Skip to main content
nat's test headline - pesi cms
Digital Seminar
Building Knowledge: Construction Basics Every Home Safety Therapist Should Know

Building Knowledge: Construction Basics Every Home Safety Therapist Should Know

Standard - $69.99 $37.09 Anniversary Sale 2026 - 47% off!

Support function. Prevent harm. Recommend with confidence.

You know how to assess risk. You know how to modify tasks. But do you know whether a wall is load-bearing before recommending it be removed?

This eye-opening session bridges the gap between clinical recommendations and construction realities—because as a therapist, your environmental modification plans are only as good as their structural feasibility.

Designed specifically for occupational therapy professionals, this course equips you with foundational construction knowledge that elevates your home assessments from good to gold standard. Learn how to interpret framing, joists, and blocking. Discover what “16 on center” means, how to plan for grab bars in tiled walls, when a ramp won’t work, and how to collaborate with contractors so your modifications get implemented—and stick.

Whether you’re working in aging in place, neuro rehab, or post-injury recovery, this session helps you recommend safer, more cost-effective solutions that actually support ADLs, mobility, and client independence.

Here's What You'll Learn


Foundations: Why Construction Knowledge Is a Clinical Tool

  • Connect the dots: Structural feasibility and ADL performance
  • Case examples of well-meaning recommendations gone wrong
  • Elevating your role as a safety advocate and collaborative planner

Core Construction Concepts for Occupational Performance

  • Structural lingo decoded: Studs, joists, blocking, headers, ceiling joists
  • Understanding “16 on center”: spacing, stability, and wall strength
  • Load-bearing vs. non-load-bearing: what therapists need to know
  • Planning ahead: Inside vs. outside walls, including ICF wall examples

Grab Bars: Clinical Insight Meets Structural Know-How

  • Blocking and backer boards: what supports long-term safety
  • ADA and FHA requirements—then going beyond to customize
  • Personalized placement based on client mobility, not prescriptions
  • Common errors in fiberglass/tile wall installations

Safe Entry, Real Access: Exterior Modifications that Work

  • Site grading and slope: evaluating ramp vs. lift
  • Doorway widening: what’s possible (and what’s not) in a garage wall
  • Exterior wall conversion for barrier-free design
  • Threshold transitions for mobility device access

Inside the Home: Structural Realities of Functional Modifications

  • Doorway clearance and maneuverability standards
  • Stair lifts: how to tell if the structure supports them
  • Handrail requirements: what’s code, what’s clinical

Barrier-Free Bathrooms: Optimizing Function in Tight Spaces

  • What makes a shower truly curbless—and safe
  • Turning radius, fixture spacing, and mobility device fit
  • Planning for future needs: grab bars, transfer supports, and more

Real-World Case Applications

  • Clinical reasoning meets construction barriers
  • Walk through therapist-led assessments with structural solutions
  • Advocating with confidence: Justify, document, and implement

Everything You're Getting


  • More than 1 hour of video content
  • Up to 1.25 CE credits
  • Certificate of completion
  • Handouts and resources

We Recommend


This Item

Building Knowledge: Construction Basics Every Home Safety Therapist Should Know
Will be added to the cart.
Building Knowledge: Construction Basics Every Home Safety Therapist Should Know
Digital Seminar
$37.09
$69.99

Meet Your Experts


Kara Welke, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, CAPS, SHSS

Toggle speaker biography

Kara Welke, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, CAPS, SHSS, has had a wide variety of experiences and has worked with pediatrics through geriatrics in various settings. She even ventured away from traditional occupational therapy for a few years and had the privilege of starting an Early Head Start program from the ground up and was the director of the EHS program. Kara taught in an OTA program as well as served as the academic fieldwork coordinator for approximately 8 years. In order to provide client-centered, occupation-based, and evidence-based practice, Kara started her own Mobile Hybrid Practice to help older adults age in place in 2018. This business has grown significantly over the years, and she now has over 15 employees and contractors providing a wide array of services. Her business not only has its own client population, but they also provide services to other agencies and businesses. Due to the lack of resources for helping therapy professionals start their own business, Kara created the Next Level Occupational Therapy Facebook group. It was through this group that it became apparent that all therapy professionals needed assistance in starting their own business and that is when the Therapy Business Builder program was started. Kara has helped hundreds of therapists get to the next level in their career through her programs.


Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kara Welke is the owner of Home Therapy Solutions, LLC and Next Level Occupational Therapy. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. Kara Welke has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Kara Welke has no relevant non-financial relationships.

100% Demo Guarantee

Register for this intensive training course without risk. If you're not completely satisfied, give us a call at 800-844-8260. We're that confident you'll find this learning experience to be all that's promised and more than you expected.

PESI Mobile App


Access CE trainings on your phone or tablet through our free mobile app. Choose video or audio-only versions of online courses from the world's best instructors, and complete your CE requirements anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.


Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.

Questions?

Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info


Media Type:
Digital Seminar
Product Code:
POS065579
Duration:
1 hour, 27 minutes
Copyright:
Jul 01, 2025
Closed Captions:
Available
Format:
Audio and Video

ADA Needs


We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.

Some text some message..
Back to Top