To be honest, I find that collaborate more naturally with Occupational Therapists than Physical Therapists. This is not because I prefer or value one discipline over another in any way, but because OT goals seem to overlap more with ST goals than PT goals overlap. Still, I do find myself consulting and working with our PT team daily in order to ...

The Fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is set to be released May 18 during the APA's annual meeting in San Francisco. In the days leading up to the official announcement of the changes, controversy began brewing. ADVANCE has reported on the changes coming to ...

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is a prevalent diagnosis in patients admitted to nursing homes. The Global Initiative for COPD, or GOLD, defines COPD as a disease that: is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible; is usually progressive; and is associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the ...

Here are some final ideas help with the transitioning patient with more severe dementia into a new living environment: Depending on the patient's level of function, all of the suggestions previously given for higher level patients should be considered and attempted. Avoid letting families and visitors say they are ''coming right back'' if they ...

 As therapists, we must rely on our clinical reasoning to direct and guide our treatment. These reasoning skills are thought processes based on knowledge and experience with the underlying impairments and the treatment process. We must understand the nature of the patient's illness or condition, and allow ourselves to experience it from the ...

While re-reading my last post (I do that frequently to avoid repeating myself and to promote continuity), I noticed I wrote that I ''always discuss the goals with a patient when appropriate.'' This week, I wanted to clarify and reiterate that it is always appropriate and necessary to communicate and educate all ...

I'm still focusing on therapy materials that new clinicians in the SNF or geriatric setting might want to collect. One of the most versatile therapy tools you can use are everyday objects, which work for naming, following directions, describing, attention, memory, orientation, speech intelligibility and auditory comprehension. So many skills can ...

Autism Awareness Month began on Sunday, April 1. My son Doug's birthday is April 1. The fifth annual World Autism Awareness Day was April 2. World Autism Awareness Day ''aims to increase people's awareness about people, especially children, with autism. The day often features educational events for teachers, health care workers and parents, as ...

This week I'd like to continue with specific therapy material suggestions for new graduates and the books and manuals that have worked for me, with a focus on cognitive-linguistic resources. Cognitive-linguistic therapy is a very important aspect of our work in geriatrics and long-term care (LTC). At the very least, we should be supporting ...

Recently, I posted an interview with Christine Costello, a CFY-SLP who shared some of her experiences and thoughts about working in long-term care. As spring approaches, I know that many graduate students are anticipating graduation and beginning a search for employment. While graduate programs offer a variety of clinical experiences, they do not ...