MMOA Podcast - Physical Therapy | Fitness | Geriatrics Making Meaningful Days in ALF with Dr. Trisa Hutchinson, OTD
Apr 17, 2026
Dr. Trisa Hutchinson, OTD, an occupational therapist who created the Meaningful Days program for assisted living and memory care. She describes transforming passive activities into structured, higher-intensity, functional classes. She explains purposeful rounding, flexible activity chunks, one-on-one meaningful moments, staff training with the CARES approach, and outcomes like increased engagement and reduced psychotropic use.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Design Two Tiered Group Classes
- Run two tiered classes by function: a higher-level Monday/Wednesday/Friday and an easier Tuesday/Thursday.
- Seat everyone in a circle with chairs behind them so most movements can be done standing while offering safety.
Force Intensity With Timed AMRAP Sets
- Use AMRAP (as many reps as possible) or timed intervals instead of fixed low-rep sets to force higher intensity.
- Short 20-second push periods reveal true effort even when participants choose light weights.
Rigid Schedules Reduce Memory Care Quality
- Memory care residents experienced long downtime, dehydration, deconditioning, and low quality of life.
- Rigid activity schedules meant short or missed sessions; dementia needs flexible timing and continuous engagement.