Minor Home Modifications for Occupational Therapists with Angie Contreras!
We’re excited to introduce this upcoming course led by Angie Contreras, an experienced clinician, educator, and founder of Inclusive OT, a community private practice supporting clients across Sydney and regional NSW. Through Inclusive OT, Angie also provides mentoring and professional development opportunities to occupational therapists across Australia, making her a trusted leader in the field of home modifications.
This course provides a practical, in-depth guide to assessing and prescribing minor home modifications, including grab rails, handrails, and basic ramps. It covers essential processes for measuring and assessing modifications, applying the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model, understanding relevant standards and when to apply them, and collaborating effectively with builders and tradespeople.
Designed for OTs looking to develop confidence in minor home modifications, this course will provide the tools and knowledge needed to enhance safety and accessibility for clients.
Available now !
Course
2-3 Hours
About this course
This course offers a practical, easy-to-follow introduction to minor home modifications, focusing on basic ramps, grab rails, and handrails. Designed specifically for occupational therapists, it covers key assessment skills, relevant standards, and the use of the PEO model to support safe, client-centred recommendations.
Ideal for:
Occupational Therapists looking to build confidence in prescribing minor home modifications and develop a strong foundation in clinical reasoning and documentation.
You’ll learn how to:
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Build foundational skills in assessing and prescribing minor home modifications
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Understand key terminology and the difference between minor and major modifications
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Apply the PEO model to support client-centred decision-making
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Take accurate measurements for grab rails, handrails, and basic ramps
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Learn the basics of relevant standards and safety considerations
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Understand requirements for documentation and communicating with trades
About your instructor
Angie Contreras
Angie has been a clinician for over 20 years and is passionate educator with over 8 years teaching at The University of Sydney in various roles including as a clinical educator, sessional academic, unit of study coordinator and Associate Lecturer for units including Professional Practice I, II and III, Implementing Skills in OT Practice, Developing OT professional skills in practice, Occupational Performance: Healthcare I, and Disability and Assistive Products.
Following the completion of post graduate study in 2021 (Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies- Higher Education), she achieved Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, which recognises commitment to professionalism in teaching and learning in higher education aligning with the UK Professional Standards Framework.
With extensive clinical experience working with people with disabilities in community and rehab-based settings, in Australia and in Ireland, she has a wealth of knowledge to draw from when teaching others. Her areas of interest include neurological and developmental physical disabilities, and her clinical area of expertise includes complex home modifications for people with MS, Parkinson’s disease, MND, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, dementia and spinal cord injuries.
She is an approved CHM Assessor under the NDIS and is a member of the iCare Lifetime Care Panel for Building Modifications Occupational Therapists (BMOT). This application-based panel currently includes only 12 occupational therapists in Australia.
Syllabus
30 lessons, resources and references covering
- Introduction to Home Modifications
- Terminology and Definitions
- Legislation and Guidelines for all Home Modifications
- Barriers for Home Modifications
- Assessing for Minor Home Modifications
- Person
- Environment
- Occupation
- Intervention: Grab Rails
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- Assistive Technology and Task Modification
- The difference between Grab Rails vs Hand Rails
- Prescription of Grab Rails
- Contraindications for Grab Rails
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- Intervention: Hand Rails
- Prescription of Hand Rails
- Intervention: Basic Ramps
- Prescription for Basic Ramps
- Funding Schemes & Reporting
- Documentation
- Home Care Packages (HCP) and Aged Care Guidelines in Home Modifications
- NDIS Processes for Home Modifications
- Road accident insurance schemes and compensation clients
More information
Navigating minor home modifications can be challenging especially when you’re balancing clinical reasoning, standards, and the practical realities of working with clients, builders, and funding bodies. We created this course to bridge that gap, offering insights on how to assess and prescribe basic ramps, grab rails and hand rails.
Drawing on years of experience supporting clients in a range of settings, this course combines practical knowledge with foundational clinical frameworks. Our goal is to help you feel more confident in your role as an OT in minor home mods, whether you’re just getting started or refining your approach to ensure safer, more functional outcomes for your clients.
