Disability Allied Health Services Cairns

Disability

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Services tailored to you, whatever your journey looks like.

At Royal Rehab LifeWorks, we’re passionate about empowering people with disability to live more independently and pursue the goals that matter most to them.

We offer a wide range of allied health services designed to build skills and support greater independence. Our warm and highly skilled team works closely with each individual to deliver personalised support that aligns with their unique needs, strengths, and aspirations, helping them reach their potential and live a connected, fulfilling life.

We support individuals with a diverse range of needs and experiences, including those living with

Intellectual disability
Physical disability
Psychosocial disability
Mental health conditions

Services we offer

Neurological physiotherapy

Physiotherapy uses tailored, evidence-based techniques to improve movement, strength, balance, and function—empowering individuals to enhance independence and quality of life.

Task-specific training: Practising real-life movements to train the brain, helping with walking, siting, standing, and moving.
Building strength: Tailored exercises strengthen muscles, improve stability and prevent strength loss.
Enhancing balance and coordination: Specialised exercises improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and improving ability to engage in functional tasks.
Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
Managing muscle stiffness (Spasticity): Stretching and positioning techniques help reduce tightness and improve comfort.
Reducing pain: Physiotherapy helps alleviate joint and muscle pain caused by imbalances or improper movement.
Preventing complications: Regular movement and therapy help reduce the risk of issues like pressure sores, contractures, and blood clots.
Boosting confidence and wellbeing: Achieving progress through physiotherapy can enhance self-esteem and overall quality of life.

Occupational therapy

By focusing on practical skills and adaptive strategies, our occupational therapists work alongside you to build confidence and support you in navigating daily life with greater ease and independence.

Enhancing independence: Learn new techniques to perform everyday activities such as dressing, cooking, and bathing with greater ease.
Improving arm and hand function: Strengthening and coordination exercises help restore movement and dexterity in affected limbs.
Enhancing vision and perception: Techniques and adaptive strategies can help manage visual impairments and spatial awareness challenges.
Adapting to your environments: Therapists provide recommendations for home modifications, such as grab bars or adaptive equipment, to improve safety and accessibility.
Conserving energy and managing fatigue: Learn strategies to pace activities, conserve energy, and prevent overexertion.
Returning to work and community activities: Tailored strategies help individuals regain skills needed for work, hobbies, and social engagement.

Speech pathology

Our speech therapists work with people living with or recovering from neurological conditions or living with disability to enhance communication, improve swallowing, and support a better quality of life.

Improving communication skills: Help express thoughts more clearly, understand spoken language, and engage in meaningful conversations. This may involve exercises to improve word retrieval, sentence structure, pronunciation, and overall clarity.
Managing aphasia: Aphasia affects the ability to speak, read, write, or understand language. Speech therapy provides structured exercises to strengthen these skills, helping individuals communicate more effectively.
Dysphagia treatment (swallowing support): Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) is common after a stroke and can lead to choking or aspiration pneumonia. Speech therapists assess swallowing function and provide targeted exercises to strengthen throat and mouth muscles, making eating and drinking safer and more comfortable.
Learning alternative communication strategies: If verbal speech remains difficult, therapists introduce alternative methods such as picture boards, gestures, or assistive communication devices to help individuals express themselves in new ways.
Cognitive rehabilitation: Communication is closely linked to cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. Speech therapy can incorporate cognitive exercises to help individuals improve thinking and language skills, supporting everyday interactions.
Enhancing emotional wellbeing and confidence: Losing the ability to communicate can be frustrating and isolating. Speech therapy not only restores language skills but also helps rebuild confidence, reducing feelings of frustration and improving social engagement.

Psychology

Whether you're dealing with anxiety, trauma, major life changes, relationship issues, or low self-esteem, psychological support can help you better understand your experiences, develop effective coping strategies, and improve your overall wellbeing.

Comprehensive assessment: Your psychologist will take the time to understand your concerns, mental health history, and personal goals.
One-on-one therapy sessions: Work together to set meaningful goals and learn techniques to manage symptoms and triggers.
Managing unhealthy reactions: Identify and change automatic responses that may be affecting your relationships, work, or overall quality of life.
Support through life changes: Get guidance and tools to navigate transitions such as grief, diagnosis, or relationship shifts.
Understanding emotions and behaviours: Gain insight into how your thoughts and emotions are linked, and how they shape your actions.
Challenging unhelpful thought patterns: Learn to recognise and reframe thinking patterns that may be holding you back.
Exploring root causes: Uncover emotional or psychological contributors to stress, anxiety, or other issues.
Alleviating symptoms: Work towards reducing distress and improving daily functioning through proven strategies.
Enhancing emotional wellbeing and healing: Strengthen your emotional resilience, self-awareness, and capacity for healthy coping.

Functional capacity assessments

A Functional Capacity Assessment is a detailed evaluation by an occupational therapist to understand a person’s ability to manage daily activities, guiding goal-setting, care planning, and NDIS funding applications.

Initial consultation and interview: A detailed discussion to gather information about your health history, current challenges, daily routines, and personal goals.
Observation of functional tasks: The therapist may observe you performing key activities such as mobility, personal care, domestic tasks, or community access to assess physical, cognitive, and psychosocial function.
Comprehensive domain assessment: Assessment may include areas such as communication, mobility, self-care, social interaction, learning, and participation in work or leisure, with standardised measures used where relevant.
Collaboration with your care network: Input from family, carers, or other treating professionals may be sought to ensure a well-rounded understanding of your needs and context.
Detailed reporting and recommendations: A formal report will outline functional strengths and limitations, along with clear, evidence-based recommendations for supports, interventions, assistive technology, or environmental changes to enhance independence and goal attainment.

Exercise physiology

Using tailored, evidence-based movement programs, our exercise physiologists focus on rebuilding strength, restoring function, and improving overall health and wellbeing.

Enhancing physical function: Structured exercise helps regain mobility, endurance, and independence in daily activities.
Improving cardiovascular health: Aerobic exercise supports heart and lung function, reducing the risk of future strokes.
Building strength and endurance: Targeted resistance training combats muscle weakness and fatigue following stroke.
Enhancing balance and coordination: Exercises are designed to improve stability, reducing falls and promoting safer movement.
Supporting neuroplasticity: Repetitive, meaningful movement patterns help the brain rewire and adapt for recovery.
Managing fatigue: Graded exercise programs are designed to improve energy levels and reduce stroke-related fatigue.
Addressing chronic conditions: Programs consider co-existing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity.
Encouraging long-term self-management: Education and home-based exercise plans empower individuals to maintain their progress.
Boosting mood and motivation: Physical activity supports mental health, confidence, and a sense of control over recovery.

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Meet the team

Being part of a team that truly listens, adapts, and innovates to meet each person’s needs is incredibly motivating.

Nowar

Occupational Therapist

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Our locations

New South Wales

Ryde Petersham Collaroy Penrith Ryde-Eastwood Dubbo

Queensland

Cairns Townsville Brisbane Atherton

Victoria

Melbourne

Contact us

51 Mulgrave Road, Parramatta Park, QLD

1800 966 212

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Neurological conditions

Muscle and joint conditions

Health and wellbeing

Disability allied health

Our other services

In the spirit of reconciliation, Royal Rehab acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future and we extend our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples.

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