OTs: Equip yourself for safe, confident Home Modification practice

Home is where daily life happens – and when the home environment no longer supports a person’s needs, occupational therapists are key to making it safer, more accessible, and more enabling. But modifying someone’s home goes beyond selecting equipment or adjusting layouts. It requires specialist clinical reasoning, detailed assessment, and familiarity with building and funding requirements.

This is why dedicated training in environmental modifications is essential, especially for OTs working with complex cases.

Why specialist training matters

Environmental modifications – particularly major ones – can carry significant clinical, legal, and safety risks if not appropriately prescribed. Inadequate modifications can lead to injury, reduced quality of life, costly rectification work, or even legal liability for therapists and their employers. Therefore, specialised training helps ensure:

Accurate and safe assessment and prescription
Understanding of building codes, legislation, and funding scheme requirements including NDIS
Effective collaboration with tradespeople and contractors
Protection against professional risk through appropriate documentation and ethical practice

Some funding schemes like the NIDIS also require OTs involved in Category B minor and complex home modifications to complete recognised training to meet eligibility criteria. Without this, OTs may not be authorised to provide services within this funding scheme.

The value of training with Occupational Therapy Australia

OTA offers trusted, peer-reviewed training that equips therapists with the skills and knowledge required to assess and recommend home modifications with confidence.

Benefits of training with OTA include:

Completing training that meets funding schemes expectations including the NDIS
Up-to-date, evidence-based and person-centred content delivered by experienced occupational therapist
Practical focused including skills in creating accurate scale drawings to represent environmental changes and recommendations
Guidance to support ethical, client-centred, and legally compliant practice

Undertaking training in environmental modifications assists in meeting capabilities as outlined in OTA’s Capability Framework for Occupational Therapists supporting people with Environmental and Home Modifications available here.

OTA’s training also contributes to ongoing continuing professional development (CPD) hours to meet Ahpra registration requirements and supports therapists in advancing their careers while maintaining high standards of care.

Environmental modifications can dramatically improve the lives of people with disabilities and age-related decline. To achieve this, occupational therapists need to be well-trained, well-supported, and working within their scope. Investing in formal environmental modification training is critical to ensuring safe, effective, and meaningful outcomes for clients and communities.