Tag: therapy
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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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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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Beyond the One-and-Done: Why Home Modifications Require Ongoing Occupational Therapy Expertise
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 through productivity standards, insurance denials, and documentation demands, the idea of conducting independent assessments sounds…
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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…
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Evidence in Action: Home Modifications That Transform Quality of Life for Older Adults
A newly published study in Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology reinforces what occupational therapists have long advocated: strategic home modifications can significantly improve quality of life while reducing environmental hazards for older adults. The single-group intervention study by Akyurek and Özata Değerli (2025) provides timely evidence for OT practitioners seeking to strengthen their home modification services in…
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Beyond Generic Checklists: Why Personalized Home Modification Assessments Deliver Superior Outcomes
The Problem with One-Size-Fits-All Approaches Generic home modification checklists and standardized protocols have long dominated the aging-in-place industry, but research reveals a significant gap in effectiveness. A systematic review of home modifications for aging in place found that effectiveness varies considerably based on individualization of interventions, with many standardized approaches failing to account for the…
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Invisible Accessibility: The 2025 Design Revolution
Gone are the days when “accessible” meant “clinical.” In 2025, the most effective home safety features are the ones you wouldn’t recognize as accessibility aids at all. Universal design has evolved from a specialized niche into the new standard for residential design, with homeowners embracing modifications that seamlessly blend function with style. This design revolution…
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Therapist Self-Care During Mental Health Awareness Month: Preventing Burnout in Home Modification Practice
I sat in my car outside Mrs. Patterson’s house for ten minutes before I could make myself go inside. Not because her home was difficult—the evaluation would be straightforward, just grab bars and lighting. But because I knew what I would find. Another older adult living alone, struggling, afraid. Another story of decline that would…
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Do home modifications impact mental health?
Occupational therapists specializing in home modifications have a unique, often under-leveraged role in promoting mental health—not just for clients, but for caregivers as well. Many therapists struggle with how to go beyond functional safety to address broader psychosocial needs or worry that recommending home modifications might add to family stress or expense. But current evidence…
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Retirement: Occupational Transition planning – A role for OT
Occupational therapy plays a critical role in supporting wellness, independence, and life satisfaction as individuals age, especially during the complex transition into retirement. For occupational therapists, facilitating this transition goes well beyond managing physical or cognitive decline; it centers on empowering individuals to engage in meaningful occupations, prevent occupational disruption, and prepare proactively for a new life stage.…
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