LISA MELLO
Solvang,CA
Summary
Experienced Occupational Therapy Assistant with over 20 years in customer service patient care, including four years in healthcare management. Delivered effective therapy in skilled nursing, assisted living, and psychiatric settings. Possesses strong organizational and time management skills, with advanced proficiency in Casamba, Matrix, and Point Click Care. Eager to leverage expertise in a supportive role to enhance client outcomes.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
VNA HEALTH
Santa Barbara Co., CA
06.2023 - 01.2026
- Provide occupational therapy to homebound clients.
- Assisted patients with daily living activities, cognitive retraining, energy conservation, work simplification, and therapeutic exercises.
- Collaborated with OTR, PT, MSW, and nurse to enhance patient care outcomes
- Educated patients and families on rehabilitation techniques, home modifications, and safety practices.
- Provided support to patients in achieving their personal rehabilitation goals.
- Identified potential problem areas related to physical limitations or medical conditions affecting clients' independence in daily living tasks
- Monitored safety practices to ensure clients' well-being during daily living activities
- Maintained accurate records of patient assessments, treatments, goals and outcomes.
- Performed maintenance on therapy equipment used by clients during treatment sessions.
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
360 Degree Customer, Inc
Santa Barbara Co., CA
01.2023 - 07.2023
- Provided individualized and group occupational therapy to enhance functional skills of special education students.
- Implemented tailored therapy interventions addressing specific student needs.
- Collaborated with OTR, SLP teachers, and para-educators to implement treatment plans.
- Conducted progress monitoring to assess and improve effectiveness of therapy programs.
Rehab Manager + COTA
Atterdag Village of solvang
Santa Barbara Co., CA
01.2017 - 01.2023
- Managed company productivity standards to ensure optimal service delivery.
- Performed end-of-month process including billing, payroll, and ensuring accuracy of patient records and all electronic documentation.
- Coordinated daily scheduling of inpatient and outpatient clients and staff to maximize operational efficiency.
- Monitored daily and weekly documentation for timeliness, clarity, and completeness.
- Ensured document accuracy in PDPM information in collaboration with MDS nurse.
- Implemented outpatient/direct bill for campus residents.
- Screened residents quarterly for change of condition.
- Collaborated with Rehab Team regarding patient progress and preliminary discharge planning.
- Oversaw daily operations of rehabilitation services for residents.
- Managed interdisciplinary team of therapists and support staff.
- Coordinated with healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive care.
- Trained new staff on rehabilitation protocols and best practices.
- Provided training and in-services to SNF, AL, IL, and memory care staff.
- Delivered additional training sessions to RNA staff to enhance their skills and knowledge.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory standards and safety protocols.
- Facilitated family meetings to discuss patient care and progress.
- Enforced state and federal regulations as well as company policies and procedures for strict compliance.
- Developed and implemented ongoing education programs for staff to enhance skills and knowledge.
- Orchestrated adequate staffing and scheduling patterns to deliver cost-effective and quality care.
Staff Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Buena Vista care center
Santa Barbara Co., CA
08.2013 - 06.2017
- Provided one-on-one physical and cognitive rehabilitation services.
- Provided therapeutic interventions for all occupational therapy needs.
- Educated and instructed patients in compensatory strategies with ADL and IADL.
- Collaborated with OT to realign patient goals based on progress and needs.
- Worked toward client centered goals to achieve maximum independence and discharge to least restrictive environment.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary team to ensure patient success.
- Facilitated patient and family conferences to align care plans with individual needs.
- Maintained 95% productivity to ensure effective patient care.
Travel COTA
reflectx staffing services
06.2006 - 08.2013
- Provided direct occupational therapy services to clients in a variety of settings.
- Provided occupational therapy services in a wide variety of healthcare settings.
- Executed patient treatment plans established by licensed occupational therapists.
- Implemented adaptive equipment for patient mobility and daily tasks.
