Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) with direct brain injury experience

Why a Brain-Injury–Experienced Certified Life Care Planner Matters in Traumatic Brain Injury Cases

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), concussion, and mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) cases frequently present complex and disputed functional issues that extend well beyond what is visible on imaging or reflected in isolated medical records. Individuals may appear outwardly intact while experiencing meaningful limitations in attention, endurance, executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory tolerance, and daily performance.

In these cases, the accuracy and credibility of a life care plan depends on the evaluator’s ability to translate neurological injury into real-world functional impact and future care needs. A Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) with direct brain injury experience is uniquely positioned to provide this level of analysis.

Why Brain Injury Cases Require Specialized Life Care Planning Expertise

Brain injury cases differ from purely orthopedic or medical claims in that functional impairment is often variable, cumulative, and influenced by cognitive, sensory, emotional, and endurance-related factors. Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury may involve delayed onset of symptoms, fluctuating presentation, or prolonged recovery despite normal imaging.

A brain-injury–experienced CLCP evaluates not only diagnoses, but how neurological changes affect daily activities, work performance, safety, and long-term independence. This functional perspective is critical when future care needs, household services, vocational capacity, and supportive interventions are being evaluated for litigation purposes.

Specialized life care planning is particularly relevant in cases involving:

Understanding the Functional Impact of Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain injury exists along a spectrum, from concussion and MTBI to more complex moderate and severe injuries. While medical classifications are important, life care planning focuses on how the injury affects a person’s functional capacity over time.

Individuals with concussion or MTBI may experience slower cognitive processing, difficulty multitasking, reduced tolerance for sustained activity, visual discomfort, headaches, fatigue, or increased symptom exacerbation with prolonged work or screen use. For some, these symptoms persist and evolve into post-concussion syndrome, impacting reliability, pacing, and daily consistency.

Moderate to severe brain injuries may involve broader changes in memory, executive function, emotional regulation, communication, coordination, and safety awareness. These changes can affect driving, household management, employment, social participation, and independent living, all of which must be addressed in a defensible brain injury life care plan.

How a Brain-Injury–Focused CLCP Strengthens a Life Care Plan

A CLCP with brain injury experience translates neurological findings into functional implications that are meaningful in a legal context. This includes analysis of:

 
By grounding recommendations in documented medical care and functional presentation, the life care plan provides a clear framework for understanding future needs while remaining consistent with accepted life care planning methodology.

Case Example: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury With Persistent Post-Concussion Symptoms

A 35-year-old professional sustains a concussion in a high-speed rear-end collision and is diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Initial imaging is unremarkable. Despite conservative management, she develops persistent post-concussion symptoms affecting attention, cognitive endurance, visual tolerance, and fatigue.

Months later, treating providers document post-concussion syndrome with ongoing functional limitations impacting both work performance and daily activities.

Key legal and functional considerations include:

 
From a damages perspective, these limitations influence employability, household service needs, future medical management, and long-term support costs—elements that must be accurately reflected in a defensible life care plan.

Common Questions in Brain Injury Life Care Planning

Can significant impairment exist with normal imaging?
Yes. Functional limitations following concussion or MTBI are frequently present despite normal imaging findings and require clinical and functional assessment.

Why are mild TBI cases often disputed?

Because symptoms may be subtle, delayed, or variable, functional impact is sometimes underestimated without specialized evaluation.

How does cognitive fatigue affect long-term functioning?
Reduced endurance and symptom exacerbation over time can significantly limit work capacity, daily productivity, and consistency.

Meet the Expert

Dr. Ashea Neil, OTD, OTR/L, CLCP
Doctor of Occupational Therapy • Certified Life Care Planner • Certified Work Capacity Evaluator
Ashea Neil Turning Point Life Care Planning

Dr. Neil provides clinically grounded evaluation and expert support in orthopaedic, neurological, chronic pain, pediatric, and traumatic injury cases, including extensive experience in brain injury rehabilitation. For more than fifteen years, she has worked with individuals recovering from concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, and more complex brain injury presentations.

