Tag: health
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Retirement Planning Needs More Than Money: Why Home Modification OTs Belong at the Table
Retirement planning is usually framed as a financial exercise, but the evidence suggests it also depends on where and how people will live. A 2025 systematic review found that home modifications support aging in place by improving fall prevention, functional independence, quality of life, caregiving burden, and cost savings, with 13 of 20 included studies…
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Smart Granny Pods: How Tech‑Enabled ADUs Are Creating New Clinical and Business Opportunities for Home Mod OTs
Why ADUs are landing on your OT caseload Across the U.S., more families are asking, “Should we move mom to assisted living, or set up a small home in our backyard?” For occupational therapists specializing in home modifications, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and manufactured “granny pods” are quickly becoming a new practice frontier. These units…
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When Aging Homes Collide With Aging Bodies: Why OTs Are Essential to Aging in Place
Across the U.S., two powerful trends are colliding: the housing stock is getting older, and so are the people living in it. Many clients dream of “aging in place” in the homes and neighborhoods they know best—but those same homes often come with steep repair bills, poor accessibility, and hidden safety risks. For occupational therapists…
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When Dialysis Comes Home: Why Rising Kidney Disease, Population Aging, and Home-Based Care Are Expanding the Need for Occupational Therapy in Home Modification
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure are placing growing pressure on health systems, families, and homes. As more older adults live long enough to require dialysis, and as home-based treatment becomes more common, the home is increasingly being asked to function as a site of complex medical care rather than simply a place of…
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Toolbox Tips: Force Meters — The Essential Tool for Objective Door and Hardware Assessments
When conducting a home safety evaluation, most therapists instinctively check whether a client can open a door. But how many of us actually measure how much force it takes to do so? A force meter — also called a push-pull gauge or force gauge — is a small but mighty addition to your assessment toolkit that transforms a subjective…
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The History of Occupational Therapy’s Role in Home Modifications and Home Safety Assessment
Occupational therapy has always been rooted in one fundamental belief: that people deserve to live, work , and participate in meaningful activities or occupations within environments that support- not hinder- their independence. Nowhere is this more evident than in the practice of home modifications and home safety assessments. As we celebrate OT Month this April…
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The Growing Demand for OT in Home Safety: A Landscape of Opportunity
April is Occupational Therapy Month, and there has never been a more compelling moment to spotlight how dramatically the landscape of home safety practice is expanding. From new Medicare policy, to federal grant programs, to bipartisan falls prevention legislation, to a workforce increasingly choosing community-based and private practice settings — the stars are aligning for…
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From Evidence to Opportunity: OT‑Led Home Modifications for Aging in Place
Celebrating OT Month with a Look at the Latest Evidence — and What It Means for Your Practice Every April, Occupational Therapy Month invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate the unique value our profession brings to individuals, families, and communities. This year, as we honor over a century of OT practice, a timely 2025…
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Home Modifications: A Powerful Tool for Wellness Across the Lifespan
When we think about health and wellness, we often focus on exercise, nutrition, and medical care. But there’s a critical factor that many overlook: the environment where we live. A groundbreaking systematic review published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (February 2026) reveals that home modifications—when thoughtfully designed and professionally implemented—are far more than safety measures.…