It has been over ten years since I stepped into the aged care workforce as a carer. I was studying occupational therapy (OT) at the time and had no idea of the profound impact working as a carer would have on my personal and professional life.
After some time working as a carer, I developed a deeper love for adult disability and aged care work. I loved seeing a smile on my clients faces and being part of the reason why.
Working for some time in the industry, I started to see gaps in the system and in-particularly a lack of understanding around dementia care. I noticed that ongoing dementia training and support was not offered like it needed to be to provide high quality care and support that our clients required. I noticed staff burnout and witnessed situations that made me feel deeply concerned yet helpless. There were many situations whereby I did not feel adequately educated nor supported to be able to provide the care older people and those living with dementia deserve. And I quickly learnt that many of my colleagues were in the same boat.
I strongly believe that older adults and those living with dementia have the right and need to continue to live a positive and purposeful life up until their final breath. I believe that a huge part of the equation in helping older people achieve their best quality of life is the carers, family members and support people around them. To provide good quality care, carers need to have access to regular education and support.
Holistic Occupational Therapy was founded in 2018 when I decided to follow my heart and work solely in the aged care and dementia arena. Since then, Jess and Emily have joined the team and we have broadened our reach, providing support to clients in the adult disability, aged care and dementia space across the Eyre Peninsula and beyond!
Thank you for joining us on our journey.
Brooke Moore
Founder
Holistic Occupational Therapy
