Clinical Reasoning and Motor Learning: Dressing, Toileting, Bathing
Presented by Angie Reimer
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This course applies clinical reasoning and motor learning principles to essential self-care tasks—dressing, toileting, and bathing—within neurorehabilitation. These activities are more than daily routines; they are critical opportunities to foster independence, self-efficacy, and neuroplastic recovery. Using a structured four-step framework, clinicians will learn to analyze task demands, assess individual impairments and assistance levels, modify environmental factors, and layer evidence-based motor learning strategies to design meaningful, progressive interventions. Through real patient videos, therapists will work through the framework in action—observing, reasoning, and applying strategies to rebuild daily function through purposeful, patient-centered practice. This course is designed for occupational and physical therapists working with individuals recovering from neurological injury or living with neurological conditions.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply a four-step clinical reasoning framework to evaluate and guide intervention planning for self-care and mobility tasks in neurorehabilitation
- Examine how patient presentation (assist level, impairments, cognitive/affective factors) influences strategy selection to maximize therapeutic engagement and occupational participation
- Analyze environmental and task demands that constrain or facilitate motor performance, adapting interventions across acute, postacute, home health, and outpatient settings
- Choose appropriate motor learning strategies to support neuroplasticity and maximize participation in daily activities and functional mobility
- Plan progressive, task-oriented treatment sequences that address both upper and lower extremity control, dynamic balance, and activity tolerance within daily living activities
Meet your instructor
Angie Reimer
Dr. Reimer received both her bachelor of science degree in health sciences and master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Findlay and her doctorate in occupational therapy from Indiana University. She boasts more than 20 years of clinical experience with geriatric and neurologically impaired populations,…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Dressing
This chapter examines dressing as a high-impact self-care task that challenges balance, coordination, reach, strength, and cognitive sequencing. Beyond its physical demands, dressing is deeply tied to autonomy, identity, and social participation—making it an ideal foundation for function-based neurorehabilitation. Using the clinical reasoning framework, clinicians will learn to analyze movement patterns, assess postural control and limb use, introduce task-specific cues, and apply strategies such as amplitude training, external focus, and graded challenge to build power, precision, and confidence in both upper and lower body dressing.
2. Toileting
Toileting is a pivotal activity of daily living that directly impacts safety, autonomy, and dignity. This chapter breaks down the key movement components—such as sit-to-stand transitions, weight shifting, and postural control—and demonstrates how to strengthen them through part-task practice and targeted motor learning strategies. Using the clinical reasoning framework, clinicians will learn to integrate external cues, resistance, and graded challenge to enhance anterior and lateral stability, promote efficient transfers, and reduce fall risk while restoring confidence and independence in this essential daily task.
3. Bathing
Bathing represents a physically and cognitively demanding task that challenges postural control, dynamic balance, and adaptability within complex environments. This chapter guides clinicians in applying motor learning strategies—such as error augmentation, reactive balance training, and graded environmental challenge—to enhance safety, stability, and recovery responses during bathing transfers. Through progressive practice and real-world task integration, therapists will learn to foster confidence, resilience, and independence with task completion.
