Seniors Flourish Podcast | Occupational Therapy

In this episode, we explore the power of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in occupational therapy. If youve ever felt uncertain about your treatment decisions, EBP is here to guide you. We cover the three core components of EBPresearch evidence, clinical expertise, and client valuesand offer practical tips for integrating EBP into your practice without feeling overwhelmed. Key Takeaways What EBP is and why its essential for confident decision-making. How to balance research, experience, and client values in treatment. Strategies to make EBP easier to implement in your daily routine. Resources OT Accelerator membership PubMed OTseeker, and evidence-based research tools Evidence Based Practice in Occupational Therapy Embracing Excellence blog post Take action today by researching an intervention for a client or sharing EBP strategies with a colleague. If youre an OT Accelerator member, dont forget to log in and complete the post-course quiz for a CEU. Also, be sure to check out the free resources available at

Welcome back to the OT Flourish Podcast! After a much-needed pause, I’m so excited to be back behind the mic and reconnecting with this amazing community of occupational therapy practitioners and students working with older adults. In this episode, I share why the podcast took a break, the lessons learned along the way, and what you can expect in this next chapter. Whether you’re a new grad feeling overwhelmed or a seasoned therapist looking for fresh inspiration, this podcast is here to support you with real-life strategies, practical tips, and a whole lot of encouragement as we navigate the challenges and joys of working with older adults. Before we dive into everything, be sure to check out the free resources available at OTflourish.com, including quick reference, documentation and goal writing guides, treatment ideas, and helpful tools to support you in your practice. And if you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, the OT Accelerator is here for you! It’s the #1 resource and mentorship commun

Sex is an ADL! Do you address a client's sexuality or ask how they identify? These are the questions that we must ask ourselves in order to provide client centered care, keeping in mind AOTA’s Vision 2025: “As an inclusive profession, OT maximizes health, well-being and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities, through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living." Guest Devlynn Neu MS OTR/L shares their passion for bringing awareness and unity within the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as helping OT practitioners feel comfortable addressing sexuality in our practice.  Key Takeaways: Use neutral terms - "partner," "significant other" Ask "How would you identify yourself?" Start with conversations and being open to learning about  Resources from the Show: Inclusive Services for LGBT Older Adults A Practical Guide To Creating Welcoming Agencies National Resource Center on LGBT Aging LGBT Aging Change, Challenge and Resilience Power Point Person-Centered Care for LGBT Ol

The biopsychosocial model and occupational therapy are the perfect match as they both focus on the biological, psychological, and social elements, as well as a person's individual experiences. It is often confused as being a biopsychosocial frame of reference, but it's not, as a model of practice helps organize a clinician's thinking and approach, vs  a frame of reference is a tool to guide one's intervention. What I love about this model, is that it really puts the person first - but wait, I know what you are thinking, "I am an OT practitioner and I already do put my patient's needs first!" But wait! Rafael Salazar II, MHS, OTR and owner of Rehab U Practice Solutions digs in, gives some examples, and shows us how to use this model to maximize our outcomes. Subscribe Apple | Stitcher | iHeart → 3 Key Takeaways Utilizing the biopsychosocial model in occupational therapy can help be a more holistic practitioner Using the biopsychosocial model can help you be more client centered and have better outcomes It can

Caregiving is hard.  Listen to the personal story Katherine Ayala OTA, shares about being a caregiver to both her mother and father while finishing up occupational therapy school. Stories like hers give us, as healthcare professionals, a perspective to help us love, forgive, strive and be the best we can be.  A special thank you to Katherine for sharing her story.  → 3 Key Takeaways Caregiving is a hard role, especially when it isn't a role you have planned. "Balance" is more than difficult to achieve and having family support helps. Caregiving can change (strengthen and/or stress) family dynamics. Resources: 23 popular online and in-person caregiver support groups to share with caregivers Caring for Yourself or Other Caregivers Additional information on how to talk to caregivers to help with carrying out recommendations Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing to listen to and supporting the Seniors Flourish podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it and taking a minute to leave

The Patient Driven Payment System (PDPM) for occupational therapy practitioners in SNFs is a hot topic these days. I get questions about what does PDPM mean for therapy and what is PDPM's impact on therapy services all the time and listen to the stories on how this change of payment systems have impacted services provided and jobs. I was fortunate to be able to get some of your questions answered by Sabrena McCarley MBA-SL, OTR/L, CLIPP, RAC-CT, QCP, who not only presents the webinars for AOTA on PDPM, but eat, breathes and sleeps PDPM because of her positions as the Director of Quality, RehabCare, a Board Member at Large of NARA (National Association of Rehab Providers and Agencies), a Medical Advisory Panel Member for the Living In Place Institute and an AOTPAC Ambassador for the AOTA. She was able to answer those burning questions that you were wondering, clearing up some misconceptions and providing some concrete examples on what we can do as occupational therapy professionals to help us maintain our prof

