What it means to be a regional Occupational Therapist

Written by Katie Yeates, ActivOT South Burnett

I’ve been an Occupational Therapist for over 25 years now. I’ve worked in Australia and overseas, in hospital settings and now in private practice. Over the last few years, running my own business with the support of ActivOT, one thing has become really clear to me. Having access to healthcare close to home makes a real difference for people living in regional, rural and remote communities.

To me, providing occupational therapy services in my own community feels personal. It’s incredibly rewarding. It means I get to support the health, independence, and well-being of people who live in the same place I do.

Living and working locally means I understand the culture here. I see the unique challenges, but I also see the strengths people draw on every day. I’m fortunate to be part of a strong network of local services and professionals, and we work together to provide care that actually fits. At the same time, those same people know me outside of work, too. They see my family and I at local events, using the same services and spaces as everyone else. There’s a shared investment in our town that helps build trust in a way that’s hard to replicate. I take real pride in being able to contribute to the place I call home.

When occupational therapy is accessible close to home, there’s a level of comfort that comes with that.

For many country people, being in their own space is where they feel most at ease, especially when they’re working with someone who understands their way of life. I’m able to offer in-home services for most clients, which means they can remain in control of their environment and feel more relaxed during sessions. Being invited into someone's home also gives me a much clearer picture of how they live. Their routines, their values, the challenges they’re navigating, and the day-to-day realities that shape their health and wellbeing.

ActivOT Occupational Therapist, Katie Yeates, trials equipment with her clients in the South Burnett area.

That insight makes all the difference to the care I can provide. It means the strategies we work on are practical and relevant, and more likely to stick. In smaller communities, trust is everything. People talk, and word travels quickly. When services miss the mark, it can have a ripple effect, and this is something I’m very mindful of. My focus is on making sure people feel heard, respected, and supported in ways that genuinely make a difference. And on a practical level, reducing the need for travel helps to ease the pressure on clients and their funding.

I get a lot of meaning in working in the same community I live in.

I want my clients to feel valued and cared for, and it’s fulfilling to know that I can play a small part in that. In many ways, I feel like a cog in the bigger community wheel, alongside my family, friends and neighbours. Everyone contributes in their own way, and there’s a real shared sense that we’re all looking out for each other.

That sense of connection goes both ways. I feel it too, and it’s what keeps me going, especially when funding changes or access to services becomes more difficult. I can’t control those decisions, but I can stand alongside my clients. I can help them make sense of what’s happening, acknowledge their concerns, and do what I can as an OT and a member of the same community to continue to support them.

Things can feel uncertain at times, but the work I do and the people I get to support remind me why it matters. It gives me confidence that we’re all going to be okay.