- Assisted clients with activities of daily living, such as dressing, grooming, bathing, toileting, and eating.
- Monitored patient progress and communicated changes to healthcare team to ensure coordinated care.
- Collaborated with medical professionals to develop and adjust patient care plans based on progress.
- Maintained accurate documentation of patient care and therapy sessions.
Staff COTA
K.I.D.S. therapy associates
san diego Co., CA
03.2005 - 04.2008
- Provided daily treatment to students with special needs in a school system setting.
- Targeted sensory integration, organizational skills, and handwriting to enhance students' functional abilities.
- Conducted training sessions for caregivers and staff on best practices, improving student support effectiveness.
- Attended IEP meetings, providing data insights to guide student support strategies.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
BB and B Occupational and Physical Therapy
san diego Co., CA
10.2002 - 02.2005
- Specialized in outpatient hand therapy to optimize patient rehabilitation.
- Focused on cumulative trauma injuries, supporting pre- and post-operative recovery.
- Facilitated therapeutic activities that improved patients' functional use of upper extremities.
- Assisted therapists in co-developing and implementing tailored treatment plans for individual patient needs.
- Monitored patient progress and documented observations to inform therapy staff on treatment effectiveness.
- Educated patients and families on therapeutic exercises and safety protocols.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Loving Care Adult Day Center
san diego Co., CA
10.2001 - 02.2003
- Developed and implemented upper body strengthening and cognitive task maintenance programs to enhance patient rehabilitation.
- Assisted therapists in creating tailored treatment plans to address individual patient needs.
- Monitored patient progress and documented observations to support therapy staff in accurate assessments.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Alpine Special Treatment Center
san diego Co., CA
10.2001 - 02.2003
- Developed structured guidelines enabling clients to effectively complete activities of daily living.
- Enhanced executive functioning skills to increase client independence and self-management.
- Facilitated psychosocial groups to enhance social skills and engagement in various tasks.
Education
Associates of Science - OTA National Credential Track
Maric college
San diego, CA01.2000
Skills
- Patient care excellence
- Geriatric therapy expertise
- Clinical reasoning abilities
- Verbal communication
- Injury prevention
- Collaboration skills
- Independent living evaluations
- Fine motor skills
- Gross motor skills
- Client education strategies
- Advanced Casamba user
- Advanced Matrix user
- Advanced PointClickCare user
- MS Word proficiency
- Documentation proficiency
- Compliance adherence
- Organizational skills
- Client education
- Multitasking ability
- Team collaboration
- Clinical reasoning
- Verbal communication skills
- Written communication
- Equipment training
- Reliability in tasks
- Adaptation strategies
- Equipment instruction
- Ergonomic workplace practices
Overview
20+ years as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. Four years of healthcare management experience. Six years restaurant management experience. Experience in the following settings: Skilled nursing facilities, continuing care retirement community, assisted living, psychiatric facilities, private healthcare practices, school systems., Ethical, responsible, and prompt., Provide excellent patient care above all., Excellent verbal and written communication skills., Excel at creating and maintaining good working relationships with clients, caregivers, and staff., Excellent organizational skills and time management skills., Work well both individually and on a team., Advanced user of Casamba, Matrix, and Point Click Care., Proficiency in MS Word.
Timeline
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
VNA HEALTH
06.2023 - 01.2026
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant
360 Degree Customer, Inc
01.2023 - 07.2023
Rehab Manager + COTA
Atterdag Village of solvang
01.2017 - 01.2023
Staff Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Buena Vista care center
08.2013 - 06.2017
Travel COTA
reflectx staffing services
06.2006 - 08.2013
Staff COTA
K.I.D.S. therapy associates
03.2005 - 04.2008
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
BB and B Occupational and Physical Therapy
10.2002 - 02.2005
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Loving Care Adult Day Center
10.2001 - 02.2003
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Alpine Special Treatment Center
10.2001 - 02.2003
Associates of Science - OTA National Credential Track
Maric college