In the latest edition of The FOX Five, Paula Rizzo, MS, OTR/L, discusses five different ways that working with FOX Rehabilitation makes her a better occupational therapist.

Jim: Welcome to The FOX Five, the show that explores the world of FOX Rehabilitation through an original list created by a FOX colleague. Today, I am joined by FOX occupational therapist, Paula Rizzo. Paula, welcome to The FOX Five.

Paula: Thank you so much, I'm happy to be here.

Jim: Paula, where do you treat?

Paula: I work in New Jersey, by the Jersey Shore.

Jim: Jersey Shore! What is your FOX Five today?

Paula: My FOX Five is Five is: Five Ways that FOX Makes Me a Better OT.

Jim: Ooh, alright! What is number one on your FOX Five?

Paula: My number one is—being able to think on my feet, especially in a changing environment. As OTs and working in homes and working in senior living communities, we really never know what we're walking into. Sometimes you think you're going to be doing one thing, you get there, and you find out maybe [your patient] had a fall out of bed the night before, and you're working on bed mobility that day. FOX really allows you to have to work on your feet and kind of figure things out and be adaptable.

Jim: So, you like variety, I'm assuming?

Paula: Yeah, I mean you really never get bored with this stuff. You can't because it's constantly changing.

Jim: Paula, what is number two on your FOX Five?

Paula: The amazing FOX colleagues that I have worked with over the last seven years. I have worked with so many different teams, I've worked in different areas, and you cannot beat the FOX colleagues that we have. Any type of question you might have—if you've got a treatment question or you just want to run it by another practitioner, you can really get a lot of support. We have the Clinical Corner now. For those who don't know, if you have any type of clinical question you can get a real strong clinical answer with research backing it. The support is always there here at FOX.

Jim: That brings us to number three on your FOX Five.

Paula: The care/collaboration team. Being able to work in the senior living facilities, you get to work with the nurses in the building, you get to work with the caregivers who help the patients that we work with. Everyone kind of works together and I feel like there's no other setting where you're really part of that team. If they have questions about how somebody is doing, whether it's in the morning, how are they doing with toileting, dressing, they'll ask you, and then you have the opportunity to work with the caregivers on those things. Everyone is able to work together, and it really helps your OT skills.

Jim: This reflects back on your number one—liking variety—because FOX clinicians treat in homes and also treat in senior living communities. You have a lot of variety throughout your work week.

Paula: Absolutely, and they recognize us as being a part of their team in the senior living community.

Jim: Are you ever invited to their events?

Paula: Yes, they have great parties, these buildings, and, yes, they're happy to have FOX clinicians there.

Jim: And that brings us to number four on Paula's FOX Five, five ways that FOX has made Paula a better occupational therapist.

Paula: Being able to make home modifications. So being able to go to people's homes and kind of see what their living environment is like, maybe it's as simple as, “Ooh, they have a really low toilet, they need a commode.” But sometimes, you know, you see, “Wow, they can't fit the walker into their bathroom, how are we going to make this work so that they don't fall?” Really having to think on your feet, again, in these different environments, and kind of figure out a solution to their problem.

Jim: What I love about FOX is you don't see that unless you're treating in the home.

Paula: Exactly, yes, like if you ask them, “How's it going, going to the bathroom?” You might get an answer, and then when you actually have them stand up and go to their bathroom you realize, “Wow, it's not easy at all for them to do that.”

Jim: Not only are you a clinician, you're like part detective, too, trying to piece things together to come up with a solution.

Paula: Exactly, you're right.

Jim: That brings us to number five on your FOX Five.

Paula: Being able to advocate for our patients. Because we are sometimes the only person going out to their house, we're seeing things. Maybe they're not able to get to the doctor and talk to them about these things. Sometimes it's as simple as getting them a doctor who can come to the house. Maybe they need transportation, and they don't have someone who can drive them. [FOX clinicians] are able to reach out to family or teach them how to use Uber so that they can get somewhere. Even just working with their caregivers to either assist with certain things or contacting a social worker to see whether [they] can help set up a caregiver, because sometimes they don't have that support at home.

Jim: I love that you can be their voice.

Paula: Exactly, especially when you know if they don't have family who's close by.

Jim: Looking back on your career with FOX, are you a better OT now?

Paula: Oh, I hope so. Yeah, I would say definitely it has really helped me grow. I started with FOX as a new grad, I was a FOX student as well.

Jim: Wow, so you've come the whole way.

Paula: Yes, definitely.

Jim: Do you ever look back at your early days and realize how far you've come?

Paula: Absolutely, I'm sure now my colleagues from back then—you know, who are still with the practice—they probably laugh, thinking about how I was as a student.

Jim: I think they get it because they were in your shoes, too.

Paula: Yeah, you're right and now I have my own students.

Jim: There you go. Paula thank you so much for The FOX Five and thank you for joining us today.

Paula: Thank you so much for having me.