smile on our client’s face, support them in achieving their goals and independence and also the acknowledgment that we are providing a quality service.

What has been your most memorable moment?

A previous client who was diagnosed with early stage of dementia, who in his first session told us that it was impossible for him to do sudoku puzzles. Through our cognitive therapy group session, he developed the skills and confidence to do sudoku puzzles (along with other tailored activities). I felt a great sense of achievement that he found new interest and motivation to keep his mind active. As an OT I have always known that we “put the fun in functional!”

What piece of advice would you give your new graduate self?

Approach everything with an open mind. There is no such thing as a ‘silly question’. Be pro-active and always persevere to develop your knowledge and skills as you progress as an OT.

Out of the workplace, what are your interests and hobbies?

I love baking – it is my relaxation therapy. I like to try out new recipes and explore new restaurants/cafes. I also like to draw/sketch and make DIY cards.

What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?

I am a lefty.

Our Service Guarantee

“Our promise: We respond faster. Whether it’s our short waiting lists, same day reporting or simple referral process, you can rest assured that your client is in the best hands.”

We have listened to our clients and they don’t have the time to micro-manage their portfolio. They want to partner with someone that is reliable and dependable with transparent pricing structures.

How To Get Clients Started With Our Services

Simply click on the image below for our referral form.

…

Continue reading →