Hi Lauren, I really enjoyed your perspective on this topic. I am currently an OTA student so I am totally open and wanting to see different ideas people have. I also agree that each person that has AD/Dementia is different and should not be treated exact the same. Because of this, I believe that Dementia training is extremely important so it is wonderful that you are able to experience that at your current workplace. Great post!
1 Like
Hi, Kerri! That is so crazy that the projected number of individuals who will have dementia in thirty years is 59 million people. I knew dementia was incurable, but I had not realized that there were multiple options to help prevent early onset. My grandpa loves doing Sudoku puzzles and even though he has several health complications, dementia is not one of them. I think it is awesome that you are aware of possible risk factors and are doing activities to keep your brain sharp.
3 Likes
That first sentence got me tooo!! Iâve never heard of the seal you mentioned and Iâll have to look into it and love the idea of collaborating more with the activities departments, too, to incorporate more EBP.
@SarahLyon this is another profound article and podcast. It came at a timely juncture as the SLP and I have been advocating for our company to develop more EBP and education to our teams to meet this growing area of clientâs (and their families) in home health. (Ah hem, itâs often called (or overlooked as)⌠the cause of most high frequency readmissions.)
I am happy to report we are now meeting to begin discussing and building an EBP training that can be used in the company (or at least piloted in our office in AZ) and I am submitting this article to the team to help build effective programming.
What sticks out to me is the need for 1) assessment 2) carer education and 3) and individualized plan. It makes me incredibly grateful to have come across Mary Platt (now retired). She came and did a presentation then became a mentor. She taught to all three of these. Immensely. She designed a book that I am advocating for her to re-release because of how valuably it linked the function to the Allen Cognitive Model and therefore also to likely best possible discharge recommendations (24 hr vs home with daily check-ins). I started using the Short Blessed Test as my âscreeningâ due to it being short, referenced in the first research I had read (years ago) and not overly used to the point that clients virtually had answers memorized. Plus it does not require writing so it rules out vision or fine motor as impacting the scores. Training with her (and that first research article) taught me how valuable OT is in screening to catch these impairments, because if we donât, likely people proceed through the system with VERY unmet needs. So now it is in my protocol to alert the MD of any concerning scoring to recommend the client be further tested. What the MD doesâmay be a whole different story and is not on my side of the street to control.
Iâve been very helped by getting a mentor who had admirable skills in handling tough cognitive cases. Mary Platt, now retired, has referred me to Mary Lou Donovan due to Mary Lou being in practice currently still. I am grateful to say there is at least one podcast at Home Health OT Explorer posted for those who may want to hear Mary Plattâs insights about home health and addressing cognition (and hopefully some to come with info from Mary Lou).
Take home message: This topic is profound. This article is tremendous. This resource you are creating for us Sarah is wonderfully helpful. This community is inspiring.
1 Like