What do we need to do to promote occupational therapy? Do we have to? How do we define occupational therapy and what we "do" for our patients? Brock Cook OT, the host of the occupational therapy podcast, Occupied, and I dive into these questions and hash out how OT's distinct value is communicated in healthcare, with out patients, our coworkers and communities. Also, check out all the the occupational therapy podcasts at OTpodcasts.com

Occupation based treatment ideas feel like they should come easy, but sometimes we as OT practitioners find barriers to getting creative and finding the occupations that are meaningful to our clients. Timisha Tross BS, COTA shares how it doesn't have to be hard to put more occupation, creativity and fun into your occupational therapy treatment sessions - especially if you are working in a skilled nursing facility. Resources: Timisha's ebook: 12 Case Studies Treatment Intervention and Documentation Examples for Occupational Therapists Working in Skilled Nursing Facilities OT Dressing Techniques (for Adults!) Using Theraband Needing More Occupation Based Activity Ideas? Occupation Based Kit Ideas for Your Rehab Department: Print the supply list and start using right away! Occupation Based OT Treatment Ideas for Men: I always strive for being client-centered, but this gives you some ideas for activities more geared toward men. Learning Lab members have 16 Occupation Based Treatment Idea Videos and Occupation Bas

Neuroplasticity, strokes and occupational therapy go together like peanut butter and jelly. They all need each other to help maximize the outcomes and occupational performance of our patients (or in the case of the sandwich, just taste delicious

Have you ever had wanted to volunteer internationally using your occupational therapy skills? Ever dream of exploring cultures, helping others, meeting like minded professionals or promote occupational therapy in foreign countries? In this episode, Sarah Putt MA, OTR/L and I talk about how she uses volunteering internationally to sharpen her critical thinking skills, creativity, and giving back to the occupational therapy profession. Resources World Federation of Occupational Therapists | WFOT Connect with Sarah on Instagram or download the OT4Lyfe Podcast at her website → 3 Key Takeaways If you have an itch to use your occupational therapy skills by volunteering internationally - DO IT! Do your research to find a reputable company to volunteer with that aligns with your ethics and standards You get as much out of it personally as you do professionally Show Sponsor SwiftRec is a free tool helping Occupational Therapy practitioners to keep track of the products they recommend, be able to share a link for th

Even though there is a large percentage of the US population that affiliates with some level of spirituality or God, our current healthcare system does not often put a priority on spirituality and intuition outside of a typical hospital chaplain. Because occupational therapy looks at the "whole person," it is an important aspect of people's lives that we sometimes don't address. Some areas of OT practice integrate this more easily, such as roles in hospice and palliative care, but given the fact that spirituality affects the health, healing and well-being of our patients, it is a necessary aspect of a person's identity as a person. Spirituality is included in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, implying the necessity of addressing this in client-centered practice. Guest Emmy Vadnais OTR/L, BCTMB, ARCB discusses how we can integrate spirituality and intuition into our practice, no matter what your affiliation is (or is not). Resources from the show: Spirituality Reflections: What Spirituality is a

Many know that occupational therapists help with driving rehab, but how about driving retirement? It is a HUGE shift to go from driving to not driving and what is our role in preparing our patients with this transition? The more we can help our patients explore alternative options, the easier it will be for them in the future. Terri Cassidy OTD, OTR/L, Certified Driving Rehab Specialist, discusses what this looks like, as well as how we can work on these goals for our patients to maintain as much independence in community mobility as possible! Resources from the show: Practitioner Toolkit: The Role of OT in Driving Rehab Clinician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers We Need to Talk: Family Conversations with Older Drivers - "This guidebook gives families easy-to-use, practical information to help them plan ahead and initiate productive and caring conversations with older adults about driving safely." At the Crossroads: Family Conversations About Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia & Drive - "helps

Curious what an occupational therapy fieldwork looks like? Guest Chelsea Rowe OTR/L just finished her level II fieldwork and shares her pros, cons, challenges and celebrations of her experience. She also talks about resources she couldn't live without, tips for assessments, productivity and what to expect when diving into fieldwork! MUST HAVE Resources Chelsea Recommends for Level II Fieldwork: Learning Lab Membership OT Toolkit Additional Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Mastering Fieldwork: 7 Tips I Wish I’d Known - Podcast with OT Miri 8 Productivity Tips for Occupational Therapists Working in SNFs blog post  Productivity Standards (and Ethics!) in Today’s Occupational Therapy World podcast  Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing to listen to and supporting the Seniors Flourish podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it and taking a minute to leave an honest review and rating for the show in iTunes. It really helps in reaching fellow OT practitioners, students and those c

