Five techniques for getting creative in a home-based therapy environment
One of the most exciting things about home-based therapy is the creativity it engenders in a therapist. In home-based treatment, you don’t have all the resources you would have in a clinical space. However, a creative therapist can take on that challenge by utilizing a patient’s natural environment to help them benefit more significantly from therapy.
However, one of the first challenges to overcome is determining how to get creative when working in a home-based therapy environment. This article shares five ways you can tackle that challenge.
How to get creative in a home-based therapy environment
Spurring your creativity and getting excited about working in a patient’s natural environment can be difficult when you are just getting started in home health.
With that in mind, we’ve provided five strategies for spurring creativity in a home therapy environment.
1. Get curious
Ask questions about the everyday challenges your patient is facing. The patient may have difficulty getting in and out of the bathtub, or walking down their front steps could be challenging. It could be that using specific words that reference everyday objects is tough, or doing something like rinsing their mouth after brushing teeth is impossible. All of these issues occur right there, in their home.
Understanding the specific difficulties your patient is encountering can lead to at-home solutions.
2. Observe the environment
Take a look at the environment in which the patient is living. What contributes to your patient’s challenges, and what can be used to assist with the therapy? As you look around, think about everything as a tool for therapy.
Common items like walls, doors, countertops, and floors can be used for physical and occupational therapy. Speech therapists may want to pin or tape up practical words for patients to practice. A registered dietician can go through cabinets and refrigerators to help patients identify what fits their dietary needs – and what doesn’t.
3. Identify your resources
Find out what you have that will work within the patient’s home and what you need to bring for your next therapy session. Could everyday items be modified to benefit the patient’s recovery?
4. Find out what works
Don’t expect every modification to work in the patient’s home. Continue to tackle PT, OT, ST, or RD in partnership with the patient. You can both come at challenges from various angles, and the patient may even bring up ideas as you go.
5. Remember to enjoy the process
Being creative can be fun and collaborative, drawing you and the patient into a partnership. Enjoy it! Get excited to share the process with your patient and talk to them about how they can continue to improve – even if you’re not there to help. Many therapies can be assisted by practice done outside of regular therapy sessions. Utilizing everyday objects to assist in treatment may make that practice easier on the patient.
Does utilizing your natural creativity sound exciting? Home health may be a perfect fit for you! Join the FeldCare Connects network and get freelance home health work that fits your specialty today.
Reach out to FeldCare Connects to kickstart your journey in home health now! Either call us at (818) 926-9057, or go to feldcareconnects.com/clinicians
