5 reasons to join a Life Care therapy team
Physical, occupational and speech-language therapists can work in many different settings.
From hospitals and schools to outpatient clinics or patients’ homes, the possibilities are seemingly endless for therapists. All the options can make job-hunting feel overwhelming.
Have you considered geriatric care or short-term rehab? Life Care has nearly 200 skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers spread across the country, and each center has its own in-house therapy department.
Staffed with a team of therapists and led by a director of rehab, each therapy department is committed to providing compassionate and individualized care to patients.
We believe our centers are a great place for therapists to work, so we put together a list of some of the advantages of joining one of our therapy teams.
Whether you’re a new graduate searching for your first job or a seasoned professional seeking fresh opportunities for growth, we hope this list will help you decide if Life Care is the right career path for you.
1. You work on a team
If you work at a Life Care center, you’ll be part of a team of physical, occupational and speech therapists who strive to provide quality care to their patients. Being part of a team gives therapists support.
This is especially important for new therapists, who need mentorship and guidance as they learn to navigate the day-to-day practice of therapy.
In addition to fellow clinicians, the facility’s director of rehab can lead and help new therapists find their footing and succeed at their job.
According to Division Rehab Director John Fischer, working on a team also allows therapists to learn from each other’s practice.
“Therapists learn from each other, watching and/or asking another therapist questions or even
working together with the same patient to learn a new technique,” Fischer said. “That just isn’t available when you work alone.
”From hosting group therapy sessions to attending continuing education together, to sharing best practices and treatment plans and ideas, the team environment creates a positive, collaborative working experience and gives therapists the chance to increase their knowledge and skills.
2. You have access to educational and leadership opportunities
Many therapy students and recent graduates need to gain clinical experience in order to finish their program or jumpstart their career. Life Care’s internship and mentorship programs are the perfect opportunity to gain real-world experience.
The internship program allows students to complete clinical rotations under the supervision of a licensed therapist. Students work with the facility’s therapy team and treat real patients in the center’s rehab gym.
Similarly, the mentorship program gives recent graduates the chance to gain clinical experience while being mentored by an experienced clinician in their discipline.
The year-long, full-time, paid position helps new therapists get the hang of their job and make meaningful connections with professionals.
Seasoned therapists also have the chance to advance their careers at Life Care. Certifications and programs like the internationally recognized LSVT BIG and LOUD Parkinson’s programs, internal wound care certifications and amputation therapy trainings offer clinicians the chance to increase their knowledge and skill set.
Experienced therapists can also pursue leadership opportunities, such as heading a rehab department as director of rehab to helping develop programs, tools and resources for therapists across the country as a regional or division rehab director. Life Care offers ample opportunities for growth and development.
3. Free compliance education and access to best practices
One of the challenges of practicing therapy is navigating the ever-changing state and federal
policies and compliance regulations, which is why Life Care has a huge infrastructure and dedicated resources to train therapists in matters related to compliance, quality control and best practices.
“Unlike independent practitioners, we have a team that spans a number of facilities in multiple states,” Division Rehab Director Tina Brouillet said about Life Care’s compliance capabilities.
“Everyone is monitoring trends, learning daily and defining their best practices. With the leadership team and the division teams, this information is also vetted, understood and then distributed to the field.”
All Life Care therapists have access to the company’s training on policies, procedures, protocols and changes in guidelines, so therapists can rest assured knowing they have all the knowledge to adhere to quality standards.
In addition, each facility’s director of rehab and executive director provide oversight and can answer any questions related to compliance.
Therapists also have access to a plethora of best practice resources through Life Care’s internal associate portal, and innovative tools are regularly added and distributed to the field to support clinicians and enhance therapy processes.
4. Advanced technologies and a regular schedule
While therapists in a home health or school setting are limited to using household items or equipment that they can carry, Life Care therapists have access to a state-of-the-art therapy gym and the latest clinical equipment.
Innovations such as the OmiCycle® exercise system, VitalStim®, NuStep® trainer and the AlterG® Anti-Gravity Treadmill™ developed with NASA technology, were designed to target specific therapy needs and make treatment easier, more effective and more enjoyable for both patients and therapists.
Many of these technologies, and more, fill each facility’s spacious gym. Life Care therapists also have a regular working schedule.
Whereas outpatient or home health therapists may work long and unusual hours, Life Care therapists have set times for treatments and evaluations, giving them more predictability and a stronger work-life balance.
5. You’ll build meaningful relationships and see your patients succeed
For many clinicians, the relational aspect of therapy is why they chose their profession. They
love to help patients recover their strength and functionality and see the happiness that
independence brings.
“The greatest reward and benefit for a therapist is seeing a patient achieve their goals and live with dignity at their highest practical level,” Brouillet said.
Working in a skilled nursing setting gives therapists the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients. While a hospital therapist may spend three to four days helping an acute patient reach short-term goals, Life Care therapists see their patients five days a week for weeks or even months at a time.
As a result, they develop deep relationships with their patients, can better tailor treatments and get to watch patients reach challenging, long-term goals. Paul Motyka recalled that while he was a physical therapy student, he wanted to avoid working in nursing homes.
His dream was to work in the exciting world of sports therapy, he said. However, after college, he landed a job at a skilled nursing facility, where he met Rosie the Riveters and World War II veterans and worked with a patient with an Auschwitz tattoo.
He became friends with these wonderful residents and watched with joy as they met their therapy goals. Motyka never left the nursing home setting, and today he serves as a Life Care division rehab director.
“I can’t think of a more rewarding place to work than in the skilled nursing center for Life Care Centers of America,” Motyka said. “Any therapist who has seen their patients go from not being able to eat or not being able to dress themselves to being able to go home knows that. It’s quite rewarding.”
Are you interested in being part of one of our in-house rehab departments? With nearly 200 centers in 27 states, we have the perfect location and opportunity for you to pursue your career goals and achieve greatness.
Apply now or learn more on our Careers page here: https://lifecarecareers.com/.
