Pilot program for OTs working with Builders-December 21st AIM BIG Meeting

This meeting centered on developing a pilot program for occupational therapists working with builders, the first of hopefully many discussions, below is the video and below that is a summary.

This meeting focused on defining a pilot for working with builders.



Scope of work:

Request:

•Large company that specializes in remodeling and energy conservation (referred by Carolyn Sithong) would like to partner with Barrier Free OT to add ‘aging-in-place’ evaluations and remodeling to their services.

History:

•The owners and many of their builders have gotten their CAPS certification but still no one feels qualified to make recommendations.

•Builders don’t feel comfortable knowing where grab bars should be installed or how to install.

•Owners don’t know products that are available for accessibility-cited this as a pain point.

 Assets construction company has to offer:

•Feel that partners are key and have partnered with many non-profits which gives them buy-in and trust from their customers.

•Partners are predominantly cities and non-profits.

•They have many active social media channels.

•Marketing research.

•A/B testing.

•Run ads with affiliates.

Market research suggests that 'aging-in-place' does not have positive connotations.  Here are lists of positive/negative words.  Please post any other suggestions.  This is important when marketing OT services.

Dirty words:

•Aging-in-place.

•Fall prevention.

• Aging?

•Disability.

•Accessible.

•People refused OT evaluations because they said there is nothing wrong with them.

Positive words:

•Comfort?

•Face-to-face.

•Custom.

•Universal design.

•Friendly.

•Healthy homes/wellness?

•Active home.

•Challenge.

•Easy living.

•Visitability.

•Conducive.

What should the ‘evaluation’ be called?   The building company suggested that 'OT Evaluation' may have negative connotations since it sounds so medical and maybe something more like an 'audit' rather than an evaluation would be a better way to market.

Energy audit- remodeling (this is the terminology they utilize for energy evaluations which they charge $250 to perform.  They were doing energy audits for free but found they had many 'tire kickers' and not so many conversions for remodeling.

Questions re: audits:

•Ask about how audit, do they evaluation form?

•How long does the energy audit take?

General discussion on home modifications and OT's as well as needs regarding OT's:

•Service comes first, job description comes second.

•Home health and skilled nursing clients get defensive.

•OT evaluation is covered under Medicare, why pay out of pocket?

•OT’s need to be trained.

•Learn basics.

•Scott Anderle

•Marnie Renda,

•Deb Young.

•Carolyn Sithong.

•Blog for more information on homemods:

•Research, homemod.net, homemods.net.

How to package OT home assessments and what sort of apps will be used?
 

•How to promote OT as cool.

•How people are drafting reports without an app how is it done?

•Home for Life- app by Carolyn Sithong.

•A/B testing

Please post thoughts on:

•Linkedin Group: Occupational Therapists Creating Accessible Homes.

•Monetizing Home Modifications.

•AIM BIG Facebook page

Meet next Monday, Dec. 28th to discuss pilot program, marketing and packaging/pricing OT services in more detail. 

Here is a link to sign up for this group, the Global Network of Home Modification Professionals-AIM BIG.  

We meet virtually the first and third Mondays of every month at 8:00 pm eastern:   http://handicaphomemods.blogspot.com/2015/03/capitalizing-on-home-modifications-for.html