Paul has been playing lawn bowls for years. It’s where he sees his mates, where he competes, and honestly, where he feels most at home. So when barriers like pain, fatigue and the physical demands of the environment started getting in the way, sitting it out wasn’t something he was willing to consider.
That’s where we came in.
Starting with what Paul actually wanted
When our OT Lauren first met with Paul, she didn’t start with equipment. She started by getting a real picture of what mattered to him — not just “I want to play bowls,” but the specifics: getting around the green across long competition days, managing his fatigue, being able to transport his gear to and from the club without needing help, and doing all of this with the confidence and independence that makes competing feel worth it. He had his sights set on state level competition, and that goal shaped everything that followed.
From there, Lauren assessed what he’d need to get there.
Getting the setup right
Lauren scripted a lawn bowls wheelchair built for the particular demands of the green — the surface, the distances, the hours of play. Crucially, it was also compatible with the wheelchair hoist in Paul’s vehicle, so he could get himself to and from the green without relying on anyone else.
For about twelve months, Paul used the chair independently and it worked well. But as he started training and competing more frequently, the longer days began to take a toll. Fatigue was becoming a factor.
That’s when Jo, another OT on our team, picked up the thread. She worked with Paul to trial a power assist function — not to change the way he plays, but to take some of the load off across long days on the green.
The power assist is compatible with both his bowling chair and his everyday wheelchair, which has also made getting around in the community easier. A few other small adjustments — a flip-up footplate, a lower-profile cushion — were made along the way to keep his positioning comfortable during play.
None of these changes were dramatic on their own, but they added up. The goal was always to make sure his equipment kept pace with Paul’s ambitions, not the other way around.
A big moment coming up
This year, Paul will be competing at the State Championships — and he’ll be doing so without his “bowling arm” assistive device. That’s his call, and it reflects how much confidence he has in his current setup and his own abilities going into the competition.
We’re really proud of the work Lauren and Jo put into this — the careful, ongoing conversations, the willingness to adapt as Paul’s goals evolved, and the collaborative approach that kept him in the driver’s seat at every stage. And we’re very grateful to EML for their support throughout.
We’ll absolutely be cheering Paul on at State Champs. 💛💜
At Wise OT Solutions, we support adults living with serious injury to build meaningful, self-directed lives through occupational therapy, equipment support, and community access rehabilitation in the icare and workers compensation schemes. If you’d like to know more about how we work or are considering a career change, we’d love to hear from you.
This story is shared with the client’s consent. Information is provided for general interest only and does not replace individual clinical assessment.
