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Building Knowledge: Construction Basics Every Home Safety Therapist Should Know
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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.
Kara Welke, OTD, OTR/L, CLT, CAPS, SHSS
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.
