Quality

AOTA member spotlight: Jenica Lee, OTD, OTR/L

02/01/2021

Jenica Lee, OTD, OTR/L, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC). Dr. Lee spoke to the AOTA Director of Quality, Julie Malloy, MOT, OTR/L, PMP, CPHQ, about her experience working with the Chinese American Service League in Chicago.

Image of Jenica Lee

Julie: What has been your role with the Chinese American Service League in Chicago.

Jenica: When I started my faculty position here at UIC, I decided I wanted to be able to give back to the community. I reached out to the Chinese American Service League to see how I might be of service. They are a large agency in Chicago and have many programs including a child development center, immigrant services, adult day services for older adults, and an in-home aide service that is funded by the Department of Aging in Illinois.

I did a lot of grassroots training at the agency, explaining the role of occupational therapy. They then started asking me for help when there were questions about care that came up with the home care aides. Looking at some of the questions, I created a program to train the home aides in body mechanics and functional transfers. This program continued with a 3-day training each year. We continue to train about 300 individuals in this program each year. Now we include students in the UIC program in the training. It provides the community agency with what they need, and it provides the students with an opportunity for a hands-on learning experience.

Julie: How has your role with the agency evolved over time?

Jenica: The Chinese American Service League received a grant via the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to create a Tailored Activity Program for caregivers of people with dementia. I was hired as a consultant to help create this program. I worked as a consultant for the program throughout the 2-year implementation plan. The program has progressed, and the Chinese American Service League recently hired a full-time occupational therapist for this program, which is funded through this grant.

Julie: What advice do you have for other occupational therapy practitioners looking to build a role with community agencies?

Jenica: Part of advocacy and building relationships is being assertive. Although sometimes it is uncomfortable, you will have to forge your own way for this type of position. Turnover can be high at some community agencies, so you will need to perfect how you explain the role of occupational therapy to organizations. However, by being persistent and consistent, you can make progress toward your goal.

For any comments or questions, or to share more occupational therapy innovation and success stories, please contact quality@aota.org.

Posted: February 2021

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