Tag: health
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Accessible Home Modification and Impacts: Understanding the Client Experience to Enhance OT Practice
When occupational therapists recommend home modifications, we often focus on the functional outcomes—improved safety, enhanced independence, reduced fall risk. But what happens after we make our recommendations? A groundbreaking qualitative study published in the March 2026 issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy provides crucial insights into what clients actually experience when navigating the home modification…
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Smart Home Technology: The Game-Changer for Aging in Place
As the spring home modification season approaches, occupational and physical therapy professionals are increasingly integrating smart home technology into their practice. Recent research indicates that three-fourths of consumers are open to using smart home technology to age safely in place (McKnight’s Senior Living, 2025), and the Association for Smarter Homes & Buildings has identified technology-assisted…
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Toolbox Tips: Kitchen Fire Safety Assessment: The Fire Avert Solution for Aging-in-Place Clients
When conducting home safety evaluations, the kitchen presents one of the most critical—and challenging—risk areas to assess. As occupational and physical therapists, we’re often caught between supporting our clients’ independence and addressing legitimate safety concerns raised by families and caregivers. The statistics demand our attention: adults over 65 face 2.5 times greater risk of dying…
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Integrating Mobility Technology Trends into Home Assessments
As occupational therapists specializing in home modifications and accessibility, staying current with mobility equipment advances is essential for providing comprehensive assessments. The mobility technology landscape is experiencing rapid transformation, with artificial intelligence, advanced materials, and smart sensor systems fundamentally changing what’s possible for users—and what therapists need to consider during home evaluations. The Evidence for…
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New Research Proves What We’ve Been Saying: Home Modifications Work—Even on a Budget
If you’ve ever wondered whether home modification programs actually deliver measurable results for older adults in underserved communities, a groundbreaking study just gave us the answer: Yes, they absolutely do. The Older Adult Home Modification Program (OAHMP) study, published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy in March 2025, evaluated an interprofessional home modification program serving 65 low-income…
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Outdoor Spaces That Support Living Well: An Emerging Trend in Home Accessibility
When designing a true “forever home,” most occupational therapists focus their expertise on bathrooms, kitchens, and interior mobility. But there’s a critical gap in home modification practice that’s gaining attention in 2026: outdoor accessibility. While conversations about aging-in-place modifications are common for interior spaces, guidance for outdoor environments remains far less accessible. Yet research shows that…
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Beyond the One-and-Done: Why Home Modifications Require Ongoing Occupational Therapy Expertise
Prefer to listen to Sue talk about this article? Listen to the podcast episode now! I hear it all the time: “Sue, I’m burned out from traditional therapy. I just want to do home modification assessments—go in, evaluate, make recommendations, and move on to the next client.” I understand the appeal. After years of grinding…
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Bridging the Gap: What Recent Research Reveals About the Future of Home Modifications for Aging in Place
As occupational therapists, we know that home modifications can be transformative for our clients. But what does the latest research tell us about where we’re succeeding—and where we need to grow? A comprehensive systematic review published in March 2025 examined 20 studies on home modifications for aging in place, revealing both encouraging evidence and critical…
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Medicare Telehealth Waivers Extended Through 2027: What Home Accessibility Therapists Need to Know
Good news for telehealth access! After a brief lapse, Congress has successfully passed H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, extending Medicare telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2027. The bill passed the Senate on January 30, 2026, with a 71-29 vote, providing nearly two years of stability for patients and healthcare providers who have come…
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Why Your Best Home Modification Recommendations Get Ignored (And How to Change That)
You walk into Mrs. Johnson’s bathroom and immediately spot the problem. The tub is dangerously high, there’s no grab bar, and she’s already had two near-falls this month. You know exactly what she needs—a simple modification that could prevent a life-changing injury . But when you make the recommendation, she shakes her head. “I don’t…