Heather Peabody, MS, OT/L,
Heather Peabody, MS, OT/L, is a Licensed and Registered Occupational Therapist with more than eight years of experience specializing in dementia care. She is the owner and director of Vital Spark, LLC, an occupational therapy and life coaching company, where she provides therapy consulting services and clinical education for Licensed Nursing Assistants in nursing facilities. Ms. Peabody also works clinically as a home health Occupational Therapist. She previously served as a Program Leader and Occupational Therapist for a locked dementia unit at Harborside Healthcare Northwood in Bedford, New Hampshire. In this role, she provided clinical training and education, rolled out the LightHouse program for 40 dementia patients, and created dementia color groups as a care plan and staff education tool. She was trained by Mary Lucero, Registered Nurse and Gerontologist in dementia care. She has written several books including Not Just Alzheimer's: A Strategic Guide for All Dementias.
As a college student, Ms. Peabody interned at Edith Norse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, Massachusetts, with Dr. Ladislav Volicer in the Geriatric Research and Education Program. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of New Hampshire-Durham in 2001 and earned a dementia training certificate from the Cleveland Alzheimer's Association in 2002. Ms. Peabody also completed dysphagia training at Harborside Crestwood in Milford, New Hampshire. She received her master's degree in Occupational Therapy in 2008 from San Jose State University. Her thesis project was on clinical education for LNAs in dementia care. In 2003, she served as chair of the Mental Health Special Interest Section for the NHOTA and website coordinator for 2011-2012 with Allen Cognitive Network.
Ms. Peabody does stand-up comedy in New Hampshire where she lives with her three daughters.
Disclosure
Financial - Vital Spark LLC whose products or services are discussed in the presentation. Receives a speaking honorarium from Vyne, LLC.
Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
