Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapists

A physical therapist at Delta Hospice has the following duties and responsibilities:

• Develop and revise plan of care in consultation with MD and other care-team members
• Provide therapeutic treatments and evaluation of equipment needs
• Prepare clinical notes
• Evaluate outcomes of care
• Supervise Physical Therapy Assistants providing services
• Plan for discharge from services

A Speech Therapist’s job at Delta Hospice involves:

• Provide medically prescribed speech evaluation and therapy services
• Responsible for the assessment and evaluation of patient care needs related to treating speech and language disorders
• Functional training in communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments
• Determine a treatment plan based on assessment and evaluation
• performs interventions aimed at improving and enhancing the patient’s quality of life as they go through a terminal illness

At Delta Hospice an occupational therapist consider both the physical and psycho-social/behavioral health needs of the patient, focusing on what is most important to him or her to accomplish, the available resources and support systems, and the environments in which the patient wants and is able to participate. They identify life roles and activities (“occupations”) that are meaningful to patients, and address barriers to performing these activities.

Some examples of occupational therapist interventions will be:

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs): dressing, bathing and showering, functional mobility
• Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs): meal preparation, home management, health management, spiritual or religious activities
• Sleeping habits and Relaxation techniques
• Enjoyable leisure and community activities
• Identify and facilitate ways to maintain cognitive function (e.g., memory and concentration)
• Psycho-social and Behavioral health: discussions about their feelings, fears, and anxieties. If appropriate, provide support and resources to assist in creating a patient-centered, end-of-life plan, and staying organized during the process. Promote continued social connections, education on safe body mechanics and techniques during daily activities