Enable OT Programs: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Paediatrics
1. How can I register my child at your clinic? How can I sign up my child for sessions and/or group sessions?
Any client wanting individual or group services offered by Enable Occupational Therapy is required to do an initial Occupational Therapy assessment. This can be scheduled by contacting the Admin team at admin@enableot.ca. Once the initial Occupational Therapy assessment has been completed, the Occupational Therapist team can let you know which sessions are recommended for your child, in regards to goals, strengths, and physical, cognitive and emotional needs. Unfortunately, we cannot sign up any children for sessions until the initial Occupational Therapy assessment is completed. (If it has been greater than 2 months since we have seen your child, we will need to re-assess your child to determine their level of functioning before they can sign up for any group sessions.)
2. How long is an initial Occupational Therapy assessment? How long is a follow-up Occupational Therapy session or follow-up Rehabilitation Assistant session?
The initial Occupational Therapy session is approximately 75 - 90 mins. The follow up clinic or weekly basketball/group sessions are generally 50 minutes, with 10 minutes for clinician charting, at the end.
3. What should I prepare for my first appointment?
Please make sure you have copies of any reports from medical professionals (Psychologists or Psychiatrists, Physiotherapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, or previous Occupational Therapists). These items can be brought to the initial appointment, scanned to our Admin team ahead of time, or dropped off in person at the clinic at a pre-arranged, scheduled time.
4. Do I need to sign up for a certain number of sessions or group sessions?
No. You are not obligated to attend a certain number of sessions, and can sign up for 1 - 2 sessions to try them out, before committing to more.
5. What is a Rehabilitation Assistant (RA)/Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)?
A RA/OTA works under the supervision of a Registered Occupational Therapist, and have usually completed an Occupational Therapy Assistant/Physical Therapy Assistant diploma OR Kinesiology degree (or are in the midst of completing this degree). These staff members have completed additional on site, practical and theoretical training under the supervision of the Clinical Director (and Occupational Therapist) Gina Fernandez, in the area of pediatrics or Parkinson's Disease treatment. These staff members are not permitted to do an assessment but are permitted to conduct treatment for children or adults with certain diagnoses or injuries, under the regular supervision of an OT (Gina). They are not registered health care providers under the Health Care Professions Act of BC, nor are they registered with a College in BC, but their services are a cost-efficient idea for families to receive regular treatment for their injuries or diagnoses. Additionally, these staff members often have more availability in their schedules at Enable OT to work with clients, on a regular basis, compared to the limited availability of the OT's on staff who have extremely busy schedules!
6. How is the decision made for my child to be paired with an Occupational Therapist or a Rehabilitation Assistant?
Depending on your child’s needs, Occupational Therapists may be the only clinicians suitable to work with your child. Rehabilitation Assistants are not permitted to utilize certain strategies and treatments, as only Occupational Therapists are authorized to utilize specific treatments/strategies. However, this decision, about which clinician to pair your child with, is made in collaboration with your Occupational Therapist. Please let your Occupational Therapist know if you have a preference for a Rehabilitation Assistant to work with your child.
7. Can you come to my child’s school to do an assessment and/or therapy?
Travel time is billed for a Therapist to come to your child’s school. Please note: if your child attends a public school, our private Occupational Therapists are not permitted to do assessments or treatments on school grounds, due to the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
8. Does your clinic do swallowing assessments?
In general, Occupational Therapists are qualified to perform swallowing assessments. However, due to our heavy caseloads, we often refer to nearby Speech Language-Pathology teams for such assessments. These clinicians are also qualified to perform swallowing assessments and have advanced training in this area.
9. Why do your camps cost more than community centre camps or regular clinic sessions?
In general, we provide a 1:1 staffing ratio of adults to children. In addition, our staff members are health care providers with advanced post-secondary education (multiple degrees, diplomas, certificates) and administer advanced, in-depth treatment at these camps, and as such, our camp costs reflect this. Additionally, the Therapists spend numerous hours prepping the content and material for the groups, so the price reflects this. (Please note: the fee for a child to attend a therapy group session is not at a decreased rate compared to a regular, individual therapy session.)
10. Are your staff members on the RASP (Registered Autism Service Providers) list?
Yes, our Occupational Therapist, Gina, is on this list. Rehabilitation Assistant sessions can be covered by Autism Funding too, under the term "Behavioral Interventionist”.
11. Do you do home visits?
Yes, in general. Travel time is billed in addition to session time.
12. Are parents or other service providers (BI’s from outside Enable OT, or Educational Assistants from my child’s school) permitted to observe OT or OT Assistant sessions?
External service providers are not permitted to observe OT assessments. However, these external service providers are permitted to observe specific sections of OT treatment sessions, with advance permission, in writing, from the Clinical Director (requires 4 - 6 weeks notice for this). Please note: external service providers are not permitted to observe during OT Assistant sessions unless the supervising OT is present in the session. Additionally, parents are not permitted to observe OT Assistant sessions unless the supervising OT is present in the session. Parents are permitted to be present for specific sections of OT treatment sessions for the purpose of learning how to execute OT strategies/treatment for their home therapy sessions, if the supervising OT is present in the session; however, this requires advance approval from the Clinical Director.
13. Why do you not release your clinic address or post it on the website?
We do not post our exact clinic location due to COVID-19 infection control protocols - we do not want any families who are not registered with that clinic location to “drop by” unannounced, without a staggered appointment time. (We are minimizing the number of individuals on site at one time and following WorkSafe BC guidelines closely.) As such, we only release the exact clinic location to your family after you have a confirmed, booked appointment at one of our sites. If you would like to view the clinic before confirming an appointment, please go to our Facebook page to see photos of each space!
