Selected Podcast
Occupational Therapy in Home Care: Why Is Occupational Therapy Offered In Home Care
In part 1 of a 3-part series, we will hear from Nicole Federman, an occupational therapist at Upland Hills Health. She will discuss the benefits of having occupational therapy as part of home care.
Featured Speaker:
Nichole Federman, COT
Nicole Federman is state and nationally certified, COTA - certified occupational therapy assistant and CLT - certified lymphedema therapist. Nicole has 24 years of experience in occupational therapy and had been with Upland Hills Health for 7 years. Transcription:
Occupational Therapy in Home Care: Why Is Occupational Therapy Offered In Home Care
Caitlin Whyte: Occupational therapy sounds like it might be for people struggling with the jobs that are physically demanding, repetitive or stressful, like roofers, carpet layers, hair stylists, or factory workers. But that is not what we are talking about today. We are talking about occupational therapy in home care or OT. Joining us for this three-part series is Nichole Federman, an occupational therapist with Upland Hills Health.
This is the Inspire Health Podcast from Upland Hills Health. I'm your host, Caitlin Whyte. So, let's start with what we are covering today, Nichole. What is occupational therapy in home care?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Okay. Occupational therapy in home care, I wanted to say, is sometimes confusing to people who don't have any experience with it. We get them saying, "I don't work anymore. Why would I need occupational therapy?" But home care OT is very client-centered. It's a very holistic setting. One of the most holistic settings that I've worked in in the last 24 years. It provides us the unique opportunity to work with the individuals in their natural and familiar environment.
So when people ask me what home care OT is in home care, I say it can be defined as the occupation of life. It's the job of living. OTs are very adept in assisting individuals who are challenged by these everyday activities, such as washing, bathing, cooking, the activities that allow the individual to stay in their home for as long as possible and in the community without putting them at risk.
Caitlin Whyte: So, let's dive into that a bit more. What can this type of OT do for me?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Occupational therapy plays a critical role in returning an individual to their prior level of function. So, being safe at home is absolutely crucial for you and your loved one. OTs assess an individual's routine, their home environment, usage of assistive devices such as a cane, a walker, a wheelchair, a tub bench, a bed rail, and then the capacity to like move around safely within the house with or without that device. We assess a patient's cognition and safety and care requirements.
So then based on the assessment that we do, we develop a plan of care with goals that focus on improving function, safety and quality of life. So, we work on in areas such as self cares, everyday tasks of dressing, grooming, bathing, managing their meal prep, cooking too, the safety of cooking, cleaning or pet care, and then caregiver training as well as leisure activities and work pursuits. And that's just to name a few because it is about the occupation of life. So when working with an individual in these areas, we focus on education, training in the home safety management, fall prevention by assessing day-to-day tasks as I described. And we provide a variety of those strategies and approaches to improve that safety and wellbeing of the person as well as their family, training the family and their friends, lending caregiver support at home. We also help determine what appropriate adaptive devices or medical equipment for the individual's optimal independence to deal with and to remain in their home.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, I'd love to hear more about those devices. What do you mean when you say adaptive or durable medical equipment?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Okay. I can describe that, like dressing aids such as a reacher or a button hook for someone that doesn't have that fine motor dexterity to button their shirt or they can't bend to place their pants over their feet. Grab bars and the position of grab bars, such as in the shower or the bathroom, those are big places where we recommend a lot of those things, shower equipment such as a tub transfer bench or a seat. Something as simple as a long-handled sponge or a handheld shower head. And some other transfer aids are like bed rails and toilet risers.
Each individual requires varying levels of support. So when it comes to performing these daily tasks, whether it be by the use of that adaptive equipment or caregiver assistance. For example, you know, a person may be able to dress, bathe and cook for themselves. But then weekly, they may need assistance with cleaning the floors or laundry depending on what their diagnosis is. So, individuals who can't perform the essential functions and these occupations of daily life, because of an illness or an injury, may need assistance from others to meet those needs. And then, that's what we can do. We can help identify those areas and provide resources as appropriate for further assistance at home.
