AOTA

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Chronic diseases in America are the leading causes of death and disability and are responsible for driving annual health care costs to $4.1 trillion. An alarming 6 in 10 adults are living with a chronic illness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). By its very design, the traditional medical model is set up to be more reactive than proactive, which lends itself to an abundance of shortcomings related to best practices and the chronic disease community. Occupational therapy practitioners have a distinct role on teams in chronic condition management, palliative care, and hospice to identify and assess functional decline and challenges to help preserve the Quality of Life (QoL) for patients and their respective caregivers. An educational overview and case application examples of occupational therapy in palliative and hospice care will be provided. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Recognize OTs passion and distinct purpose in working with chronic illness. 
• Provide an overview of palliative and hospice care. 
• Share case examples of occupational therapy in palliative care and hospice. 

SPEAKERS

Lindsey Buddelmeyer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L

Lindsey is the Leadership Education & Training Specialist at Blanchard Valley Health System in Findlay, OH. She has a personal and professional passion for advocating and working with the chronic disease community. Previously, she has worked as a full-time faculty member at the University of Findlay, and as an adjunct for St. Catherine University in their post-professional doctorate program. Lindsey also worked as an occupational therapy practitioner on the palliative care team for 4 years. She has also served as a consultant and continues her work with the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health. Lindsey has been published and presented at both the state and national level during the last 10 years of her career. These experiences and platforms have included a wide range of community and professional organizations involving topics surrounding chronic illness, palliative, and hospice care.

Christian Jacobus, MD, FACEP, FAAHPM

Christian is the Medical Director for Bridge Home Health and Hospice in Findlay, Ohio. He received his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed an emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati. After working in emergency departments for about 10 years he completed a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Vanderbilt University. He is board certified in both emergency medicine and hospice and palliative medicine.

David Benthall, MS, OTR/L

David is an occupational therapist with a passion for serving older adult clients and caregivers in their homes and communities. David is currently working in home-based primary care at the Durham VA Medical Center. He has previously worked in home health and hospice care settings and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the UNC-Chapel Hill Division of OS/OT. David was the North Carolina representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly (2018-2021) and has also served on the board of directors (Gerontology SIS Co-Chair) of the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association (2013-2017). He participated in the AOTA Emerging Leaders program (2015-2016) and has presented/published on the topic of occupational therapy in end-of-life care as well as occupational therapy advocacy in primary health care.

Heather McKay, PhD, OTR/L

Heather is Assistant Professor in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program at Appalachian State University and founder of Partnerships for Health, a dementia care consulting company in Boone, North Carolina. Her work focuses on enhancing quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia and their myriad caregivers, the occupation of dementia caregiving, and dementia workforce development. Heather provides consultation for families and organizations nationwide. In 2016, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America named Heather “Dementia Care Professional of the Year” for her dedication and devotion to serving individuals living with dementia, their families, professionals, and her community. Heather’s interest in end-of-life care emerged over 20 years in clinical practice, developing and delivering occupation-based interventions for these patients, families, and the organizations that serve them. Her clinical experience spans hospital, home health, long-term care, palliative care, hospice, and community care settings, including 10 years as the Director of Disease Management for a not-for-profit hospice and home health agency in rural North Carolina.

Earn up to 1.25 contact hours.