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14 October 2025
Stories
| Home Care
For Allied Health Professionals Day, we spoke with occupational therapist Shirley about her work, what matters most to her clients and the quiet satisfaction of helping people live as well as they can.
After more than 30 years as an OT, Shirley still calls it, ‘the best job in the world’.
For her, occupational therapy is about far more than equipment and home modifications – it’s about meaningful activity and the gentle art of adjusting methods, environments and mindsets to help people re-engage or manage their lives in ways that feel right for them.
“What we do is support and empower people to reconnect with what matters to them and that’s very personal,” she explains. “Sometimes it means re-learning a task, sometimes it’s finding a new way to do it. It might be adapting an environment or shifting how someone thinks about what’s possible and deeply meaningful to them.”
She says the real joy comes from seeing that a client feels heard, acknowledged and supported. “When someone finds they can manage their day or their home in ways that may be different from before – however that looks for them – that’s the moment. That’s why we do what we do. Their joy, no matter how small, is palpable in that moment.”
Every day is different. Shirley might be visiting clients at home – watching how they move through their spaces, prepare a cuppa, engage with people, manage steps, or handle cutlery – noticing not just the practicalities, but also what matters emotionally.
“It’s not about rushing in with solutions,” she says. “It’s about taking time, listening, building trust and gently shaping small changes that help people feel safe, capable and confident again.”
Her best days are when clients don’t need her anymore. “That means they’ve made the strategies or equipment part of their everyday life. They’ve taken back that bit of independence.”
One of the things Shirley values most is the trust that comes with being welcomed into someone’s home. “They’ve chosen to open the door to you, that’s huge,” she says. “You’re being invited into their world, their routines, their history. It’s such a privilege.”
She’s also honest about the practical realities: time pressures, funding limits and the balance between meaningful conversation and getting things done.
“So often a chat is just as therapeutic as a piece of equipment and spending time with them does tend to lead to a client being more likely to take on the use of equipment and ideas,” she says. “I’m also conscious that every minute and every dollar matters to our clients in terms of their available funds and their wellbeing. It’s always about keeping their wellbeing at the centre.”
Despite the challenges, Shirley says the rewards are endless. “When someone says, “Thank you, you’ve really helped me”, it's the best feeling in the world.”
For Shirley, ageing well isn’t just about physical health, it’s also about how we talk to ourselves. “So many people say to me, ‘I should do, or I should be able to do, this or that’ and seem sad and disappointed that they are failing or not doing the right things for themselves,” she says.
She often gently suggests that they remove the word ‘should’ from their vocabulary and replace it with a word like ‘could’, ‘might’, or ‘can’. “For example, ‘I could go for walk to the letterbox’, rather than ’I should walk more’. The decision is then theirs and feels proactive and supportive, rather than a bossy instruction from someone else, or themselves.”
She often sees a spark return when people rediscover activities they love. “That little sense of joy – sometimes it’s subtle – but it’s there. It’s the feeling of possibility again.”
Shirley aims to bring the same mindset into her own life. She works four days a week to keep space for family, pets and home and from her home office she makes time to move, stretch, or step outside.
“I love the simple things,” she says. “Like patting a cat and looking out the window while I work and seeing the daffodils I planted in winter finally bloom. Those moments ground me.”
For Shirley, Allied Health Professionals Day is a chance to pause and appreciate her colleagues.
“I love that it exists,” she says. “We’re often the quiet achievers working alongside people in the background, helping them engage with what matters most to them. Recognition is lovely, but the real reward is seeing someone’s confidence and joy.”
Many clients are referred to Shirley by their care facilitators, who notice changes in mobility, safety, or day-to-day routines. BaptistCare’s Health and Well-Living Consultants also refer clients when OT support could help.
Allied health services are available through the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and the Support at Home Program, which is replacing the Home Care Package (HCP) program from 1 November 2025. The first step in accessing services is a person-centred assessment. From there, therapy is tailored to each client’s goals, whether that’s regaining strength, adjusting to new equipment, or finding safe ways to keep doing what they love.
To learn more, contact BaptistCare at home on 1300 275 227 or visit our Allied Health webpage.