Caitlin Whyte: Gotcha. Well, that kind of leads me into my next question. Is OT like this usually short term, just getting people set up to be more independent at home? Or is this something that patients will need on like an ongoing long-term basis?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: That's kind of a tough question because it really does depend on the individual. It's such a client-centered care, but it generally is short term. It really is. It's short term. We go in the home, we are teaching and it's very important that we're just educating from day one. So, it generally is short term, two to four weeks in home care. But we do have patients with diagnoses, you know, such as Parkinson's that, you know, each time a person regresses, we may go in that home again and reassess because the needs change. That's when I say that's kind of a tricky question. There's many patients we may see over a course of years depending on how their disease process progresses.
Caitlin Whyte: Absolutely. That is absolutely understandable. Well, as we wrap up here, Nichole, help me understand the process of getting OT assistance. What is the first step a person needs to take to request it? And then, how do you determine specifically what help is needed?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: When we get an order, it's coming from a doctor. So a patient, if they are at home and struggling, I would recommend that they see their primary care physician, they talk to them about their needs, and then the primary care physician looks at that person and decides whether or not it's an occupational therapy need.
So, I always encourage people to go back and talk to your MDs. I encourage families, you know, if this person is struggling at home, please go talk to your primary care provider. And then, they determine whether or not the individual is appropriate for in-home care or maybe, you know, another type of therapy, like an outpatient occupational therapy. So, there's some criteria that needs to be met there. But we work closely with primary care physicians, so a lot of times that physician will call us and ask us some questions too. It's a very collaborative process.
Caitlin Whyte: Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for this conversation today, Nichole.
If you feel you could benefit from occupational therapy, start by discussing this with your doctor and ask for the home care staff at Upland Hills Health. It is important to know you have a choice, so if you want to work with Upland Hills Health, you may call them directly at (608) 930-7210. Or you must ask for Upland Hills Health by letting your provider know that Upland Hills Health is your preference. And be sure to check out parts two and three of our series on occupational therapy.
This has been the Inspire Health Podcast from Upland Hills Health. I'm Caitlin Whyte. Be well.
Occupational Therapy in Home Care: Why Is Occupational Therapy Offered In Home Care
Caitlin Whyte: Occupational therapy sounds like it might be for people struggling with the jobs that are physically demanding, repetitive or stressful, like roofers, carpet layers, hair stylists, or factory workers. But that is not what we are talking about today. We are talking about occupational therapy in home care or OT. Joining us for this three-part series is Nichole Federman, an occupational therapist with Upland Hills Health.
This is the Inspire Health Podcast from Upland Hills Health. I'm your host, Caitlin Whyte. So, let's start with what we are covering today, Nichole. What is occupational therapy in home care?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Okay. Occupational therapy in home care, I wanted to say, is sometimes confusing to people who don't have any experience with it. We get them saying, "I don't work anymore. Why would I need occupational therapy?" But home care OT is very client-centered. It's a very holistic setting. One of the most holistic settings that I've worked in in the last 24 years. It provides us the unique opportunity to work with the individuals in their natural and familiar environment.
So when people ask me what home care OT is in home care, I say it can be defined as the occupation of life. It's the job of living. OTs are very adept in assisting individuals who are challenged by these everyday activities, such as washing, bathing, cooking, the activities that allow the individual to stay in their home for as long as possible and in the community without putting them at risk.
Caitlin Whyte: So, let's dive into that a bit more. What can this type of OT do for me?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Occupational therapy plays a critical role in returning an individual to their prior level of function. So, being safe at home is absolutely crucial for you and your loved one. OTs assess an individual's routine, their home environment, usage of assistive devices such as a cane, a walker, a wheelchair, a tub bench, a bed rail, and then the capacity to like move around safely within the house with or without that device. We assess a patient's cognition and safety and care requirements.