Occupational therapy practitioners are continuously looking for ways to maximize the potential of their clients that have had a stroke. But what does the research say? Lauren Sheehan OTD, OTR/L & Lauren Souders OTR/L, CBIS dig into the intensity and repetition for task based practice in order to increase the motor function after a person has a stroke. Tips for how to do it, options for technology to assist us and when should we get started. Resources from the Show: Virtual Reality and OT Neurorehabilitation podcast Fugl Meyer, ARAT & AMAT assessments Websites: Evidence-Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation: ebrsr.com Shirley Ryan Abilitylab: sralab.org Research: Effect of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy on Upper Extremity Function 3 to 9 Months After Stroke: The EXCITE Randomized Clinical Trial Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing to listen to and supporting the Seniors Flourish podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it and taking a minute to leave an honest revie

 Occupational therapy practitioners improve quality of life in hospice and palliative care by helping people engage in those meaningful occupations, even if it is at their end of life. Karmella Bognot MS, OTR/L shares her experience working with people in a hospice and palliative care setting and how our role as OT practitioners is just as important in this stage of life, as it is when they are younger. Resources: The Role of Occupational Therapy in Palliative and Hospice Care fact sheet Talking About the Unspoken: Death & Dying (course from Occupationaltherapy.com).  The Care for the Dying: A critical historical analysis of occupational therapy in hospice: Open Journal of Occupational Therapy Follow Karmella on Instagram for all things Hospice: @humansofhospice Looking for MORE OT resources and treatment ideas? The Learning Lab Membership is the #1 source that helps you save time and feel more confident in your practice through clinical support, treatment ideas, patient handouts, resources, EBP journal c

I have struggled over the years finding the right treatment options in helping my clients that have Parkinson's Disease optimize function. LSVT BIG is determined to help OT practitioners do this through evidence based intervention! Not only is LSVT BIG treatment customized to each person's specific needs and goals, it helps them more more normally and these strategies can be utilized regardless of the stage or severity.  The team from LSVT BIG has joined me on the podcast discussing the evidence, how it works, answer your questions about the certification and (my favorite) telling stories about how this has changed the lives of some of their patients.  Thinking about the LSVT BIG training and certification course? Now's the time! Use promo code: SRFLOURISH to get 10% off your course now through May 28, 2019 LSVT BIG fact sheet and course info lsvtglobal.com LSVT BIG research  

Feeling a bit burned out by OT or maybe looking for a sidegig where you can use your OT skills to revive your passion for your career? There are many non-traditional occupational therapy jobs out there where you can use your skill set for non-clinical positions that will help you to love your work again! Sarah Lyon OTR/L, OTpotential.com and Meredith Castin PT, DPT, theNonClinicalPT.com share resources and discuss how we can narrow down our OT skills to find a job that is perfect for you. Resources from the Show: Find (and Land!) the Right OT Job blog post Your Guide to Non-Traditional OT Jobs blog post angel.co: start-up job board If you are serious about taking the next step, check out Meredith's course, Non-Clinical 101: The Complete Guide to Launching Your Non-Clinical Career (use this link to get $50 off!), which will help you, as Meredith puts it, "focus on your skills and build the career of your dreams without "wasting" your education and experience!" Occupational Therapy Entrepreneur Facebook Group

Arthritis can be so debilitating to our clients because it is often not always the direct (or only!) reason we are seeing them. Occupational therapy practitioners have a unique perspective to not only treat the diagnosis, but we get to look at our patients holistically and address the things that are important to them, even in an outpatient setting.   Guest Hoang Tran OT/L, CHT talks pain, when to (or not to) splint, joint protection techniques and what do we do about those "junky" shoulders. Looking for MORE OT resources and treatment ideas? The Learning Lab Membership is the source for treatment ideas, patient handouts, clinical resources, EBP journal club AND more! Join today at SeniorsFlourish.com/LearningLab

Have you ever wondered, "how should I be prescribing home exercise programs" or "what type of approach is best to address my patient's upper extremity dysfunction?" Anthony Mucci COTA and I discuss how we should be using a combination of a biomechanical approach in conjunction with occupation based techniques to help our patients achieve their optimal outcomes. It is definitely not a "one-size-fits-all" approach! Resources from the show: Join the Free OT Goal Writing Challenge Additional Listening: Occupational Therapy Documentation - The Ultimate Guide to Simplify Your Documentation White Paper: Strength Training for the Older Adult

Resources from the show: PDF: Occupational Therapy Supervisory Log Podcast and Resource Links: Occupational Therapy Specialties and Certifications for OTR & OTA Occupational Therapy Assistant Supervisory State Requirements ACOTE standards  OTA Leadership page on AOTA (lots and lots of stuff on here!) Standards of practice paper OT Ethics Learn More About Our Sponsor: Looking for MORE resources? The Learning Lab Membership is the source for treatment ideas, patient handouts, clinical resources, EBP journal club AND more! Join today at SeniorsFlourish.com/LearningLab