Geriatric Care Transitions: Working Together to Support Aging in the Right Place

Credit

Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Kara Welke, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, CAPS, SHSS Related seminars and products

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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.

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Objectives

1. Apply effective communication strategies to educate patients and their families on the functional differences between home care, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities, enabling safe and informed transitions that support mobility, self-care, and daily routines.
2. Utilize standardized tools and clinical reasoning to identify environmental and functional risks during care transitions, such as fall hazards and cognitive challenges, and develop personalized recommendations to promote safety and independence in the new care setting.
3. Implement patient-centered interventions that enhance caregiver competence and patient engagement, including task-specific training and functional mobility practice, to reduce rehospitalizations and maintain optimal physical function during the transition process.

Outline

• Why care transitions often fail – and how to spot the warning signs early
• The top mistakes that lead to rehospitalizations and how to prevent them
• Understanding the emotional and logistical barriers families face during transitions

• Proven communication techniques to simplify complex care decisions
• Discover how to confidently explain care options like home health, assisted living, and skilled nursing – without crossing professional boundaries
• Strategies to manage family dynamics and reduce caregiver overwhelm

• Evidence-based strategies to assess fall risk, medication concerns, and environment challenges during care transitions
• Integrate transition planning into your discharge process with simple, actionable steps that save time
• Collaborate more effectively with social workers, case managers, and other providers to ensure patients are set up for success in their new environment.

Target Audience

• Nurse Practitioners
• Nurses
• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Other Healthcare Professionals
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Social Workers