Question
What alternative areas of evaluation can OTs focus on to create more meaningful plans of care for LTC residents?
Answer
Beyond typical activities of daily living (ADL) retraining, occupational therapy professionals can evaluate less common but highly impactful areas like community participation, leisure, communication, and spirituality. These evaluation tracks focus on what the resident uniquely values, such as planning a community outing, modifying a favorite hobby like BINGO for safety, or adapting environments to honor religious traditions. Additionally, focusing on sleep hygiene and advanced care planning allows therapists to support a resident's comfort and autonomy. By looking through this broader lens, therapists can address deep psychosocial and dignitary needs that are frequently overlooked in a rigid medical model.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Building a Part B Caseload in the LTC Setting, presented by Elizabeth Alicea-Torres, OT, OTD, OTR, CAPS.
Continued and its subsidiaries provide professional education authored by qualified Subject Matter Experts for continuing education purposes. These materials are intended for educational purposes and do not constitute medical advice or a substitute for individual clinical judgment. Continued is not a clinical healthcare provider; the licensed professional is solely responsible for ensuring that the application of any techniques or information presented is within their legal scope of practice and jurisdictional requirements.
