Building My Allied Health Dream Team

Having access to an allied health team is truly life changing for a person with disability.

This year has been a big learning for me and it has taken some significant changes for me to recognise the importance of building a team of allied health professionals. As an adult, I have managed independently, because I was capable of doing so and knew no different. However, hindsight is particularly enlightening, and I can see the difference in my quality of life now, compared to when I did not hire professionals to manage aspects of my health.

In the past I have relied on both personal and professional network connections for any issues that arose, which was sufficient until about January this year, when I first developed a pressure injury. The urgency of finding an OT at this time, led me to the incredible Casey Ward, who came to see me only three days after my initial enquiry. For anyone who has dealt with OTs previously, you would know this is an absolute rarity as wait lists can be quite extensive.

She has since assisted me with finding a more suitable wheelchair, commode chair and mattress, as well as informing me of ways to improve the quality of my day to day. For example, tilting my chair every hour to relieve the pressure of sitting and using a toothbrush designed for people with disability.

It is a professional’s responsibility to remain current in their industry, to stay up to date with the latest information, resources and technology, so although you can survive to a degree without their assistance, you could be doing yourself a disservice by not working with them. I have lived with my disability my whole life but since working with a proper team (OT, physiotherapist, psychologist, GP, speech pathologist and support coordinator), I have learnt so much about how to better take care of myself from the knowledge and resources they equipped me with. This is the first time in my adult life too, that they are all communicating with each other, to provide care that best supports me.

My top tips for building the right allied health team are:

1. Find professionals who specialise in your disability. A generalist may cover the basics, but a specialist can spot issues early, suggest tailored solutions, and often save you from trial and error. They know the right equipment, the best strategies, and the little hacks that make daily life smoother.

2. Think long term. I have found that independent providers or providers who work for smaller companies are more likely to have a higher level of investment in you personally and will therefore stay around longer to assist you.

3. Change providers as you need. Your providers need to match your individual requirements and be a good fit for you, so don’t fear changing providers whenever you need, as often as you need, to find your right person. I am currently working with my fourth physio this year for this reason.

4. Ask around. Consult any existing personal and professional connections, to see if they have any recommendations. After having worked with you, they should have an idea of suitable providers. Remember though, it is your decision in the end and just because they were recommended, it does not mean that you must hire them.

Having a consistent allied health team around me has made a significant impact on my life and I strongly recommend anyone with a complex disability to create a team. Even if you think you are ok without one or even if they just operate in the background, they can be of great benefit to you.

Looking back, I wish I had done this sooner, years ago. I can only imagine how much better my quality of life would have been if I had done it.

It has also made me start thinking bigger. If the right allied health team can create such positive change, what could happen if my support worker team had the same level of professional care and consistency? Keep an eye out for future blogs in which I share my findings!