The Home Accessibility Therapist Podcast

Summary In this office hours episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L, focuses on how to actually find and connect with the people in your community who can send you ideal home modification clients. She walks through potential referral sources, how to frame your unique OT value, and simple, relationship-based steps to start building a steady stream of home mods referrals. Questions answered in this episode:...

Summary This episode is an audio version of our blog, “From One-Off CEUs to a Real Growth Plan: Professional Development for OTs in Home Safety and Home Modifications.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L unpacks why random CEUs leave you feeling no more confident in home safety and home mods, and shows you how to build an intentional 6–12 month learning plan that actually moves you toward mastery instead of ju...

Summary This episode is an audio version of our blog on “seeing safely” with aging eyes. Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through how age-related vision changes and cataracts interact with real-world home environments so you can incorporate lighting, contrast, and clutter-focused modifications into your assessments and reduce fall risk in a practical, low-cost way. In this episode, we cover: What actua...

Summary In this Therapist Thursday episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L talks with Martha Pack, an occupational therapist and CHAT trained home modifications specialist based in Knoxville, about building a business focused on aging in place and caregiver support. Martha shares how her years in nearly every OT setting, combined with home health experience during COVID, led her to create a dedicated home...

Summary In this office hours episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L, unpacks how Medicare and reimbursement really work when you’re providing home safety and home modification services. She explains what counts as medical necessity, when you can and cannot bill, and how to protect both your clients and your practice while still offering valuable cash-based options. Questions answered in this episode: When...

Summary This episode is an audio version of our blog, “When the Power Goes Out: Disaster Planning for Clients With Electricity-Dependent Equipment.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through how power outages turn from inconvenience to crisis for clients who rely on powered medical equipment, so you can systematically build outage planning into your OT assessments and protect function, safety, and life....

Why a Checklist Is Not Enough: Elevating Your OT Home Mod Assessments This episode is an audio version of our blog, “Why a Checklist Is Not Enough: Elevating Your OT Home Mod Assessments.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through the limitations of checklist-based home safety visits and shows you how to bring deeper observation, clinical reasoning, and occupation-focused analysis into your assessments...

Summary   In this Therapist Thursday episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L talks with Amy, an occupational therapist and founder of Live Equipped, about building a flexible OT practice that combines in‑home therapy, home modifications, and a pediatric clinic while serving both urban and rural communities around Birmingham, Alabama. Amy shares how she blended her early interest in architecture with her OT...

Summary In this office hours episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L, dives into the second key step in getting started with home modifications: clarifying what expertise you truly need and how to intentionally build it over time. She highlights the unique value OTs bring, the advanced skills that go beyond basic safety checks, and practical ways to grow your confidence and competence in this specialty. Qu...

From Smart Wheelchairs to Smart Homes: Updating Your Home Assessments for New Mobility Tech This episode is an audio version of our blog, “From Smart Wheelchairs to Smart Homes: Updating Your Home Assessments for New Mobility Technology.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through how rapidly evolving mobility and smart home technologies are reshaping real-world function so you can update your home asses...

Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Through Home Modifications for OTs This episode is an audio version of our blog, “Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Through Home Modifications for OTs.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through the latest evidence on fall prevention, showing you how to combine structured assessments with targeted, room-by-room home modifications so you can meaningfully reduce fall risk and c...

In this Therapist Thursday episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L talks with Cathron Sterling, an occupational therapist and home safety specialist from San Antonio, about building a mission-driven home modifications and DME practice after decades in traditional clinical roles. Cathron shares how her experiences in pediatric home health, care coordination, and caring for her mother after multiple strokes...

Summary In this office hours episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L, walks you through the first key step in developing a home modifications practice: understanding and identifying the need in your own community. She shares fall statistics, real-life stories, and reflection prompts to help you spot where clients’ homes are putting them at risk and how that signals a growing opportunity for your skills. Qu...

Current Trends in Home Accessibility: What Therapists Need to Know in Q2 2026 This episode is an audio version of our blog, “Current Trends in Home Accessibility: What Therapists Need to Know in Q2 2026.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through the clinical, technological, and funding trends reshaping home safety so you can position your practice on the leading edge of home-based care and confidently...

Beyond the One-and-Done: Why Home Modifications Require Ongoing OT Expertise This episode is an audio version of our blog, “Beyond the One-and-Done: Why Home Modifications Require Ongoing OT Expertise.” Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L walks through why assess-and-go home modification models fall short and how a longitudinal, relationship-based approach supports better outcomes, ethics, and business stabilit...

In this Therapist Thursday episode, Sue Doyle, PhD, OTR/L talks with Erin DiChiara, OTR/L, an occupational therapist and CHAT-certified home accessibility therapist, about creating a sustainable, values-driven home mods practice that truly fits your life. Erin shares how she supports adult daughters of aging parents, clients with catastrophic injuries, and individuals with lifelong disabilities to...

Office Hours: Introduction with Sue Doyle PhD, OTR/L. In this office hours episode, Sue Doyle PhD, OTR/L introduced herself and shared her inspiration behind The Home Accessibility Therapist and this first episode of The Home Accessibility Therapist Podcast.  Certified Home Accessibility Therapist (CHAT): https://www.thehomeaccessibilitytherapist.com/CHAT Courses & Memberships:  https://www.th...

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