I was raised all over the place! I've moved around more times than I have had birthdays. My upbringing taught me to be flexible and open to change. I love learning from people and being involved with organisations which have allowed me to learn from so many kind humans. This has fuelled my drive to develop something to benefit the community.

Why did you choose Occupational Therapy?

I started my career in early childhood teaching. I had no idea what occupational therapy (OT) was. I knew, however, that I wanted to work with people with disabilities. I was lucky to start working in the disability industry as a teenager volunteering, and from there my passion for the industry grew. I eventually found OT at a training course I was doing as a support worker and instantly felt connected to the profession.

What experience did you gain before opening Beyond Boundaries Rehab in Maitland? And why have you now opened in Adamstown?

My OT career started in Mudgee working for ageing, disability and home care. I was covering most of the central west region and I had the best clients and experiences on the road. Pre-mobile phones it was fairly isolated, we had to adapt and be flexible.

With Beyond Boundaries Rehab I wanted to create a place to unite all the services, to bridge that gap between the medical and community worlds. We have been able to make NDIS and medical services work more collaboratively. In spite of the challenges we have endured, the outcomes have been incredible.

Our Adamstown office is our big step towards achieving that final vision. We have been able to team up with local orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Sandeep Tewari, and share a space that offers clients complete collaboration between orthopaedic management, rehab specialists and allied health services.

Your core services?

They are continually growing and adapting to meet client requests. We have several service streams, including medical and allied health. Our services help those with movement disorders, neurological conditions, and for individuals needing post injury or surgical rehab.

Demand for your services was rising pre the coronavirus, as well as post. Why was it rising prior to the pandemic?

Growth comes down to our staff. Our team is exceptionally good at what they do and super passionate about their clients. Clients are confident that they will receive a high-quality service that is collaborative, which leads to word of mouth referrals. We are also unique in what we offer. We work with both medical and allied health staff to deliver the best possible treatment plans, including BOTOX injections for tone and spasticity management. We believe there is nowhere else in Australia that offers an equivalent private service in the same collaborative multidisciplinary way. BOTOX injections have been used for many years to treat tone and spasticity, it is not a new treatment option, but working in a private setting, collaboratively with Allied Health and Rehab Specialists, is unique.

How has it continued to be strong amid lockdown?

The general health and independence needs of our clients still remains just as important as ever, this hasn't changed. This is still essential for most people's wellbeing. This is what is at the forefront of our service. We have simply had to adapt and find new ways to achieve it. We already had a very flexible working arrangement for staff and used online platforms for meetings. So the transition was about refining and expanding on our offering.

Has COVID-19 increased Telehealth demand?

Telehealth was already playing its role and pre COVID-19, we were using platforms such as SeeSaw to provide programs and communicate progress with clients, even locally. COVID-19 has had us collaborate with clients about how they want service to look, and then expand as a response.

Can Telehealth be a viable alternative?

Absolutely, it serves a purpose and for some clients we have seen an increase in engagement as they have found it easier to access services online. It's not all roses though, there are some times when it just can't be achieved. For example, we can't do a cast change electronically, modify a seating system, or do a swallowing assessment. In these scenarios, we have really thorough infection control procedures in place to ensure everyone's safety is put first whilst still fulfilling our duty as an essential worker.

Do you believe there is enough support for people with disabilities in the Hunter?

Unfortunately, no. We are a long way from having enough options for people with disabilities in the Hunter. Particularly when we consider recreation and sporting options as well, but in particular the services available for young people. It's such an important part of our childhood to be involved in sporting and social groups. The Hunter Region has a long way to go before we can say these options are readily available. We have heaps of 'come and try' days but very little options which are consistently available.