Empowering Caregivers: Bridging OT Practice and Payment - Part 1

ALL SESSIONS ARE CLOSED CAPTIONED AND WILL BE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED ATTENDEES WITHIN 24-48 BUSINESS HOURS AT THE OTLEARN PORTAL.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Caregiver training is a critical component of occupational therapy that improves client outcomes and continuity of care. Yet many occupational therapy practitioners struggle to effectively integrate caregivers into intervention or confidently bill caregiver training for accurate reimbursement. Part one of this two-part webinar series will share first-hand accounts of the caregiver experience, explore the clinical rationale for caregiver training, and provide practical strategies for incorporating it into occupational therapy services. Whether you're new to caregiver training or looking to refine your approach, this series will equip you with the tools to make caregiver training a meaningful and billable part of your practice.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize opportunities to more fully engage caregivers within occupational therapy interventions.
• Implement strategies for integrating caregiver training into the occupational therapy treatment plan.

Speakers

Kim Karr

Kim is an occupational therapist and certified professional in health care quality with more than 25 years of experience in acute and post-acute care settings as a treating occupational therapy practitioner, manager, denials specialist, and clinical director. In her current role in AOTA's Regulatory Affairs Department, Kim's focus is on educating practitioners on coding best practices, improving payer policies, and expanding coding opportunities for occupational therapy within Medicare Part B and other payers.

Jill Cigliana

Jill is Executive Director of Memory Care Home Solutions, a nonprofit improving quality of life for people with dementia and their families. With more than 25 years in acute and post-acute care settings, she leads a dynamic team advancing home and community-based dementia care. Jill holds an MS in Occupational Therapy from Washington University, has published widely on dementia best practices, led federally funded caregiver support initiatives, and currently facilitates AOTA’s Dementia Community of Practice.

Rita Choula

Rita is Interim Vice President of Family, Home and Community and Senior Director of Caregiving at the AARP Public Policy Institute. A nationally recognized leader in caregiving policy, Rita guides AARP’s strategic initiatives on family caregivers. Inspired by her own caregiving journey, she advances caregiver-centric solutions through development of tools and programs that help healthcare professionals support caregivers. Rita holds a Master's in Aging Services Management from UMBC.

Scott Trudeau

Scott studies how occupations support older adults' quality of life in the community. His work focuses on home safety, personal care, caregiving, and lifelong learning. In his role at AOTA, he champions occupational therapy as a key player in primary care for aging populations. Scott received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, an Advanced Professional Master of Arts from Tufts University, and a Doctorate in Higher Education from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College.

Earn up to 1.00 contact hour.