14. Are you able to bill a meeting, about my child, under my name or the child’s other parent, if we have used up all of my child’s extended health insurance, due to the fact that I or the parent has some insurance remaining for the year?
No, we cannot. As the meeting with the OT is pertaining to recommendations specific to your child, we are unable to do so.
15. What is Expressive Arts?
Expressive Arts explores and supports psychological transformation through the imagination and the act of shaping and sharing. The Enable OT Expressive Arts Therapists possess certificates from Langara college and have completed a 2 year program that covers treatment interventions in various areas such as drawing, painting, creative writing/story telling, music/drumming and much more! These services are covered through Autism Funding and other funding programs through the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The Expressive Arts Therapists at Enable OT work closely with the OT team to deliver complementary treatment to children and adults at the clinic and at home visits. This complementary treatment decreases anxiety, improves language and executive functioning, and is a great upper body coordination, strengthening and endurance session!
Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
1. How can I sign up for PD boxing, yoga or dance classes?
Every client interested in PD boxing, yoga or dance classes is required to do an initial Occupational Therapy assessment. This can be scheduled by contacting the Admin team at admin@enableot.ca. Once the initial Occupational Therapy assessment is completed, the Occupational Therapist team can let you know which sessions are recommended for you, in regards to goals, strengths, and physical, cognitive and emotional needs. Unfortunately, we cannot enroll a client for group sessions until the initial Occupational Therapy assessment is completed. This assessment can be done at a client’s home or at the clinic. There is NO WAITLIST for Parkinson’s Disease treatment sessions.
2. What cities do you offer boxing classes in?
Richmond- in a boxing studio, and other cities are home visits.
3. What cities do you offer dance classes in?
Richmond.
4. Does your staff perform home visits and do exercises in the home?
Yes. Travel time is billed in addition to session time. These sessions are offered in all cities within the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
5. Can I still participate in PD exercise classes if I use a wheelchair, walker or cane?
Yes! Our Occupational Therapy team is trained to modify the exercises accordingly.
Funding
1. Do you offer free face-to-face consultation sessions?
No, we do not. However, our Clinical Director (and OT) Gina offers free 15 minute telephone consultations to speak with you directly and ensure that our company is the right fit for you. She can answer any questions that you may have, at that time.
2. What approach will you take with my child?
Unfortunately, our OT's cannot provide this answer, without having met your child. Goals and appropriate therapy plans are made following assessment and discussion with you. Please feel free to ask us about our approaches during the first OT session or during your phone call with the Clinical Director, Gina.
3. Do you accept payment via Autism Funding and At Home Funding?
Yes we do, and we also accept CKNW, Variety, Self-Deign, and TLA.
4. Are you able to direct bill my insurance company?
Unfortunately, no.
5. What forms of payment do you accept for private paying clients?
Cash or Credit Card.
Groups
1. What is the difference between the regular Adapted swim program at my local pool and the Enable OT swim sessions?
The Enable OT swim sessions focus on social skills using researched, evidence-based strategies designed by health care providers. These strategies are delivered by health care providers such as Rehabilitation Assistants (under the supervision of Occupational Therapists). Additionally, most of our swim sessions are co-led by lifeguards (pool Rehabilitation Assistants) who are following an OT treatment plan and have completed numerous hours of 1:1 training by our Occupational Therapists in the areas of executive functioning, range of motion, coordination and safe implementation of sensory integration strategies. As well, our team has the ability to deliver treatment in the areas of self-regulation and anxiety management using clinical, evidence-based strategies under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist. As such, we have the ability to treat anxiety in the pool setting and target feelings that may occur in the actual setting. Research shows that exposure to feared objects, activities, or situations in a safe environment helps to reduce fear and decrease avoidance behaviours. Additionally, these positive clinical outcomes are further increased when paired with other techniques used by our staff, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and self-regulation strategies, such as mindfulness and sensory interventions. Lastly, as each child in our swim sessions has completed an initial OT Assessment, a specific treatment plan has been created by the OT for each child and this plan is regularly monitored and modified by our Therapists, as your child progresses in the swim program.
2. What is the difference between other sports and recreation programs offered specifically for kids with Autism in this province and your programs?
Other provincial Autism programs which may be offered in your local community may have been designed by a non-health care provider, such as a Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) and staffed by volunteers. As they were not designed by a health care provider, the focus would be different as they are not designed to deliver treatment in the areas of range of motion and safe implementation of sensory integration strategies, as these items can only be treated by health care providers. As well, our team has the ability to deliver treatment in the areas of self-regulation and anxiety reduction using clinical, evidence-based strategies under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist, which allows us to treat anxiety as it relates to biking, basketball, rock climbing or social settings and target feelings that may occur in the actual setting. Research shows that exposure to feared objects, activities, or situations in a safe environment helps to reduce fear and decrease avoidance behaviours. Additionally, these positive clinical outcomes are further increased when paired with other techniques used by our staff, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and self-regulation strategies, such as mindfulness and sensory interventions. Lastly, as each child in our recreation sessions has completed an initial OT Assessment, a specific treatment plan has been created by the OT for your child and this plan is regularly monitored and modified by our Therapists, as your child progresses in the recreation sessions.
3. How many other children are guaranteed to be in each group, at minimum?
We cannot guarantee a minimum number of children in each group. The reason for this is a family whose child is registered in a group may cancel a session if their child is ill, or we may be forced to cancel a child from a group session, if a family answers "yes" to a COVID question during the morning COVID phone call. If, on a rare occasion, your child is the only child registered for a group session, due to other children being unable to attend last minute, we will continue to work on the same social skills that the group would have worked on such as multi-step sequences for executive functioning, problem solving, reading body language of individuals in the immediate vicinity, etc.