Her background includes specialized training in concussion and traumatic brain injury, advanced functional assessment coursework, vestibular rehabilitation experience, and direct involvement in rehabilitation programming for neurological populations. She has published and presented on concussion-related functional assessment and visual-vestibular impairment.

In her medical-legal practice, Dr. Neil provides life care planning, functional capacity evaluation, and vocational assessment services. Her opinions are grounded in functional performance analysis and presented in a clear, defensible manner appropriate for mediation, deposition, and trial.

Evaluating a Brain Injury Case?

If you are assessing a concussion or traumatic brain injury case and would like to discuss appropriate life care planning scope or functional considerations, our team is available to consult and assist in determining the appropriate level of analysis.

CHT life care planner upper extremity hand injury

Why a Certified Hand Therapist Life Care Planner Matters in Upper Extremity Injury Cases

How a CHT-CLCP strengthens damages analysis, care projections, and case value for plaintiff and defense attorneys

When upper extremity injuries are involved in litigation, subtle functional losses in the hand, wrist, or elbow can translate into lifelong limitations, diminished earning capacity, and significant future medical costs. These cases benefit from a specialist who understands fine motor function, long-term surgical outcomes, and real-world task performance.

A Certified Hand Therapist who is also a Certified Life Care Planner (CHT-CLCP) brings that level of specialization.

Why Specialization Matters for Hand & Upper Extremity Cases

A Certified Hand Therapist must complete 4,000+ hours of direct upper extremity rehab practice, a minimum of three years of clinical work, and pass an advanced examination focusing exclusively on upper-limb rehabilitation. When that expertise is combined with life care planning training, attorneys benefit from dual-credentialed expertise that strengthens the credibility and defensibility of future care projections.

This specialization becomes invaluable in claims involving:

 

Upper extremity trauma is rarely isolated. Functional consequences often evolve — and a specialist is best positioned to evaluate long-term implications.

How a CHT-CLCP Strengthens a Life Care Plan

A hand-specialized LCP translates clinical impairment into function, independence, and cost impact over a lifetime, ensuring your plan accounts for:

  1. Future treatment + surgical planning
  1. Functional outcome analysis
  1. Equipment & adaptive solutions
  1. Aging-related complication forecasting

 

The result:
A life care plan that is clinically accurate, defensible, and practical, informed by real-world outcomes — not just literature.

Case Example — High-Velocity Dominant Wrist Trauma

A middle-aged nurse sustains a comminuted wrist fracture from a motorcycle crash requiring ORIF and prolonged therapy. Despite maximum rehabilitation, grip strength remains poor and endurance is limited.

Key attorney-relevant questions become:

 

A CHT-CLCP knows how to anticipate these functional issues, verify needs with treating providers, and justify future treatment, equipment, and cost projections with clarity for mediation or trial.

How a CHT-CLCP Supports Your Legal Strategy

Beyond authorship of the life care plan, our expert can assist counsel by:

 

For hand-intensive occupations — healthcare, mechanics, laborers, artists, musicians, office professions — work capacity and future earning potential may be significantly affected. A specialized planner ensures those losses are captured accurately.

Meet Our Expert

Elisa Marks, OTR/L, CHT-CLCP
Certified Hand Therapist • Certified Life Care Planner • 25+ years upper extremity clinical experience

Elisa Marks Turning Point Life Care Planning

Elisa brings decades of direct treatment experience in hand and upper extremity rehabilitation, has served as an educator in the field, and is a pre-publication reviewer for the Journal of Hand Surgery. Her evaluations and life care plans reflect the lived reality of upper extremity recovery — not just theory — resulting in highly credible, defensible work product for litigation.

Have a Hand or Wrist Case? Consult With Us.

Early involvement from a hand-specialized life care planner strengthens case value, clarifies future care costs, and improves expert strategy.

The Role of Occupational Therapy in Life Care Planning

1. Comprehensive Assessments:

One of the first steps in life care planning is conducting a thorough assessment of an individual’s current abilities. OTs evaluate physical skills, cognitive functioning, daily living activities, and environmental factors. This comprehensive evaluation provides a clear understanding of the individual’s unique needs and challenges.

