Telehealth for OT in Australia: Safe, Effective, and Built Around Your Life

If therapy has ever felt like a logistical juggle - transport, scheduling, time off school or work - you’re not alone. Telehealth brings care to you. With secure video or phone sessions, Occupational Therapists can coach, assess, and problem-solve in your real environment, often achieving outcomes that match in-person care, with shorter wait times.

Let’s be honest: getting to therapy can be hard. It’s not just the appointment - it’s the travel, the time, the school pick-up, the parking. For many families, those barriers are the reason therapy gets delayed.

Telehealth changes that. Your clinician meets you where life happens - at home, at school, at work - so strategies are practiced in the exact places you’ll use them. The NDIS recognizes virtual care as “just another way to see your practitioner” when clinically appropriate, and research shows high satisfaction and comparable outcomes for many OT goals (plus added benefits like reduced wait times and cost).

Telehealth isn’t a pandemic workaround. It’s now permanent under Medicare, supported by Australia’s Digital Health Blueprint, and widely used across the NDIS. Translation: it’s mainstream, safe, and here to stay.

CARED offers telehealth OT services nationwide. We’ll help you get set up easily, choose the right model (telehealth, hybrid, or in-person), and focus on what matters most - your goals.

1) Let’s Talk About the Future of Allied Health Care in Australia

NDIS and Telehealth

Telehealth is fully supported under NDIS for allied health services when clinically appropriate, helping participants access care in familiar environments.

What about Medicare?

Medicare telehealth items are permanent for general healthcare, but NDIS funding is designed specifically for people with lifelong disability, with its own rules and flexibility.

The National Disability Strategy (2021–2031) sets a ten-year vision for inclusion across government, highlighting how remote service delivery - including telehealth - improves health and wellbeing outcomes for people with disability.

The Independent NDIS Review (2023) and recent Quarterly Reports emphasize innovation like telehealth as key to equity and sustainability under the scheme. These frameworks confirm that telehealth isn’t a short-term workaround - it’s part of how Australia plans to deliver accessible, participant-focused care for the long haul.

Telehealth also addresses the reality that around 27% of Australians live outside major cities, where access gaps are more common. Bringing therapy into homes reduces travel burdens and makes regular sessions more achievable. Connectivity keeps improving, and practical support for digital literacy is growing - but even today, telehealth is one of the fastest ways to start therapy without the commute.

2) Why so Many People Are Rethinking “Traditional” Therapy

Traditional clinic models can be great - but they don’t always fit real life. Participants and families often face:

• Long waits for appointments.

• Traditional therapy often means long travel times, extra costs, and wasted funding. With NDIS travel caps, providers are pulling out of regional areas -leaving participants with fewer options and waitlists stretching 6–24 months. Every hour spent on the road is an hour lost from therapy.

• Scheduling friction with work, school, and supports.

• Short, rigid appointment slots leave little time to practice strategies - so most of the session is spent talking, not doing.

Telehealth removes those barriers. It lets caregivers, teachers, or support workers join sessions easily, and it reduces wait times. A national NDIA–University of Western Australia survey of 2,391 NDIS participants, carers, and families found 63% transitioned their allied health supports to video or phone during COVID‑19. Nearly one‑third said they’d choose telehealth in the future, equating to around 130,000 participants (Patient Use, Experience, and Satisfaction With Telehealth in an Australian Population (Reimagining Health Care): Web-Based Survey Study - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository).

3) A Realistic Look at In-Person-Only Care: What’s Working… and What Isn’t

In-person therapy is essential for certain needs, including:

• Complex Physical Assessments – Services requiring hands-on evaluation (e.g., physiotherapy for gait analysis, manual muscle testing, or wheelchair seating assessments).

• High-Risk or Safety-Critical Interventions – Participants with severe mobility issues, swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), or complex medical needs where immediate physical assistance may be required.

• Behaviour Support in Crisis – When behaviours of concern pose imminent risk to self or others, in-person observation and intervention are often essential for safety and accurate functional assessment.

• Building Rapport for New Participants – Initial sessions for participants with high anxiety, trauma history, or trust issues may benefit from face-to-face engagement before transitioning to telehealth.

But there are tradeoffs: travel, schedule rigidity, and less opportunity to test strategies in your realworld routines. Telehealth sessions, guided by national expectations for safe virtual care, let you practice where you live and participate - often leading to stronger carryover between sessions. When telehealth isn’t right, good providers (like CARED) pivot to hybrid or inperson options.

4) The Options You DIdn't Know Existed: Community & Telehealth

Community-based and telehealth models fit perfectly with modern Australian health policy: care that’s connected, person-centred, and delivered where people live. Professional bodies endorse telepractice for Occupational Therapy and have published clear guidance on virtual care - covering safety, consent, and clinical standards.

Telehealth makes family-centred, strengths-based practice easier by embedding therapy in natural environments - where children live, play, and learn. Instead of clinic-only routines, strategies are coached into everyday activities like playgroups, story time at the local library, or mealtime at home. This approach builds caregiver confidence and creates more opportunities for practice between sessions - something research shows leads to stronger skill carryover and better long-term outcomes.

