Aging successfully is one of the most important goals for today’s older adults. For rehabilitation therapists, this can be rewarding and challenging with endless functional possibilities but limited clinical resources. This creative one-day course presents fresh, exciting information to help older adults achieve their functional goals. Aging is not a prerequisite for becoming frail and chronic health conditions do not have to limit an older person’s ability to age in place successfully.
Can you relate…An elderly client of mine had old worn rugs in her sunroom, which I identified as a significant fall risk. I placed the old rugs in her garage, so her family could dispose of them properly. I used double sided rug tape to secure the new, safer rugs securely to the floor. A week later, her son telephoned me to let me know that his mother had retrieved the old rugs and placed them on top of her new ones to protect the new rugs from becoming dirty! Older adults value possessions, their home, and their independence. Understanding and respecting choice and developing client-centered goals are critical skill for therapists working in any clinical setting. Join Susan Blair, one of only two occupational therapists who is dually credited by the AOTA Board in physical rehabilitation and in gerontology, as she presents her unique approach to creating an optimal therapeutic environment with today’s geriatric clients