2. Identifying Goals:

Based on the assessment, OTs work collaboratively with individuals and their families to identify realistic and meaningful goals. These goals can range from regaining mobility and self-care skills to enhancing social participation and emotional well-being. By setting clear objectives, the foundation for a personalized life care plan is established.

3. Creating Customized Interventions:

OTs develop tailored interventions that align with the identified goals. These might include therapeutic exercises, adaptive strategies, and assistive technologies designed to enhance daily functioning. OTs also provide education and training to individuals and their families, empowering them to implement these strategies in their daily lives.

4. Collaboration with the Medical Team:

Life care planning is a team effort that involves collaboration among various healthcare professionals. OTs work closely with physicians, rehabilitation specialists, and case managers to ensure that all aspects of care are coordinated. This collaborative approach helps to accurately determine the needs of those who have been seriously injured and ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding the individual’s care plan.

5. Addressing Social and Environmental Factors:

Occupational Therapists consider the broader context of an individual’s life, including social supports and environmental barriers. They work to create practical solutions that promote accessibility and participation in community activities. This holistic approach not only improves physical health but also enhances emotional and social well-being.

6. Ongoing Evaluation and Adjustment:

Life care planning is not a one-time process; it requires ongoing evaluation and adjustments as an individual’s needs change. OTs play a vital role in regularly assessing progress, modifying goals, and adapting interventions as necessary. This flexibility ensures that the life care plan remains relevant and effective over time.

At TPLCP, we understand the invaluable contributions of Occupational Therapists in the life care planning process. As a firm of certified life care planners who are also OT professionals, we work collaboratively with individuals and their families to ensure that everyone receives the comprehensive support they need to live fulfilling lives.

For more information about the role of Occupational Therapy in life care planning or how TPLCP can assist you, please explore our resources or contact us directly through our website at TPLCP.com!

Preparing for a Life Care Planning Assessment with an Occupational Therapist

A life care planning assessment is a critical step in understanding your long-term needs following an injury or illness. If you’re scheduled for a two-hour session with an occupational therapist, it’s natural to feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension. This assessment is designed to help you, not only to outline your current abilities and limitations but also to pave the way for strategies and resources that can enhance your quality of life. Here’s how you can prepare to make the most out of this comprehensive evaluation.

Understand the Purpose of the Assessment
The primary goal of a life care planning assessment is to develop a clear and evidence-based plan that addresses your ongoing medical, therapeutic, and daily living needs. The occupational therapist will evaluate your functional abilities, identify challenges, and recommend tailored solutions. This plan may include recommendations for assistive devices, modifications to your home or work environment, therapy services, and other resources to support your recovery or management of a chronic condition. This assessment also involved consulting with any treating or other retained experts on your file.

Gather Relevant Documentation (if able)
Before your assessment, try to organize documents that may help the occupational therapist understand your situation. Your attorney will have likely provided medical records, but it is helpful to consider these addition documents:

 

Reflect on Your Daily Activities
Think about how your condition affects your daily life. Be ready to discuss:

 

Keeping a journal for a few days leading up to the assessment can help you recall these details. Note times of day when symptoms are better or worse, as well as any activities you avoid due to discomfort or difficulty.

Dress Comfortably
Wear clothing that allows for ease of movement. The assessment may involve physical tasks or exercises to evaluate your range of motion, strength, and endurance. Comfortable attire will help you participate fully without unnecessary discomfort.

Communicate Openly and Honestly
Your occupational therapist relies on accurate information to provide meaningful recommendations. Be transparent about your symptoms, even if you’re worried they might seem minor or subjective. This is especially important for issues like pain, fatigue, or mental health challenges, which are often invisible but have a significant impact on daily life.
If certain tasks feel embarrassing to discuss, remember that the therapist’s role is to support you without judgment. Sharing openly will ensure your assessment reflects your true needs.

Prepare Questions or Concerns
Use this opportunity to gain clarity about your condition and potential next steps. Some questions you might consider include:

 

Rest and Hydrate
A two-hour assessment requires focus and energy. Try to be well-rested and hydrated before the session. If you use any mobility aids, assistive devices, or braces, have them with you.

