The Importance of “Champions” In A Market

By Kelly Alvord, Therapy Resource, Sunstone UT

For OT month, we wanted to highlight two of our Market OT champions who not only provide amazing care to the residents at their own facilities, but also help facilitate support for others in our market.

In Sunstone, we host ongoing champion calls to further the development of these programs. This forum is a great place to share best practices, brainstorm to resolve barriers, and to enhance the interventions to improve the lives of our patients.

Gary Pearson, OT, Pointe Meadows, leads our Abilities Care call. Gary is an occupational therapist and leader of the LTC programming and the CQR (long-term case management) process at Pointe Meadows, where he is also the assistant DOR. He has a passion for skilled intervention for patients with dementia, has participated in several dementia courses, and is the TEACHA for the Sunstone Market. He has also brought this skill set to the community, where he has brought the Abilities Care Approach into several local assisted living centers. Gary has had an impact at Pointe Meadows, in the local community and throughout the market.

Ryan Porritt, OT from Orem Rehab, leads our Heart Math Call. When Ryan started working as a new grad, it became apparent that there was a certain patient group he could not reach because of their self-limiting behaviors and the emotional components to healing. Reducing these emotional barriers to function quickly became his passion, which he has pursued over the past four years. Ryan has found HeartMath and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to be effective means of increasing participation in value-based activities by reducing the emotional barriers to function. He is excited to share his passion with anyone who is interested.

Check out these amazing therapy career opportunities at our affiliated facilities: Occupational Therapist – Ukiah Post Acute – $5K Bonus, Occupational Therapist – Pacific Care and Rehabilitation Center, Occupational Therapist – Wellington Place, and Occupational Therapist – Medical Lodge of Amarillo. Find out more about these amazing jobs and browse our complete list of therapy job opportunities.