BOT Podcast

Michelle Eliason
  • 5.0 (8)
  • Science
  • Updated Daily

This is a companion podcast for the BOT Portal Occupational Therapy Resource Blog and Functional Cognition Newsletter. Written content can be found on botportalceus.com

  1. Aug 9

    Occupational Therapy Cognitive Tests for Functional Cognition

    Occupational Therapy Cognitive Tests: How to Choose the Right Assessment  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the Full Companion Article Occupational Therapy Cognitive Tests: Cognitive Tests Useful in Functional Cognition There are dozens of cognitive assessments available to occupational therapy practitioners, but knowing the name of a test is very different from knowing when to use it and what clinical question it can help answer. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses how to think through cognitive assessment selection using a functional cognition approach. Rather than reviewing cognitive tests one by one, the episode walks through common clinical presentations and considers how an occupational therapy practitioner might decide whether to investigate memory and learning, attention, executive functioning, language retrieval, visuospatial processing, visual perception, motor performance, or functional cognition more closely. The discussion also emphasizes an important principle: a cognitive score does not interpret itself. Standardized findings become more meaningful when they are considered alongside the occupational profile, functional activity analysis, clinical observation, environmental demands, patient and caregiver report, and the person's response to cueing or support.   Topics Discussed How to choose a cognitive assessment based on the clinical question General cognitive screening versus more targeted cognitive assessment Montreal Cognitive Assessment Mini-Mental State Examination Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Distinguishing memory impairment from problems with attention or encoding Hopkins Verbal Learning Test Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test California Verbal Learning Test Digit Span Word retrieval and verbal fluency Controlled Oral Word Association Test Boston Naming Test Semantic Fluency Test Executive functioning and attention Stroop Color and Word Test Trail Making Test, Parts A and B Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Tower of London Test Behavioural Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome Visuospatial and visual-perceptual assessment Clock Drawing Test Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Judgment of Line Orientation Block Design subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Motor-Free Visual Perception Test Distinguishing cognitive limitations from motor limitations Purdue Pegboard Test Functional cognitive assessment Executive Function Performance Test Performance Assessment of Self-Care Skills Dynamic Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment Test of Everyday Attention Canadian Occupational Performance Measure Assessment of Motor and Process Skills Connecting standardized cognitive findings to occupational performance Key Clinical Takeaway Do not start with the assessment. Start with the clinical question. A broad cognitive screen may identify that additional evaluation is needed, but it does not necessarily explain why a patient is having difficulty managing medications, preparing meals, navigating the community, returning to work, or completing another complex daily activity. General cognitive screening is only one piece of a larger functional cognition evaluation.   If a patient appears to have a memory problem, determine whether the difficulty involves initial attention and encoding, learning across repetition, storage, delayed retrieval, recognition, interference, or working memory. If performance deteriorates as a task becomes more complex, consider whether inhibition, cognitive flexibility, planning, strategy shifting, processing speed, or error monitoring may be contributing.     Most importantly, bring the findings back to function. Functional assessments can help answer the question that a brief cognitive screen often cannot: What happens when this person has to use these cognitive abilities to complete an actual or simulated everyday task?   The strongest functional cognition evaluation combines the occupational profile, standardized assessment, skilled observation, functional activity analysis, information from the client and care partners, and clinical reasoning to determine how cognition is influencing participation, safety, and independence.   Helpful Functional Cognition Resources Explore the Functional Cognition Resource Page for additional education related to cognitive evaluation and intervention. Looking for treatment ideas? Visit the Interventions for Cognition Dashboard. Not sure how functional cognitive impairment may present clinically? Explore the Most Common Functional Cognition Patient Presentations. You can also review the Occupational Therapy Evaluation and Diagnoses Process for additional resources related to evaluation and clinical reasoning.   Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this episode with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab, resource library, and clinical support available to members. Looking for more individualized support with assessment selection, functional cognition, treatment planning, or clinical reasoning? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools for rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter.   Hosted by Michelle Eliason, MS, OTR/L Beyond Occupation Companion Audio connects rehabilitation science, occupational therapy, and real-world clinical practice. Learn more about Michelle C. Eliason, MS, OTR/L