Post-Assessment: What to Expect
After the assessment, the occupational therapist will develop a comprehensive life care plan. This document will include recommendations tailored to your unique needs and circumstances. It may take a few weeks for the final report to be prepared, especially if the plan is part of a legal case. Use this time to reflect on the experience and start implementing any immediate strategies or suggestions provided during the session.

Conclusion
Preparing for a life care planning assessment with an occupational therapist can help you maximize the benefits of this invaluable process. By organizing your documents, reflecting on your daily challenges, and communicating openly, you’re taking an important step toward a plan that supports your recovery and long-term well-being. Remember, this assessment is a collaborative effort designed to empower you with tools and resources to enhance your quality of life.

How to Vet a Life Care Planner: A Practical Guide for Attorneys

When a case clearly warrants a life care plan, the name of an “expert” often arrives by way of a colleague’s recommendation. A curriculum vitae (CV) may or may not be attached. The real question is:

Will this life care planner truly help – or quietly weaken – your case?

This guide outlines the key qualifications, credentials, and professional activities to look for when evaluating whether a life care planner will provide defensible, trial-ready work for your client.

Section 1: Certification Matters

Is the expert a Certified Life Care Planner?

Life care planning is a distinct profession with its own:

 

“Life Care Planner” is a trademarked title used by professionals who are certified by:

 

Physicians who are certified as life care planners through ICHCC must also meet defined criteria and training standards.

A certified life care planner receives dedicated training in:

 

Section 2: Experience Counts

Does the life care planner have relevant clinical and forensic experience?

Certified life care planners must have at least three years of relevant rehabilitation experience, but the quality and focus of that experience also matter.

Key questions to consider:

 

Section 3: Professional Engagement in Life Care Planning

Are they actively involved in the life care planning profession?

Understanding the history, standards, and evolving practices of life care planning is fundamental to expert credibility.

Look for evidence that the planner:

 

Section 4: Membership in Disability-Specific Organizations

Do they stay current with diagnosis-specific standards and guidelines?

Beyond professional planning organizations, credible experts also monitor or participate in organizations relevant to the populations they evaluate, such as associations for:

 

Section 5: Contribution to the Profession

Do they contribute to advancing the field?

Professionals who publish, present, or teach within the field typically:

 

Section 6: Specialization and Case Fit

Do they have the right expertise for this specific case?

Many experts build specialized experience, such as in:

 

Matching the expert to the case is essential for credibility and reliable cost projections.

Section 7: Establishing a Proper Medical Foundation

How does the planner establish the medical basis for their opinions?

Life care planners are trained neither to:

 

A defensible plan requires a clear medical foundation supported by:

 

Section 8: How Turning Point Life Care Planning Meets These Standards

Turning Point Life Care Planning maintains a team of highly qualified Certified Life Care Planners who meet all of the criteria identified above.

Our team includes:

 

We work collaboratively to ensure accurate consideration of functional capacity, long-term medical needs, equipment, and community integration over the lifespan.

Section 9: Next Steps – If You’re Evaluating a Case Now

If you have a case that may benefit from a life care plan — or if you are unsure whether the injuries rise to that level — we are available to consult.

Ways to get started:

 

Life Care Planning

Life care planning is a profession with its own standards of practice, certified professionals, with peer-reviewed journals, textbooks, and annual conferences. “Life Care Planner” is a trademarked term to be used by those who are certified by the International Commission on Health Care Certifications or ICHCC. When a life care plan is developed using a methodology consistent with the standards of practice for life care planners the plan should be able to be replicated by another life care planner.

Life Care Planning is a transdisciplinary practice. To be a Certified Life Care Planner is to be an experienced rehabilitation professional licensed to practice within a healthcare profession, e.g. Register Nurse (RN), Occupational Therapist (OT), Physical Therapist (PT), Vocational Counsellor or a Medical Doctor (MD). Certification requires 120 hours of education specific to the practice of life care planning, a certification exam and submission of a life care plan to be approved by the ICHCC board. Continuing education in life care planning is required to maintain certification. The education must include a component on ethics.

A Life Care Plan is defined as “a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessment, data analysis, and research, which provides an organized, concise plan for current and future needs with associated costs for individuals who have experienced catastrophic injury or have chronic health care needs.” (International Conference on Life Care Planning and the International Academy of Life Care Planners. Adopted 1998, April.) It is a way to plan for the lifetime needs of an individual with a disability.

