how I LEARNED TO TAKE CARE OF MY ELDERLY PARENTS
I was fortunate enough to discover occupational therapy as my career when my older brother was in a traffic accident, and ended up losing his left arm, above the elbow in his late 20s. I started to help him to navigate situations such as, “how do you wash your hands, with one hand?” as well as “how do you cut your food when you’re in your late 20s and do not want to feel like a two-year-old”. I was told that I should be an occupational therapist and when I did the research on this career I found that it suited both my analytical skills, along with my desire to help people reach their highest potential.
I have been practicing in occupational therapy for over 28 years. Occupational Therapy addresses both the psychosocial and physical aspects of an inability to occupy your time with detailed activity analysis; for children this means normal development, for adults a loss of an ability or development of a new skill to complete an Activities of Daily Living such as bathing, dressing, eating, meal prep, money management, driving, toileting and everything else that occupies your day. As occupational therapists we typically address the things that you do not get paid to do, but more define your independence and preserve your dignity. Occupational Therapists identify optimal home environmental situations to facilitate independence, such as accessibility and Aging in Place.
I have been specializing in rehabilitating patients who have suffered the effects of Orthopedic Injury or Surgery recovery, TBI, Stroke or Brain Tumor resection and focus on the restoration of Upper Body Function, as well as the Vestibular – Balance System Integration. Additionally, I provide therapy in orthopedic upper body rehab for the neck, arm shoulder and hand.
My professional credentials are as follows:
- Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy,
- National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, INC. Occupational Therapy State Licensures in both Alaska and Florida.
- Certification in Vestibular Rehabilitation from The American Institute of Balance
- Course Developer and Instructor in Neurological Rehabilitation
- Certified Health Coach
My caregiver subject matter expert credentials are from the over 27 years of sharing my clinical expertise that I have shared with both paid and unpaid caregivers in multiple settings such as a hospitals, home health agencies, assistive living facilities, memory care units, nursing homes, outpatient clinics and rehab units. Additionally, I learned so much more taking care of my own parents and my brother before they passed as a family member trying to navigate the American healthcare system, than I ever did in occupational therapy school or in my clinical settings.
My Mother and Father on their wedding day
My beloved brother "Lenny" and mother "Fay"