  2. Aug 9

    5 Must-Dos to Personalize Occupational Therapy Treatments

    5 Must-Dos to Personalize Occupational Therapy Treatment: The First Step Toward Precision Rehabilitation  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the Full Companion Article 5 Must-Dos to Personalize Occupational Therapy Treatment: The First Step Toward Precision Rehabilitation Precision rehabilitation is moving rehabilitation beyond diagnosis-driven treatment toward intervention that is increasingly matched to the individual patient, including their impairments, preserved abilities, environment, response to treatment, and functional goals.   In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses five practical ways occupational therapy practitioners can begin personalizing treatment now. The episode focuses on developing a more detailed patient profile, identifying the cognitive and motor systems contributing to occupational dysfunction, connecting interventions to the actual functional problem, considering contextual factors, and using the patient's treatment response to guide future clinical decisions. Rather than asking only, “What intervention works for this diagnosis?” the discussion encourages practitioners to consider which intervention makes sense for this particular person and why. Topics Discussed Individual patient profiles in occupational therapy Impaired versus preserved abilities Moving beyond diagnosis-based treatment planning Cognitive systems affecting occupational performance Motor, sensory, and visual-perceptual contributors to dysfunction Functional cognition and activity analysis Matching intervention to the actual performance breakdown Knowing when to use whole-task versus component-level treatment Psychological and social influences on occupational performance Environmental barriers and supports Measuring response to intervention Using errors, cueing, accuracy, assistance, and carryover as treatment data Re-evaluating and modifying intervention Precision rehabilitation and occupational therapy clinical reasoning Key Clinical Takeaway Personalized occupational therapy treatment requires more than selecting meaningful activities. Practitioners need to determine what is different about the individual patient, which systems are contributing to the performance problem, and which intervention is most appropriate for that specific mechanism and functional outcome. Treatment should also remain flexible. The patient's response provides clinical information that can help determine whether an intervention should be continued, progressed, modified, compensated for, or replaced.   Precision rehabilitation begins when we become more specific about which intervention, for which patient, targeting which mechanism, at which point in recovery, for which functional outcome.   Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab and the clinical resources available to members. Looking for direct clinical reasoning and mentorship support? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools for rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter. Hosted by Michelle Eliason, MS, OTR/L Beyond Occupation Companion Audio connects rehabilitation science, occupational therapy, and real-world clinical practice. Learn more about Michelle C. Eliason, MS, OTR/L

  3. Aug 6

    12 Advanced Executive Functioning Activities

    12 Executive Functioning Activities for Occupational Therapy  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the Full Companion Article 12 Executive Functioning Activities for Occupational Therapy Executive functioning is what helps a person determine what needs to be done, organize information, begin a task, maintain a plan, adapt when something changes, recognize errors, and ultimately complete meaningful everyday activities. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses practical executive functioning activities occupational therapy practitioners can use to examine and address initiation, planning, organization, sequencing, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, self-monitoring, problem solving, time management, and error recognition. The episode takes a closer look at the first six intervention themes, including generative naming, information prioritization, multistep planning, calendar planning, medication-management simulation, and mental manipulation. Activities seven through twelve are introduced with additional examples available in the full companion article. The discussion then moves beyond the activities themselves to address how executive functioning interventions should be graded, what practitioners should document, why neuroscience should not be overstated, and how preparatory cognitive activities must ultimately connect back to occupational performance. Topics Discussed What executive dysfunction can look like during everyday activities Why executive functioning is not a single cognitive skill Moving beyond isolated “brain games” in occupational therapy The A to Z Challenge and generative naming Main-idea identification and information prioritization Planning multistep functional activities Calendar planning and scheduling Medication-management simulations Serial subtraction and mental manipulation Trail-making activities Stroop-inspired inhibition activities Rule switching and cognitive flexibility Error-detection activities Time estimation and task completion Functional problem-solving scenarios Grading executive functioning activities Documenting observable cognitive performance and cueing Executive functioning intervention should not end when a patient successfully completes a worksheet, card sort, trail-making task, or planning exercise. The clinical question is whether the cognitive skill and strategy transfer into the person’s actual life. Can they organize medications, manage appointments, prepare for an activity, recognize an error, adjust when a plan changes, estimate how much time they need, or independently use a strategy when the therapist is no longer present? Executive functioning intervention becomes occupational therapy when the cognitive demand, therapeutic method, and meaningful participation goal are deliberately connected. Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to find the level of support that works best for you. Looking for a more formal learning and mentorship experience? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools you can use in rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter. Hosted by Michelle Eliason, MS, OTR/L Beyond Occupation Companion Audio connects rehabilitation science, occupational therapy, and real-world clinical practice.