Life Care Plans are often used in a forensic setting to help resolve personal injury cases where an individual has sustained an injury at the fault of another person. The subject of the life care plan is referred to as an evaluee. The life care plan is intended to be educational and written so that the plan is understandable by the lay person, using non-technical language which can realistically be implemented.

The standard methodology used to develop a life care plan consists of step-by-step procedures which include: initial case intake, review of medical records and supporting documentation, interview with evaluee and a collateral interview (if appropriate, e.g. TBI), consultation with therapeutic team members, formulation of preliminary opinions, cost research, and confirmation of projections with the evaluee.

Best practice is to conduct the interview at the evaluee’s home; however, due to COVID-19 restrictions and individual preferences, a virtual assessment has become common practice. The home assessment enables the life care planner to consider the social and physical environment that may facilitate or restrict the evaluee’s function. For example, for an evaluee who uses a wheelchair, the need for home or vehicle modifications can be assessed; or for an evaluee with chronic pain, the need for ergonomic equipment or in-home rehabilitation may be considered.

Especially when the evaluee has experienced changes in cognition, collateral interview with a family member, caregiver and/or a close friend will assist with determining the change in function since the subject event and the current level of care being provided. It is standard practice to replace the gratuitous support provided to the evaluee as it is not deemed a reliable source of long-term support.

Given the transdisciplinary nature of life care planning, for areas of the plan that are outside the scope of practice of the life care planner, the life care planner relies on the medical records, consultation with the evaluee’s treating team members (e.g. specialist physicians, chiropractor, physical therapist, psychologist, etc.) or other experts involved with the case (e.g. orthotist, psychiatrist, physiatrist, etc.) to help develop the medical foundation for the life care plan. The life care planner is not intended to be a “secretary” simply providing the cost of the recommendations or others; nor, are they intended to be a “know-it-all,” relying on themselves to provide the foundation for the entire life care plan. In forensic practice, the life care planner applies their knowledge and experience in life care planning to vet care recommendations to ensure each item in the life care plan is likely to be beneficial and appropriate for the evaluee, e.g. a recommendation for pool therapy is not appropriate for someone allergic to chlorine or if an evaluee who would have likely incurred the expense for a gym pass or childcare absent the subject event, they would not be entitled to be compensated for these expenses related to the subject event.

The litigation process is usually the evaluee’s one shot at receiving the funding they require for future care; therefore, it is important that the pricing in a care plan be up-to-date, accurate and enable multiple options of providers within their geographical area. Collateral sources are not relied upon as a reliable source of lifetime funding. There are 18 standard categories of care considered in a life care plan which include: medical services, evaluations, medications, therapies, orthotics and prosthetics, wheelchair equipment, wheelchair maintenance, aides for independent living, home modifications, health maintenance and leisure, vocational/education. Given the potential longevity of the life care plan, e.g. decades, the life care planner provides accurate and geographically specific costing. It is of no help to the evaluee or their caregivers to provide resources that do not provide the intended services, e.g. a case manager who does not work with individuals under the age of 65 with a TBI but specializes in geriatric case management. Providing backup documentation for the resources is best practice and allowed by the majority of subscription fee reference databases given the forensic application.

The goal of each life care plan is to assist the evaluee is to restore function where possible; maintain function and prevent or reduce the risk of secondary complications, e.g. falls, pressure sores, etc. The plan details the services and charges for the services needed by the evaluee over the course of their lifetime. Alternatives for care take into account the developmental stages of the evaluee and the least restrictive environment. The life care planner must be willing and available to communicate the life care plan and objectives to the evaluee and the relevant parties, e.g. attorneys, judge and/or jury.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Have you been told you may have had a concussion or a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) that doesn’t feel mild?  You are not alone.  By definition, traumatic brain injury (TBI) arises from external forces or actions that cause the brain to move against the skull or be penetrated.  This can occur in sports, automobile accidents, unintentional falls, gunshot wounds, assaults but the majority of TBI that result in hospitalization are from falls and motor vehicle accidents.

