OT Flourish Podcast | Geriatric Occupational Therapy

Level II fieldwork is a major milestone in occupational therapy education—both exciting and nerve-wracking. In this episode of the OT Flourish Podcast, Erin Jeffords OTD, MS, OTR/L joins us to share real advice from students who’ve just completed their 12-week rotations. We’ll discuss their biggest challenges, what they wish they had known, and practical tips to help you succeed with confidence. Whether you’re starting fieldwork or...

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 confi...

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 therapi...

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 OT...

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 thi...

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

1. Caregiving is a hard role, especial...

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, ...

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...

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:

Timish...

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 professio...

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,...

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 h...

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 T...

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...

 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 Occup...

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 f...

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...

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 protecti...