  4. Aug 5

    Arthritis in Occupational Therapy

    Occupational Therapy for Arthritis: Evaluation, Joint Protection, and Everyday Activities Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the Full Companion Article Occupational Therapy for Arthritis: Evaluation, Joint Protection, and Everyday Activities Arthritis is not a single diagnosis. It is an umbrella term that includes degenerative, autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious, and metabolic conditions affecting the joints and surrounding tissues. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses how arthritis can affect occupational performance and how occupational therapy practitioners can evaluate and address pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness, fatigue, reduced range of motion, joint instability, and difficulty completing everyday activities. The episode also explains why osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis require different clinical considerations and how treatment planning should reflect the person’s diagnosis, disease activity, symptoms, joint integrity, medications, and response to activity. Topics Discussed Differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis How arthritis affects ADLs, IADLs, work, leisure, and community participation Components of an occupational therapy arthritis evaluation Pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, weakness, and joint instability Grip, pinch, fine motor coordination, and hand function Joint-protection strategies Activity grading and energy conservation Adaptive equipment and environmental modification Therapeutic activity and exercise Connecting interventions to meaningful occupational outcomes Psychosocial factors, including confidence, coping, resilience, and self-efficacy Occupational Therapy Resources Mentioned The full article includes links to occupational therapy education, clinical tools, and patient resources related to arthritis evaluation and treatment. Clinical Interview for Arthritis A structured clinical interview covering symptom history, pain location, disease onset, medication use, morning stiffness, joint patterns, visible changes, muscle weakness, and difficulty completing everyday activities. Rheumatoid Arthritis Versus Osteoarthritis A visual comparison of the autoimmune and inflammatory characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis and the degenerative joint changes associated with osteoarthritis. Living With Degenerative Osteoarthritis A patient-friendly resource explaining degenerative joint changes and foundational joint-protection principles. Interventions for Arthritis During Everyday Life Practical examples of reducing joint strain while carrying objects, opening doors, handling kitchen items, reading, typing, and completing ADLs and IADLs. Rheumatoid Arthritis Information Information addressing inflammation, systemic symptoms, bone health, physical activity, and ongoing health management for people living with rheumatoid arthritis. Pain and Trigger Point Tracker A tool that helps patients document where symptoms occur, recognize patterns, and monitor whether pain locations change over time. Salutogenesis: Assets for Health and Wellbeing A resource for identifying and documenting personal strengths such as coping, resilience, empowerment, connectedness, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Arthritis Resource Bundle The Arthritis Resource Bundle brings together practical evaluation, education, and treatment resources for occupational therapy practitioners working with people who have arthritis. Visit the full article to access the resources discussed throughout this episode: Explore Occupational Therapy for Arthritis Key Clinical Takeaway Arthritis treatment should not become a generic list of exercises. Occupational therapy intervention should address the specific mechanism interfering with function and connect every strategy to an occupational problem that matters to the patient. The most important question is not simply whether pain decreased or strength improved during a treatment session. It is whether the person can now prepare a meal, manage medications, dress, bathe, move through the home, participate in work, or return to a valued activity with greater comfort, independence, and control. Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to find the level of support that works best for you. Looking for a more formal learning and mentorship experience? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools you can use in rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter. Hosted by Michelle Eliason, MS, OTR/L Beyond Occupation Companion Audio connects rehabilitation science, occupational therapy, and real-world clinical practice.