A TBI is classified as mild (mTBI), moderate or severe.  A concussion falls under the mildTBI category but does not mean the symptoms are mild.  A mTBI can result in physical, visual, auditory, cognitive and emotional problems that interfere with someone’s ability to participate in their usual daily activities.

The people at the highest risk of sustaining a TBI requiring hospitalization are people over the age of 75 and males.  These injuries were mostly causes by unintentional falls and car accidents.  TBI is most common amongst people ages 15 to 24 years old.  For additional statistics on brain injury visit Brain Injury Canada (www.braininjurycanada.ca) or Center for Disease Control (CDC) (www.cdc.gov /traumaticbraininjury).

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC), also provides useful information on Brain Injury including monitoring, prevention and links to apps for training and concussion identification.

PROGNOSIS

Once a diagnosis of concussion or TBI is made it is important to follow the recommendations of your treating family doctor or specialist and maintain regular follow-up to monitor symptoms.  The majority of individuals diagnosed with a concussion or mTBI will have a full recovery within six weeks; however, a small percentage may continue to experience disruptive symptoms and require additional medical care and specialized rehabilitation services.  Spontaneous recovery or natural healing of the brain tends to occur within the 18  to 24 months after a moderate to severe TBI, but adaptations will continue to occur that may improve daily functioning.

Many personal factors can speed up or prolong recovery.   Recovery tends to be slower in adults over the age of 40.  Other factors that impact recovery including:  low blood pressure, loss of oxygen to the brain, severity of the injury, prior head injuries, mental illness and other health factors.  At Turning Point, we identify risk factors early in the recovery process and belief in early intervention to help the recovery process.

ASSESSMENT

Occupational therapists (OTs) are trained to identify the physical, cognitive and emotional impairments that are restricting participation in daily activities.  The assessment process typically begins with a referral from a family physician, insurance company, lawyer, other therapists or a self-referral.  Turning Point provides in-home assessments consisting of interview, testing, observations and consultation with other team members to provide a coordinated recovery progress.

TREATMENT

Occupational therapists develop physical activation and cognitive rehabilitation programs while recognizing the psychological impact of the injury.  Education is key and other functional activities are designed within a community-based rehabilitation program to optimize recovery.  OTs are responsible for the assessment and planning of rehabilitation programs, and OT Assistants (COTAs) help reinforce the strategies taught by the OT.  For example, if memory is an issues, the OT will determine a targeted intervention and set up repeated sessions with the client and COTA.  The COTA may review use of memory strategies such as establishing a routine; use of assistive technology such as a smart phone or smart watch to set reminders; remediation activities such as challenging the memory through memory exercises; and functional activities such as creates to-do or other lists to participate in weekly grocery shopping or work tasks.

For those with moderate to severe TBI, treatment is likely to be prolonged and may also include wheelchair and seating assessments, recommendations for home modifications, assistive technology and home support services.

RESOURCES

There are many online and local resources to help support those who have experienced a TBI.  Our OTs often provide clients with support group information, apps available for smart phone, virtual exercises options, etc.  Some clients require OT assistance to apply for disability services such as government benefit programs or school accommodations.  Our OT practitioners love what we do and are available to take your questions and try to help you get the services you need to improve recovery and daily functioning.  We take self-referrals and will attempt to secure funding for services if needed.

Preparing for a FCE

Functional Capacity Evaluations are requested when someone needs to know if you are safely able to do your past or present job.  

 

BEFORE ARRIVAL

Your evaluator will have received and read your medical records and be familiar with your injury, treatment and diagnosis.  They may send instructions beforehand to make the day go well.  For example, usually you will want to wear comfortable, athletic clothing unless instructed otherwise.  And, if scheduled for a full-day, then you need to be prepared with a packed lunch or go nearby for lunch.  Try to get a good night sleep the day before and arrive on-time to your scheduled appointment.  The length of FCEs can vary, but it i typically booked for a 1/2 day or full-day.  It is normal to feel some anxiety, but try to use breathing or other strategies beforehand.

