Occupational Therapist in the Northern Rivers

Mobile occupational therapy in the Northern Rivers, brought to your home

Astrad Allied Health is a mobile provider. Our occupational therapists and speech pathologists travel to you. We work in homes, schools, workplaces and community settings. There is no walk-in clinic to visit. We deliver services across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. That includes the Northern Rivers.

The Northern Rivers covers the Richmond, Tweed and Clarence valleys. Lismore sits on the Wilsons River. Ballina sits at the mouth of the Richmond River. Towns here are spread out. A therapist who comes to you saves a long drive.

What an occupational therapist in the Northern Rivers can help with

Occupational therapy helps you do the things that matter each day. That can mean dressing, cooking, working or getting to school. An occupational therapist looks at three things: the person, the task and the setting. They then change what needs changing.

• Children with autism, developmental delay or coordination difficulties
• Adults living with a disability or a neurological condition
• Older people who want to stay safe and independent at home
• People rebuilding daily skills after a stroke, injury or hospital stay

Assessments are a large part of this work. Astrad offers functional capacity assessments and occupational therapy home assessments. Each one ends in a clear written report you can act on.

What a speech pathologist can help with

Speech pathology covers speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing. Our speech pathologists are certified with Speech Pathology Australia. They support children who are late to talk. They also support adults whose communication or swallowing has changed after illness or injury.

Sessions happen in your home or your child’s school. Practice then takes place in the setting where the skill is needed. Family members, carers and teachers can join in.

Funding your therapy in the Northern Rivers

Most clients pay through one of three routes. NDIS funding is the most common. Aged care funding is next. Private payment is the third.

Astrad is not a registered NDIS provider. We work with self-managed and plan-managed participants, who are free to choose their own therapists. You can read more about NDIS funding for occupational therapy and NDIS funding for speech pathology. For older clients, our aged care funding guide sets out the options. This is general information only. It is not NDIS or financial advice. The NDIA decides funding.

Where we travel in the Northern Rivers

Astrad travels to clients. Our therapists drive, and they fly in and out where that makes more sense. This is how we cover Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In the Northern Rivers, our coverage works in two tiers. It helps to know which tier you sit in before you book.

Day to day coverage near the Queensland border

The northern part of the region sits close to the Queensland border. This is our day to day patch. Tweed, Casino and Lismore mark the furthest points we reach on a day to day basis. Ballina, Byron Bay, Lennox Head and Murwillumbah sit inside the same band. Ongoing therapy works well here, because the trip is short enough to repeat.

If you live in this band, an occupational therapist in the Northern Rivers can visit your home, your child’s school or your workplace for ongoing sessions. Speech pathology runs the same way. Contact us with your address and we will confirm what we can offer you.

Periodic coverage further south

Further south, the distances grow. Port Macquarie and similar areas sit in our periodic tier. We travel to these areas from time to time rather than on a day to day basis. That suits assessment work best. A functional capacity assessment, a home assessment or an assistive technology assessment can be completed in a planned visit.

Ongoing regular therapy is harder to run across that distance. If you need continuing sessions and you live further south, talk to us first. We will be straight with you about what we can commit to and what we cannot.

Why mobile therapy suits a regional area

Travel costs time and money outside the big cities. A round trip to a clinic can take a whole morning. Mobile therapy removes that trip. It also gives your therapist better information. An occupational therapist in the Northern Rivers who visits your home sees your kitchen, your front steps and your bathroom. Advice built on that is much easier to follow.

We run the same mobile model in other regions. You can see how it works on our page for occupational therapy in Brisbane. The approach in the Northern Rivers is the same. Only the map changes.

How to book an occupational therapist in the Northern Rivers

Getting started is simple. Tell us your goals and your funding type. We will explain what a first visit involves and how long it usually takes. We then set a plan with you and guide you on the next steps. Ready to begin? Contact Astrad to arrange your first appointment.

Written for Astrad Allied Health and reviewed by our AHPRA-registered occupational therapists and our speech pathologists certified with Speech Pathology Australia. Meet our team. This page is general information only. Individual results vary.