5) What Telehealth OT Actually Look's Like  

Occupational Therapy (OT) helps build independence in daily living, sensory regulation, motor skills, and adapting environments. But what does that look like in real life? Here are some examples

Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA)

Do mornings feel like a battle? If your child struggles to dress themselves or follow simple instructions, an FCA helps us understand their abilities and support needs. Through video calls, we watch real routines and suggest practical strategies so mornings feel less stressful.

Sensory Profile / Sensory Processing Assessment

Does your child cover their ears during noisy playdates or refuse certain clothes? We’ll identify sensory sensitivities and coach you on calming strategies during telehealth sessions - right in your home where the challenges happen.

Home Environment Assessment

Worried about safety at home? Maybe your child slips in the bathroom or can’t reach the sink. We’ll do a guided video walkthrough and recommend simple changes like non-slip mats or adaptive equipment.

Assistive Technology Assessment

Is mealtime a struggle because your child can’t sit comfortably? We’ll review your setup via video, suggest supportive seating, and arrange in-person trials if needed - so your child feels secure and you feel less stressed.

ADL Assessment (Activities of Daily Living)

Does brushing teeth or toileting end in meltdowns? We’ll join you virtually during these routines and coach you through strategies that make self-care easier and more positive.

School/Workplace Assessment

Is your child finding it hard to focus in class? We’ll connect with teachers via secure calls to recommend sensory breaks or seating adjustments - helping your child feel included and supported.

6) What if Therapy Fit Around Your Week – Not the Other Way Around?

With telehealth, you can book sessions that fit your routine - before school, during a lunch break, after work, or whenever your practitioner is available. No commute. No waiting room.

Most importantly, telehealth helps therapy stick. When strategies are practiced in your kitchen, at the dining table, in the classroom, or at your workstation, your clinician can tailor recommendations to your real environment and coach you through challenges as they happen.

7) The Real Pros and Cons - No Sugar-coating

Pros

• Faster access, fewer barriers: Shorter waits in many regions; no travel time.

• Homebased outcomes:  When therapy happens at home or in places your child already plays and learns, strategies fit naturally into daily routines - like mealtime, playgroup, or story time. That means more chances to practice every day, not just once a week in a clinic

• Safety & standards: Same expectations of care as in person; telehealth used only when appropriate.

• National support: Permanent NDIS telehealth, long-term digital health strategy.  

Cons

• It doesn’t work for everyone. Some people simply prefer face-to-face interaction for building rapport or feel more comfortable in a clinic setting.

• Certain tasks need hands-on care. Complex physical assessments, high-risk interventions, or assistive technology trials often require in-person or hybrid sessions.

• Privacy/setup needed: You’ll need a quiet space and a compatible device; we provide an easy checklist.

8) How CARED Has Your Back: Referrals, Support, Admin & Tech

Fast access matters.

From referral to your first session in under a week - so you can start therapy or get an assessment without sitting on a waitlist for months. Quick turnaround means less waiting and more time working toward your goals.

9) Who Thrives with Telehealth?

Telehealth is endorsed under the NDIS Practice Standards and supported by research as an effective, flexible mode of delivering allied health services when clinically appropriate. It works best for participants who:

• Have access to technology and internet

• Are motivated to engage in therapy within their natural environments: Evidence shows telehealth enhances functional outcomes when strategies are embedded in home, school or everyday settings (Zhou & Parmanto, 2019)

• Value coaching and capacity-building: Telehealth supports family-centred practice, a core principle of ECIA and NDIS Early Childhood Approach, by empowering carers to implement strategies between sessions.

• Have informal supports available: Carers or family can join sessions, consistent with NDIS guidelines for collaborative and inclusive service delivery.

• Prefer convenience and reduced disruption: Telehealth reduces travel time and costs, improving access for participants in rural and remote areas (explicitly recognised in the NDIS Remote Service Delivery Framework.)

• Seek therapy that fits real-life contexts: Telehealth enables interventions in the participant’s own environment, supporting goal-based outcomes and functional participation

10) How to Start with CARED (And Begin Telehealth Fast)

1. Enquire or refer via our website/phone.

2. Share your goals (communication, mealtimes, routines, equipment).

3. Provide plan/referral details (NDIS; Medicare referrals where relevant).

4. Clinician match - We pair you with a AHPRA registered OT

5. Consent & service agreement - Plain English, transparent fees and scheduling.

6. Start your therapy!

7. Review & report - Clear outcomes for your plan reviews; adjust model (telehealth/hybrid/in person) as needed.

11) Independence Re-imagined: Ali’s Virtual Care Journey (NSW)

For Ali, a 43-year-old woman living with a spinal cord injury in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, telehealth has reshaped what everyday healthcare looks like. Before virtual care, attending appointments meant long travel days, organising support workers, and sometimes staying overnight just to see a specialist. Since joining her local virtual care program, Ali now meets with her clinicians - including physio, OT, dietetics, and nursing - via video from home.

