In the world of home health physical therapy, it’s not just about strength and mobility. It’s about empowerment, connection, and transformation. In Columbia, Missouri, home health physical therapist Kayli Brower treats every patient as someone’s loved one, creating meaningful, personalized care that helps patients reclaim their independence and achieve their goals. From a life-changing moment helping a patient out of bed for the first time in years to finding joy in smaller victories that brighten someone’s day, Kayli’s story highlights the deep purpose and fulfillment behind the work of restoring lives, one step at a time.
Q: What personal values drive you in your role, and how does your work align with those values?
A: I strive to treat everyone I interact with, both at work and in my personal life, as someone’s loved one – be it a parent, grandparent, or child. In my line of work, this translates to treating patients as not just a list of impairments but as a grandparent that wants to be able to play with their grandchildren, or a parent who wants to be able to make it to their child’s events outside of their home. This helps me create a personalized treatment plan that’s salient to each patient to help them achieve their goals.
Q: What was the defining moment that made you feel proud to be part of this team or field?
A: Just last week, I helped a patient transfer out of bed and into a wheelchair for the first time in 2 years with the coordination of occupational therapy, nursing, and her nurse practitioner to determine her equipment needs and proper pain management strategies. It was so exciting to hear all her goals and the world of possibilities this opened up for her.
Q: How do you feel your work makes a difference for the people we serve or the team around you?
A: Home health physical therapy is huge for patients who were previously independent but are now unable to leave their home due to mobility impairments. I love sharing in the excitement of helping a patient navigate outside their home for the first time and getting some fresh air while feeling empowered to take the next steps to be able to get back into the community.
Q: What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction or fulfillment? Why?
A: The most fulfilling part of my job is challenging patients to accomplish things they never thought they would be able to do. It’s so fulfilling to cheer patients on and be a part of them achieving their goals.
Q: How has working here helped you grow or develop, personally or professionally?
A: I think home health is very humbling as a clinician as you are entering a patient’s safe space in a very vulnerable part of their lives. Home health takes some extra rapport compared to having a patient walk into your outpatient clinic. I’ve found this has helped me prioritize building relationships with my patients early on and creating connections.
Q: What motivates you to keep coming back, even on challenging days?
A: My team in Columbia is so supportive and encouraging. I know we are working towards the same goals of giving the best care to our patients and I couldn’t ask for a better team to work with.
Q: If you were to tell a friend or family member why your work matters, what would you say?
A: I help people reintegrate into the community and get back to the things that make them feel like themselves again.
Q: How do you see your work impacting the larger goals of the organization or community?
A: The fall risk assessments I perform and the significant education and training I do help to prevent falls and rehospitalizations and improve our patients’ outcomes.
Q: What’s one thing about our organization or mission that resonates deeply with you?
A: “Care for who I am” really resonates with my values of treating every patient as someone’s loved one.
Q: What aspect of your role do you feel is often overlooked but is important to your “why”?
A: I think people often overlook the critical thinking that goes into creating individualized treatment plans for each patient that is both salient for their goals and is appropriately dosed to each patient’s current functional level. This goes back to treating each patient as a unique individual. Physical therapy is so much more than just “strengthening what is weak”!
Q: If you could share one thing about the impact of your work with the community, what would it be?
A: The goal of physical therapy is to meet each patient where they are and tailor their physical therapy experience to their individual goals to return to the activities that matter most to them.
Q: How does being part of this team contribute to your sense of purpose or direction?
A: I finish work every day knowing that I made a small difference in each patient’s life, even if it was just seeing a familiar face on a lonely day. If I can help make at least one person’s day better, that’s enough to keep striving to do the best I can in all I do.
Thank you, Kayli, for the work you do every day to give hope to your patients and their families — and for the heart, humanity and impact you bring to your profession.
