This month’s Clinician Who Inspires is PTA and Champion Level I Therapist, Kayla Bennett from Carter Nursing and Rehab. During her interview, Kayla explained that her love of mentoring students helps keep her skill set fresh. Though Kayla guides them in learning about rehabilitation in the long-term care setting, she shared that she typically gleans new knowledge from her students as well. Sometimes it’s a new technique they learned in school while others may reveal a different way of facilitating patient care.
In treatment sessions, Kayla loves to use music for motivation. She described how using the rhythm of the music can help residents decrease festinating gait patterns, facilitate a more normal cadence, and even help with motor planning. One of her favorite group activities utilizing music is “hot potato”. Kayla explained that using this well-known game through intermittent music allows her to work with the resident on their targeted goals of standing balance, coordination, bending and reaching, weight shifting, and even visual perception.
When asked about her team, Kayla shared that though she’s worked on her team for eleven years, she is “the baby of the group”, surrounded by experienced therapists with a wealth of wisdom. Kayla states that she feels like she works for “one of the absolute best teams,” where they help, motivate, and encourage each other to think outside the box for treatment ideas.
Kayla, we appreciate you and your efforts to provide the absolute best care to each and every resident by continuing to grow yourself as a clinician and inspiring students to do the same in the future. You truly are a Clinician Who Inspires!