  5. Aug 4

    The Interdisciplinary Team

    Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Teams in Rehabilitation  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the full companion article: Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Teams in Rehabilitation Rehabilitation depends on collaboration, but having several professionals involved does not automatically mean care is coordinated. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason breaks down the differences among multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary care and explains how each model influences communication, shared goals, professional roles, and the patient experience. The episode discusses: What makes a rehabilitation team truly interdisciplinary How interdisciplinary care differs from multidisciplinary care How physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapy practitioners, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and case managers may contribute to the same functional goal Why professional overlap does not automatically mean duplication How transdisciplinary teams integrate expertise and reinforce selected strategies across disciplines Why legal scope, competence, and professional responsibility must still be respected Where occupational therapy fits within rehabilitation teamwork Why occupation-centered reasoning and activity analysis remain central to occupational therapy How occupational therapy practitioners can communicate and protect the full scope of the profession A stroke rehabilitation example illustrates how different team members may address medical stability, mobility, communication, cognition, swallowing, medication management, environmental barriers, discharge planning, and everyday routines while working toward shared outcomes. The episode also addresses the reality that healthcare systems are often hierarchical. Although transdisciplinary care may offer the most integrated experience for patients and families, collaboration can become difficult when certain professions receive greater authority, visibility, or reimbursement while others must repeatedly justify their role. Michelle also discusses why occupational therapy should not be reduced to dressing, bathing, or upper-extremity exercise. Occupational therapy practitioners may address movement, gait, balance, cognition, vision, sensation, emotional regulation, environmental demands, and other factors affecting occupational performance. The distinction lies in how occupational therapy analyzes the relationship among the person, task, environment, habits, roles, routines, and meaningful occupations. The central message is that collaboration does not require occupational therapy to become smaller. Strong teamwork occurs when every profession clearly understands its contribution, respects the expertise of others, communicates effectively, and confidently brings its full value to the table. Member Resources Tips to Navigate Professional Bullying Protecting Professional Autonomy Interprofessional Value Handout Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to find the level of support that works best for you. Looking for a more formal learning and mentorship experience? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools you can use in rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter.

  6. Aug 3

    Cognitive Strategy Training in Occupational Therapy

    Cognitive Strategy Training in Occupational Therapy  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the full companion article: Cognitive Strategy Training in Occupational Therapy: How to Use the Cognitive Strategies Worksheets Giving a patient a list of memory tips is not the same as providing cognitive strategy training. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses how occupational therapy practitioners can move beyond generic recommendations and help patients select, personalize, practice, and carry cognitive strategies into real daily routines. The episode explores nine major cognitive strategy themes: Memory and recall Visual scanning and spatial awareness Planning and sequencing Attention and focus Executive function and problem-solving Expressive language and word-finding Social communication Environmental strategies Metacognitive and awareness tools A case example involving an older adult with a recent Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis illustrates how strategy training can support meal preparation, morning routines, organization, memory, and continued participation in meaningful roles. The discussion also explains why the worksheet itself is not the intervention. Skilled occupational therapy occurs through clinical discussion, patient choice, task analysis, environmental setup, functional practice, caregiver involvement, follow-through, and modification based on what the patient actually uses. You will also hear practical guidance for: Selecting only the strategy categories most relevant to the patient Connecting recommendations to specific occupational problems Turning broad suggestions into concrete routines Observing awareness, problem-solving, flexibility, and strategy use Tracking adherence without overwhelming the patient Adjusting strategies that are forgotten, rejected, or difficult to use Supporting autonomy and internal locus of control The goal is not for the patient to memorize a long list of cognitive strategies. The goal is to establish a few reliable supports that improve occupational performance in the moments that matter. Member Resources Cognitive Strategy Patient Education Sheets Cognitive Strategy Master List Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to find the level of support that works best for you. Looking for a more formal learning and mentorship experience? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools you can use in rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter.

