Live Better Longer

In celebration of Occupational Therapy Month, on this week’s episode of FOX Rehabilitation’s Live Better Longer podcast we welcome back occupational therapist and in-house health coach, Katie Cooper, MS, OTR/L, who discusses the benefits of mindfulness, both for clinicians and their patients. Practicing being present and truly knowing yourself is not only important for your mental well-being, but your physical health as well. Katie offers up tips on the best ways to block out anxiety during a busy work week. She also talks about her role in FOX’s Live Well program, which helps colleagues decrease stress and learn how to balance both work and life. Katie closes out the episode by revealing what she does for entertainment and fun to decompress at the end of a work week.

This week on FOX Rehabilitation’s Live Better Longer podcast, we are joined by author Shelly Calcagno, who talks about her new book, The Longest Goodbye: A Family’s Hope-Filled Journey Through Alzheimer’s. Shelly recalls the time when her mother forgot the word for dandelions and instead called them “yellow flowers.” That was the first sign of her mother’s cognitive decline and the beginning of a 10-year journey with Alzheimer’s, which Shelly writes candidly about in her book. Though she was slowly losing one of the most important people in her life, Shelly talks about cherishing moments of joy, which are simultaneously intertwined with grief. She also explains the importance of finding hope in difficult times. Shelly’s book sheds light on Alzheimer’s, how to support a loved one going through it, and what resources family members can use to help them during this difficult time.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we turn the hosting duties of FOX Rehabilitation’s Live Better Longer podcast over to FOX physical therapist, Audra Vellucci, PT, MPT, who leads a candid discussion with FOX’s VP of Integration, Jen Revolinsky, MS, OTR/L, and FOX’s VP of Integration Quality, Jen Ruoff, OTD, OTR/L, BCG, CDP. The primary goal of International Women’s Day is to celebrate women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements and to take action to strive for gender equality. “The Jens” as they’re lovingly referred to at FOX Rehabilitation, tell their stories about starting out as clinicians with FOX and working their way up to a position of leadership. They discuss their pain points along their journey, who inspired them, and what it takes to be an effective leader. Among other things, Jen and Jen talk about the difficulties of starting a new region during a pandemic, how they bonded through shared experiences, and the best ways to balance work and family life.

As APTA’s Combined Sections Meeting kicks off in San Diego this week—which is the ultimate yearly gathering of physical therapists—we decided to continue talking PT shop with FOX physical therapist, Pooja Ghelani, PT, who tells us how and why she entered the profession. Pooja describes a moment as an intern when everything clicked for her. Since then, Pooja has felt a sense of excitement and accomplishment when helping older adult patients rediscover parts of their life they once thought were lost. Pooja explains why she likes to treat in a house call environment and the advantages of working with a patient in their own home. We close the episode by asking Pooja to imagine time-traveling to visit herself as a new physical therapist. What advice would she give, and would her younger self be receptive to it?

Every year the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) hosts their marquee event, the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM), which is made up of 18 specialty sections and academies. This year, from February 23-25, in San Diego, California, attendees will be presented with hundreds of educational sessions, as well as the opportunity to experience the sheer electricity of the main exhibit hall. This week on FOX Rehabilitation's Live Better Longer podcast, we speak with APTA’s Senior Vice President of Member Experience, Jason Bellamy, who gives us a preview of this year’s event. For those attending the conference—and for those who will be following along online—Jason fills you in on everything you need to know to maximize your CSM 2023 experience!

Is there any better way to kick off Season 4 of FOX Rehabilitation’s Live Better Longer podcast than chatting it up with rock and roll legend, Donnie Iris?! On February 28, King Cool will celebrate his 80th birthday. We thought it fitting to invite Donnie onto our podcast since the title of it sums up his current life—he is living better longer—continuing to play packed shows with his band The Cruisers, owning every square inch of the stage by performing his signature knee slides and fist pumps while hitting all the right notes on classic hit singles like, “Ah! Leah!” and “Love Is Like a Rock.” After a little prodding, we get Donnie to reveal the secret to this longevity in the world of rock and roll—a lifestyle that isn’t kind to everyone. Donnie talks about the inspiration behind some of his most beloved songs and dishes on what he’ll do to celebrate his milestone birthday year, which includes playing shows with fellow rock legends Foreigner and REO Speedwagon.

On the season 3 finale of FOX Rehabilitation’s Live Better Longer podcast, we are joined by ex-Air Force pararescueman, Iron Man triathlete, speaker, author, and legendary adventurer, Robert Hamilton Owens, who on December 4, 2022, will begin rowing 3,500 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to raise funds and awareness for veteran suicide prevention. On average, 18-20 U.S. veterans die from suicide daily. Robert is working in conjunction with the Courage Foundation, an organization that helps veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) transition back into society. Robert was compelled to undertake this journey after his friend, Mark Crampton, a former U.S. Navy SEAL took his own life earlier this year. After learning about Robert’s background, we are fully confident that he will be able to accomplish this latest physical challenge. It was only a few years ago that Robert completed a 50-hour Navy SEAL hell week simulation, as well as running seven marathons, in seven consecutive days, on seven different continents. Robert also discusses the importance of staying active and never letting anyone tell you that you’re too old to do anything you set your mind to.

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As we approach Thanksgiving, our host Jim Shearer gives thanks that he is joined by his grandmother, who will soon celebrate her 91st birthday. One of FOX’s signature mottos—the one that inspired the very name of this podcast—is Be Stronger, Live Better Longer. Jim’s grandmother exemplifies this slogan. Throughout her 60s and beyond, she made a concerted effort to stay active, which included taking daily walks, cooking and even learning how to play golf. Despite having two major injuries in her 80s, Jim’s grandma was able to keep a positive attitude and move forward with her life—one filled with over 20 grandchildren, over 40 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. It’s a can’t-miss episode where Jim’s grandmother talks about how she stood up his grandfather on their first date, the secret behind making the perfect fried egg, and a simple piece of advice for young clinicians treating older adult patients: be not afraid, age is only a mindset!

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On this week’s episode of FOX Rehabilitations’ Live Better Longer podcast, we are joined by FOX occupational therapist, Briana McFee, OT, who talks about how occupational therapy got its start in mental health and how the two intersect. Briana takes us through a "then vs. now" scenario and looks back at when treating and talking about mental health became more of a priority than it had been in years past. She also discusses a recent survey that revealed why some OT students are more hesitant to work with patients who have mental health issues and how to overcome that barrier. Briana then openly talks about her role as an OT when treating a patient with mental health concerns, her goals for them, and how the importance of creativity should never be underestimated.

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This week the Live Better Longer podcast welcomes back our official life coach, FOX Rehabilitation occupational therapist, Katie Cooper, MS, OTR/L. In addition to being an OT, Katie also leads our “Live Well With FOX” program which aims to help clinicians improve their work/life balance and bring more attention to our overall health and wellness. 

Katie explains the importance of healthy eating and how to accomplish this as an on-the-go clinician. Katie answers questions about balancing meals and snacks (including what snacks you should avoid), how to manage a regimen, and what to do to prevent that late-afternoon energy dip. Taking a moment to plan what you’re eating each week can go a long way in helping you to remain focused and energized when treating multiple patients throughout the day.  

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