The OT Flourish Podcast

Struggling with OT goal writing? In this episode, I explore why goal writing can be so challenging and how to overcome common pitfalls. I'll also give a sneak peek into my upcoming ebook, Mastering OT Goal Writing The Ultimate Guide and Goal Bank for Adult Rehab, launching next week!  Key Takeaways EMR Limitations Dont let dropdown menus box you incustomize when possible. Goal Formats Use COAST, SMART, or RHUMBA to fit client needs. Outcome Measures Matter Tie goals to measurable progress with tools like the Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire. Resources Mentioned Mastering OT Goal Writing The Ultimate Guide and Goal Bank for Adult Rehab ebook: Launching next week! Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire: Great for tracking caregiver stress and setting meaningful goals. 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 OTflourish.com, including quick references, documentation and goal writing guides, treatment ideas, and helpful tools to support you in your OT practice working with older adults. And if youre ready to take your practice to the next level, the OT Accelerator is here for you! Its the #1 resource and OT mentorship community for OT practitioners and students working in geriatric settings. Inside, youll get access to evidence-based resources, treatment ideas, and a supportive community to help you feel confident and capable in your practice. Learn more and join today at OTflourish.com/membership Connect with OT Flourish Website OTFlourish.com Instagram @OTFlourish Facebook OT Flourish Enjoyed this episode? Dont forget to subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps us continue bringing valuable content to the OT community. 

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 mentoring students, this episode is packed with valuable insights! Key Takeaways: How to mentally and emotionally prepare for Level II fieldwork The biggest surprises students encountered during their rotations Time management strategies for balancing documentation, learning, and self-care How to build strong relationships with supervisors and ask for feedback Tips for staying organized and managing stress throughout the experience If you’re an OT Accelerator member, don’t forget to log in and complete the post-course quiz for a CEU. Resources & Links: OT Accelerator Membership – Get mentorship, treatment ideas, and confidence-building resources for working in geriatrics In-Room Treatment Ideas blog post Patient Refusals blog post 🍃🍃🍃🍃 Also, be sure to check out the free resources available at OTflourish.com, including quick references, documentation and goal writing guides, treatment ideas, and helpful tools to support you in your OT practice working with older adults. 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 OT mentorship community for OT practitioners and students working in geriatric settings. Inside, you’ll get access to evidence-based resources, treatment ideas, and a supportive community to help you feel confident and capable in your practice.  Learn more and join today at OTflourish.com/membership Connect with OT Flourish: Website: OTFlourish.com Instagram: @OTFlourish Facebook: OT Flourish   👉 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Your feedback helps us continue bringing valuable content to the OT community. 🎙️

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 OTflourish.com, including quick references, documentation and goal writing guides, treatment ideas, and helpful tools to support you in your OT practice working with older adults. And if youre ready to take your practice to the next level, the OT Accelerator is here for you! Its the #1 resource and OT mentorship community for OT practitioners and students working in geriatric settings. Inside, youll get access to evidence-based resources, treatment ideas, and a supportive community to help you feel confident and capable in your practice. Learn more and join today at OTflourish.com/membership. Lets navigate, innovate and flourish together!

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 community for OT practitioners and students working with older adults. Inside, you’ll get access to evidence-based resources, treatment ideas, and a supportive community to help you feel confident and capable in your practice. 👉 Learn more and join today at OTflourish.com/membership. Let’s navigate, innovate, and flourish together!

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 Older Adults Be sure to learn more from my guest Devlynn with their "LGBTIA+ 101: What do the letters mean" series on Instagram through @therainbowot, theRainbowOT.com and through their conversation with Sarah from OT4Lyfe Podcast called Inclusion, Education, and All the Colors of the Rainbow.

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 help address more psychological factors in a medical model  Resources from the Show Links, resources and specific recommendations from Rafi Using Therapeutic Use of Self to Maximize Occupational Therapy Outcomes Occupational Therapy Documentation: The Ultimate Guide to Simplify Your Documentation Click Here to Get: Skilled Terminology Quick Reference with Key Phrases for Billing and Reimbursement Cheat Sheet Research: The Biopsychosocial Model: Application to Occupational Therapy Practice A Biopsychosocial Approach for Addressing Chronic Pain in Everyday Occupational Therapy Practice 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 curious about the OT profession. Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode! Wanting MORE OT Resources? The Learning Lab Membership is the #1 source that helps you save time and feel more confident in your practice through clinical support, HUNDREDS of treatment ideas, patient handouts, resources, EBP journal club + more! Join today at SeniorsFlourish.com/LearningLab

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 an honest review and rating for the show in iTunes. It really helps in reaching fellow OT practitioners, students and those curious about the OT profession. Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode! Wanting MORE OT Resources? The Learning Lab Membership is the #1 source that helps you save time and feel more confident in your practice through clinical support, HUNDREDS of treatment ideas, patient handouts, resources, EBP journal club + more! Join today at SeniorsFlourish.com/LearningLab  

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 professionalism, ethics and feel empowered through these changes. In addition, with the changes, many facilities are increasing group therapy sessions and many of you are looking for group therapy ideas. So, I decided to put together a list of suggested group ideas to get you going, as well as how to justify that working in a group can still target those performance components needed to work toward their goals. Resources from the Show: FAQs on PDPM for practitioners to easily access in order to understand what PDPM is and to “arm” themselves with the regulations when speaking with their employer:  https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-fee-for-service-payment/snfpps/pdpm.html Occupational Therapy Goal Writing, Objective Measures + Goals Bank (for adults!) Ebook Documentation Series and pdf on Skilled Terminology  People are searching for group treatment ideas, so some resources include: I created a list of some group therapy ideas and ways to work on components while still focusing on the patient's goals here to download for free, You can become a Learning Lab member with tons of group ideas and brainstorming how to make groups effective, client centered and (dare I say it?!?) FUN and I also share group ideas from time to time on Instagram

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 Based Idea lists in the Clinical Resource Section of the Lab for Balance, Endurance, Strengthening and more. Lab members, click here to access Podcast: Focusing on Occupation in Occupational Therapy