 

FCE DAY

The standard parts of a FCE includes the following: 

  • signing informed consent which includes a description of the FCE, risks and the purpose
  • being informed on how to communicate your symptoms during the evaluation 
  • wearing a heart rate monitor to ensure your safety and monitor your exertion 
  • sharing your current symptoms including location and severity 
  • sharing your current medical and therapy schedule 
  • bring a list of your current medications
  • grip strength testing – your evaluator is looking for you to try your best all-day
  • explaining your social and work history – it is helpful to bring a resume or CV if you have one
  • undergoing a musculoskeletal examination to see how your body moves, observe any swelling, etc.
  • cardiovascular testing by walking, stepping, and/or climbing 
  • other physical tasks that are designed to test your essential job demands
  • work simulation tasks to mimic the actual job
  • some tests are repeated
  • some time cognitive tests are given depending on the injury and job

 

During the FCE, you will be providing feedback frequently while your evaluator is observing your body positions and making sure you are safe throughout the day.  At the end of the day, your evaluator may request you contact them with any change in symptoms over the next one to three days.

 

AFTER THE FCE

If you experience a change in symptoms in the days following the FCE, it is best to contact your evaluator and let them know.  Sometimes, they will reach out to follow-up with you.  Although your job is done, the evaluator will analyze your data, review your medical records again and start writing the report.  The FCE report is typically sent directly to the individual or entity who has requested and funded the FCE.  If you would like a copy of the FCE report, contact your evaluator.

 

FCES AT TURNING POINT

Our facility is located on the 17th floor of a building located in Los Angeles.  We offer free parking and our clinic is accessed via elevator.  Your evaluator will meet you at the reception area and show you around.  You will be shown the clinic where you will be spending your time, the kitchen where you can store your lunch, as well as the washroom for breaks as needed.  The lunch break is usually ~30 minutes.  There are many restaurants within walking distance or you have access to a shared lounge with cable television.  There is guest wifi.

 

You will be given a heart rate monitor that will monitor your heart rate for the day. Our office uses digital measuring devices to ensure your measurements are taken, recorded and stored accurately.  

 

You can see learn more about your evaluator by accessing the Our Team page on this website or give us a call if you have any additional questions.   Remember to communicate with your evaluator for a safe experience.

 

Can’t Sleep?

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene 

Learning how to practice good sleep hygiene may help you find a restorative sleep once again.  What is sleep hygiene?

Sleep hygiene is defined by Oxford as, “habits and practices that are conducive to sleeping well on a regular basis.”  Sleep is the foundation that allows us to function in our daily lives.  If we don’t sleep well, we can’t think as well and any pain or mood symptoms can worsen.

A first step in rehabilitation is often to help restore sleep.  Your family doctor may have medical suggestions (medications, sleep study, sleep specialist or other therapies) and occupational therapists often provide tips to help you develop healthy sleep habits.

Here is a handout on sleep hygiene to get you on your way to finding that refreshed morning feeling.

Sleep Hygiene PDF

Tips for Pacing.PDF

Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises when we pay attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgement (Kabat-Zinn, 2011). We learn to step out of automatic pilot, which in turn affects how we make decisions and react to situations in our lives.

Key Learnings:

We spend most of our time ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. Through mindfulness, we can learn to bring moment to moment awareness to everyday experiences that we ordinarily do not notice. By learning to pay attention in this way, we learn to recognize thoughts as thoughts, feelings as feelings, and body sensations as body sensations. A mindfulness practice involves learning formal practices (e.g., seated mindfulness meditation) and informal practices, where we can bring mindful awareness to our everyday experiences (e.g., brushing our teeth, eating a meal).

A New Way of Relating to Pain:

There are ways that we can learn to skillfully deal with pain. With mindful awareness, we can learn to notice the changing physical sensations of what we call “pain”, and our reactions or aversion to pain including contracting, pushing away, discomfort and repulsion. We can learn to let go of the resistance which leads to mental suffering around pain, and instead, to notice thoughts as thoughts, emotions as emotions, and to directly experience the physical sensations in a clear, open way.

How to get started?

Daily Opportunities for Mindfulness:

 

Adapting:

 

Mindfulness Tool: STOP

 

Recorded Meditations

 

Free Meditation Apps

 

Mindfulness courses (in Los Angeles area)