  7. Aug 3

    8 Functional Object Retrieval Activities

    8 Functional Object Retrieval Activities for Occupational Therapy  Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the full companion article: 8 Functional Object Retrieval Activities for Occupational Therapy Object retrieval may look simple, but it requires the person to combine attention, working memory, visual scanning, mobility, sequencing, object recognition, and environmental navigation within one functional task. In this companion audio, Michelle Eliason discusses how occupational therapy practitioners can use object-retrieval activities to examine the interaction between cognition, movement, vision, and everyday occupational performance. The episode reviews eight ways to grade object retrieval, including: Retrieving one visible object Retrieving multiple objects in a specific order Gathering items for a familiar routine Following verbal location descriptions Carrying objects to designated destinations Completing retrieval during mobility and obstacle negotiation Remembering instructions after a delay or interference task Adjusting when the original plan changes You will also hear practical guidance for changing the number of objects, instruction length, environmental complexity, sequence demands, delay, visual similarity, destination requirements, and amount of support. The discussion emphasizes that an incorrect response should not automatically be labeled as a memory failure. Performance may also be affected by auditory comprehension, visual scanning, spatial language, mobility, initiation, cognitive flexibility, environmental distraction, or difficulty retaining the destination. The episode also explores internal and external cognitive strategies, including verbal rehearsal, chunking, visualization, written instructions, environmental labels, consistent object placement, one-step directions, and point-of-performance cueing. Most importantly, object retrieval should eventually resemble the participant’s real routines, environments, and responsibilities. The goal is not simply to make directions longer or harder. The goal is to help the person listen, remember, move, locate, transport, and use objects more successfully during everyday occupations. Continue Learning With Us Did you find this information helpful? Please share this article with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may benefit from it. Would you like access to the clinical resources discussed throughout this article? Explore our membership options to find the level of support that works best for you. Looking for a more formal learning and mentorship experience? Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program. You can also explore our AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages for additional education, treatment resources, and practical tools you can use in rehabilitation practice. Interested in receiving free functional cognition education each week? Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter.

  8. Aug 3

    I Almost Failed Neuroscience in OT School

    I Almost Failed Neuro. Here’s What Happened Over the Next 10 Years. Beyond Occupation Companion Audio Read the Full Companion Article https://www.botportalceus.com/blog/I-almost-failed-neuro-in-OT-school Neuroscience does not come naturally to every occupational therapy practitioner—and it did not come naturally to Michelle Eliason. In this personal companion episode, Michelle reflects on nearly failing neuroscience in occupational therapy school and the slow, often uncomfortable process of developing a deeper understanding of the brain over the next decade. She discusses what it looked like to repeatedly revisit difficult concepts, connect neuroscience with patient performance, and gradually move from memorizing terminology to understanding the relationship between brain structure, function, behavior, and everyday activity. The episode also reflects on a 2024 paper exploring white matter integrity, information-processing speed, aging, and traumatic brain injury. Rather than viewing the paper as a finished representation of her current thinking, Michelle describes it as evidence of the point at which the pieces were beginning to come together. This episode is for practitioners, students, and rehabilitation professionals who have ever believed they were “not a neuro person.” Understanding develops over time—one patient, one question, and one clinical connection at a time. Continue Learning With Us Explore clinical resources and support options:https://www.botportalceus.com/membership-options Learn more about the Functional Cognition Lab Mentorship Program:https://www.botportalceus.com/functional-cognition-lab-mentorship Explore AOTA-approved courses and clinical resource packages:https://www.botportalceus.com/store Subscribe to the Functional Cognition Lab Newsletter:https://www.botportalceus.com/newsletters/functional-cognition-lab Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with another occupational therapy practitioner, student, educator, or rehabilitation professional who may need the reminder that where they are today is not where they will remain.

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About

This is a companion podcast for the BOT Portal Occupational Therapy Resource Blog and Functional Cognition Newsletter. Written content can be found on botportalceus.com

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Eliason
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    BOT Podcast