Reported Knowledge of Dementia and Competency in Treating Clients
by Ciara Cox, PhD, Therapy Resource – Six Samuel Merritt University OT students and I just completed a study on rehab professionals’ self-reported knowledge of dementia and self-reported competency in treating clients with dementia. We wanted to see if there was a gap between knowledge of dementia and feelings of competency in treating clients with [...]
Dementia Capable Care Instructor Program
by Ryan Hough, Therapy Resource – What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a patient who has dementia? Many people tend to think of what dementia patients typically can’t do — such as remember names, get dressed, brush their teeth and so on. However, I had the opportunity recently [...]
Massage Vibration Brings New Life to Northern Oaks
by Billye J. Alford-Lee, DOR, Northern Oaks Living & Rehab Center, Abilene, TX – Mr. Lynn has been a resident at Northern Oaks for three years with a diagnosis of quadriplegia — he has struggled with seating issues due to extensor tone in UEs and LEs. After consulting with resources Deb Ellis and Jon Anderson, [...]
Celebrating OT Month at Osborn Health and Rehab Center
by Joleen Linn, Therapy Resource As many of you know, April was National Occupational Therapy month. In an effort to provide education to the staff on the role of Occupational Therapy in a SNF setting, Osborn Health and Rehab Center hosted a week of fun and informative activities for their co-workers and residents. Occupational therapists [...]
Mentoring is an Opportunity for Both Therapist and Intern
By Amy Lynn Gutierrez, SLP, Village Care Center, McAllen, TX – I have been a practicing SLP for the past six years and have had the pleasure of working for Village Care Center in McAllen, TX, for five years. In 2011, I was presented with the opportunity to mentor a new graduate who was seeking [...]
The Human Side of Physical Therapy
Physical therapy school prepares you by giving you that archetypal “toolbox” filled with various resources and skills to be constantly adjusted and fine-tuned. The more tools, the better! Since every patient is unique, each treatment must be tailored to deliver the best interventions possible. During various courses preceding my first clinical internship, I filled my [...]
Have You Thought About Advancing Your Education?
… Or, perhaps even advancing your degree? Many of our facilities offer programs to assist you with living your “passion for knowledge.” Some of these programs include financial support for continuing education courses. Other programs may include tuition reimbursement for university courses or certification credit. Through one of our most recent relationships with the Rocky [...]
Bridging the Gap: Clinical Research and Rehabilitation
by Curtis A. Merring, DOR, Wellington Place, Temple TX – Professionals and administrators in any rehabilitation setting need intrinsic motivation to pursue evidence-based treatment strategies to stay ahead of market adjustments and reimbursement trends. In our current healthcare system of cost-cutting and cost-saving payers such as Medicare (the lifeline of skilled nursing facilities), it is [...]
Geriatric Sports Medicine — Total Shoulder, Hip and Knee
This is the third year that we are providing seminar/CEU credits for Flagstone and Touchstone therapists. This year, the topic is Geriatric Sports Medicine presented by Wilson Seminars. It will be held July 14 and 15 (and is already full with more than 90 participants). The later dates are September 8 and 9 on the [...]
UAB Training for Constrained-Induced Therapy
by Franco Yap, PT, Alta Vista Rehabilitation & Healthcare, Brownsville, TX – The 1990s has been considered the decade of the brain. With advancements in neuro-imaging and the publication of more and more research in the realm of neurologic recovery, there has been a greater awareness and understanding into the mysteries of the brain. Recovery [...]
The Lodge at Willow Bend
by Jessie Dees, DOR, Willow Bend Nursing and Rehab, Mesquite, TX – For months now, I have wanted to sit down and type up this article to share my thoughts and reflections on Willow Bend’s Rehab Department. I have been here for 15 months, and looking back, we have come so far. I walked into [...]
Educational Journey
by Jesus Rodriguez, OT, Grand Terrace Rehab and Healthcare, McAllen, TX – Getting an education can be a challenging experience for many. Imagine adding other factors to the equation, such as family and full-time employment. This can make it difficult for those who work and attend college to be successful in achieving that goal. In [...]
Helping Family and Caregivers Connect with the Person Inside
by Gina Tucker-Roghi,Therapy Resource One of the most exciting aspects of the Dementia Capable Care Model for me has been the ability to tap into the unique personhood that remains in each of our residents and longs to be acknowledged. Even those at the late and end stages of the dementia process have the ability [...]