So then based on the assessment that we do, we develop a plan of care with goals that focus on improving function, safety and quality of life. So, we work on in areas such as self cares, everyday tasks of dressing, grooming, bathing, managing their meal prep, cooking too, the safety of cooking, cleaning or pet care, and then caregiver training as well as leisure activities and work pursuits. And that's just to name a few because it is about the occupation of life. So when working with an individual in these areas, we focus on education, training in the home safety management, fall prevention by assessing day-to-day tasks as I described. And we provide a variety of those strategies and approaches to improve that safety and wellbeing of the person as well as their family, training the family and their friends, lending caregiver support at home. We also help determine what appropriate adaptive devices or medical equipment for the individual's optimal independence to deal with and to remain in their home.
Caitlin Whyte: Well, I'd love to hear more about those devices. What do you mean when you say adaptive or durable medical equipment?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: Okay. I can describe that, like dressing aids such as a reacher or a button hook for someone that doesn't have that fine motor dexterity to button their shirt or they can't bend to place their pants over their feet. Grab bars and the position of grab bars, such as in the shower or the bathroom, those are big places where we recommend a lot of those things, shower equipment such as a tub transfer bench or a seat. Something as simple as a long-handled sponge or a handheld shower head. And some other transfer aids are like bed rails and toilet risers.
Each individual requires varying levels of support. So when it comes to performing these daily tasks, whether it be by the use of that adaptive equipment or caregiver assistance. For example, you know, a person may be able to dress, bathe and cook for themselves. But then weekly, they may need assistance with cleaning the floors or laundry depending on what their diagnosis is. So, individuals who can't perform the essential functions and these occupations of daily life, because of an illness or an injury, may need assistance from others to meet those needs. And then, that's what we can do. We can help identify those areas and provide resources as appropriate for further assistance at home.
Caitlin Whyte: Gotcha. Well, that kind of leads me into my next question. Is OT like this usually short term, just getting people set up to be more independent at home? Or is this something that patients will need on like an ongoing long-term basis?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: That's kind of a tough question because it really does depend on the individual. It's such a client-centered care, but it generally is short term. It really is. It's short term. We go in the home, we are teaching and it's very important that we're just educating from day one. So, it generally is short term, two to four weeks in home care. But we do have patients with diagnoses, you know, such as Parkinson's that, you know, each time a person regresses, we may go in that home again and reassess because the needs change. That's when I say that's kind of a tricky question. There's many patients we may see over a course of years depending on how their disease process progresses.
Caitlin Whyte: Absolutely. That is absolutely understandable. Well, as we wrap up here, Nichole, help me understand the process of getting OT assistance. What is the first step a person needs to take to request it? And then, how do you determine specifically what help is needed?
Nichole Federman COTA, CLT: When we get an order, it's coming from a doctor. So a patient, if they are at home and struggling, I would recommend that they see their primary care physician, they talk to them about their needs, and then the primary care physician looks at that person and decides whether or not it's an occupational therapy need.
So, I always encourage people to go back and talk to your MDs. I encourage families, you know, if this person is struggling at home, please go talk to your primary care provider. And then, they determine whether or not the individual is appropriate for in-home care or maybe, you know, another type of therapy, like an outpatient occupational therapy. So, there's some criteria that needs to be met there. But we work closely with primary care physicians, so a lot of times that physician will call us and ask us some questions too. It's a very collaborative process.
Caitlin Whyte: Wonderful. Well, thank you so much for this conversation today, Nichole.
If you feel you could benefit from occupational therapy, start by discussing this with your doctor and ask for the home care staff at Upland Hills Health. It is important to know you have a choice, so if you want to work with Upland Hills Health, you may call them directly at (608) 930-7210. Or you must ask for Upland Hills Health by letting your provider know that Upland Hills Health is your preference. And be sure to check out parts two and three of our series on occupational therapy.
This has been the Inspire Health Podcast from Upland Hills Health. I'm Caitlin Whyte. Be well.