I’m Sarah (she/her), a world-traveling, plant-loving, live jazz listening giver of free hugs. I love a good adventure, whether that be hiking a new trail or searching for the best decaf oat milk latte. Add a little lavender to that latte & it quickly bumps to the top of my list!

I am a practicing occupational therapist, Certified Dementia Practitioner, and owner of Sensory for Dementia. I currently live in Cincinnati, Ohio with my husband and our sweet + sassy senior cat.

Sarah Nord, MS, OTR/L, CDP
OTR/L = Occupational Therapist Registered/Licensed
CDP = Certified Dementia Practitioner

Professional Scoop:

I hold a Bachelor of Education from Kent State University and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University. I have over 8 years of clinical experience in a variety of practice settings (hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, skilled nursing facilities…) in addition to non-clinical research and program development experience.

Throughout my career, I have been intentional to work in both pediatric and adult settings, often simultaneously, to keep my skills sharp across the lifespan. I work with people of all ages, supporting their ability to participate as independently as possible in the activities (“occupations”) that are meaningful to them.

An adult’s list of occupations may include:

• Caring for a child, partner, parent, and/or pet
• Work (paid and volunteer)
• Meal preparation
• Bathing, dressing, grooming
• Leisure and hobby exploration: playing a musical instrument, fishing, pottery, gardening, baking, genealogy, etc.
• Rest and sleep

Business Scoop:
Why “Sensory for Dementia”?

I have extensive training in sensory processing that started with my work as a pediatric occupational therapist and has expanded to address sensory needs across the lifespan. I am an Advanced Mentored Clinician in Sensory Processing Disorder (Level 1) through the STAR Institute and have earned STAR’s Sensory Processing Disorder Proficiency Certification I.

When I moved to Cincinnati, I learned of an opportunity to share my sensory expertise with a local skilled nursing facility. The facility had a sensory room on their memory care unit that the nursing home wanted to utilize more. The therapy manager recognized my sensory experience as a valuable tool for older adults.

I started soaking up as much information as I could about the best practices in dementia care. In addition to clinical experience, I pursued Dementia Care Specialist training through the Crisis Prevention Institute. I worked with the residents and staff to design a program with goals of decreasing distress behaviors/expressions and improving the quality of life for the residents living with dementia.

During the process, I learned about the need for facility-wide education and resources for staff members, therapists, and family care partners who were proficient and passionate about dementia care, but needed support to understand and implement client-centered sensory-based strategies.

This “niche” of sensory and dementia quickly became a passion.
My purpose.

In addition to a professional connection, dementia touches my personal life as it does so many of us. My grandfather, lovingly known as “Pop Pop”, died from Alzheimer’s disease in 2017. The high quality of care he received and the positive human interaction that filled his days set the standard for how I believe all older adults should be treated.

My Pop Pop influenced my life in many positive ways I am forever grateful for. It’s an honor to carry on his memory through the work I do, loving people as he did.

Certified Dementia Practitioner: