Challenges in Geriatric OT Careers

I’ve been working as a geriatric occupational therapist for a few years now, and I’ve noticed how challenging it can be to implement aging in place strategies effectively. I’m curious if others have encountered specific barriers in their practice, especially concerning education about fall prevention. How do you navigate these conversations with families and community members?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍​‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌​⁠​‌‌‌‍‍​⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍⁠‌‌​​‍‌⁠​‍‌​‌​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‌⁠‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

Navigating these conversations can be like trying to get a cat to take a bath — tough but necessary — i find sharing relatable stories about fall incidents really helps families understand the risks. Have you tried using visual aids or demonstrations?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍​‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌​‌‌​​‍‌‍‍‌‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‍‌​‍‍‌⁠‌‌‌‌‍‍​⁠‌‍‌‌‍‍​⁠‌​‌⁠‍​‌​‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get it — having those conversations can feel like trying to teach a dog to fetch a stick that’s stuck in the mud! I’ve started using visual aids, like simple charts or photos, to make the fall prevention strategies clearer. Have you tried anything like that?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍​‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠‌​​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​‍​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​⁠​​‌​⁠​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍​‌⁠​‌‌​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌​​⁠‍​​⁠‍‌‌​​‍‌​⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​