The shift has cut out hours of travel, reduced stress, and made it far easier for her to stay engaged with regular preventative care. She says she would have missed many appointments without the option of virtual consultations, and that the technology feels accessible and easy to use.

Ali’s experience highlights how telehealth can restore independence, expand access, and maintain continuity of care - especially for people in regional areas managing complex, ongoing health needs. (Case study: Ali's story | NSW Government)

Confidence in Daily Routines: Leo’s Virtual OT Journey (NSW)

For Leo, a 5-year-old boy living with autism in rural New South Wales, telehealth has transformed how therapy fits into everyday life. Before virtual care, his parents faced long drives to appointments and struggled to apply clinic-based strategies at home.

To understand Leo’s needs, the OT completed several assessments and interviews with his family. These included an initial parent interview, a visual motor integration assessment, sensory assessment, dynamic assessment, and informal observations. The results showed Leo had difficulty maintaining attention, mild delays in motor coordination, poor motor endurance, trouble following 1–2 step instructions, and sensory processing challenges around sound and movement.

Using evidence-based practice, the OT designed interventions that targeted these areas - all delivered through telehealth. Sessions focused on real-life routines, with strategies tested in Leo’s home environment. To keep him engaged, therapy incorporated his love for Pikachu through themed fine motor activities like painting and pencil grip practice.

The results speak for themselves:

• Improved fine motor skills - Leo can now hold a pencil correctly and cut with scissors.

• Clearer communication - his speech is easier to understand, reducing frustration.

• Better emotional regulation - fewer meltdowns during daily tasks like brushing teeth.

Leo’s story shows how telehealth can make therapy accessible, engaging, and effective - especially for families in regional areas who want strategies that work in real life. (Online occupational therapy: An NDIS case study - Umbo)

Care Made Easier: Peter’s Virtual OT Journey

For Peter, a 27-year-old man living with severe cerebral palsy in Tasmania, daily care was becoming stressful and unsafe. His old commode chair had slippery foot straps and poor design, making showering a challenge for both Peter and his mum, who is his primary carer.

Through telehealth, a senior Occupational Therapist in Brisbane worked closely with Peter’s family and a local therapy assistant. The OT completed a thorough assessment via video calls, gathering information about Peter’s physical needs, posture, and bathroom setup. Using evidence-based practice, the OT recommended three suitable commode options and supervised trials remotely at a local equipment provider. The team also introduced a long-handled sponge to make personal care easier and safer.

What changed for Peter:

• Safer transfers and showering - no more slippery straps or awkward positioning

• Reduced caregiver stress - Peter’s mum says showering him is now “a pleasure”

• Improved dignity and comfort - Peter feels secure and supported during care routines

Peter’s story shows how telehealth can deliver practical solutions for complex equipment needs - even across states - by combining virtual expertise with local support (Occupational Therapy Telehealth Makes Change Possible).

12) Before You Choose Telehealth - A Quick Self-Check

Ask yourself:

1. Technology & Environment

Do we have a reliable device, internet and a private space for sessions? Is there a backup plan if technology fails (e.g., phone call or reschedule)?

2. Clinical Suitability

Are the participant’s needs safe and effective to address via telehealth?

3. Goals & Outcomes

Are therapy goals achievable through telehealth and everyday routines?

4. Consent & Comfort

Has the participant (or family) provided informed consent for telehealth? Are we comfortable using video or phone and ready to give it a go?

5. Support Availability

Is a carer or support person available if needed for positioning, tech setup, or implementing strategies?

6. Privacy & Confidentiality

Is the space private enough to maintain confidentiality and meet NDIS and AHPRA standards?

7. Flexibility

Would a hybrid model (telehealth + community/in-person visits) better meet our needs?

If any answer is “not yet,” we’ll help you solve it - or recommend an in-person pathway. Safety and outcomes first.

13) Why Now Is the Right Time

Demand for therapy is high across Australia - especially in rural and remote communities where access and equity remain big challenges. Telehealth is often the quickest way to start, cutting wait times and removing travel barriers.

Here’s the bottom line: Telehealth isn’t a temporary fix. It’s a proven, evidence-based approach that supports choice and control, promotes inclusion, and delivers lasting outcomes by embedding therapy in real-life environments and building participant capacity.

With NDIS frameworks backing innovation and flexibility - and providers ready to switch to hybrid or in-person when needed - now is the time to make therapy work for you.

14) Your Next Step: Book Telehealth with CARED

Telehealth OT is safe, evidence-based, and participant friendly. They bring therapy into your routines, respect your time and budget, and focus on the everyday moments that matter - meal prep, communication, selfcare, school, work, community participation.

Ready to try?

• Join CARED today, call at 1300 367 117 or email hello@cared.io

• Start flexible care now

• Prefer to chat first? Book a call - we’ll walk through suitability, tech needs, and your goals.

Your therapy should fit your life. With CARED telehealth, it finally does.

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