SOULcial Salute – October 2025
Dianna Knack, OTR/L, Odom Rehabilitation, Eden Prairie MN
Again, From Students To Seniors: It’s All Service
Like last month, this month’s salute is to someone who began her professional work serving children in special education.
Dianna, a Woodbury MN native, is living out her passion for service right here in the Twin Cities with Odom Rehab Senior Care. However, first she worked 13 years in transitional care prior to joining Odom.
Life Long Learning
Serving seniors began when an education co-worker’s wife, who was herself an occupational therapist, said “You’d be good at this work!” Eventually that led to Dianna pursuing her doctoral education full time at St. Catherine University in Saint Paul.
After two years of classroom learning, followed by six months of field training she was ready. Though a bit apprehensive about job searching, the program director’s assurance of 100% job placement was accurate. Dianne started with Walker Methodist at Westwood Ridge in West St Paul. She worked in transitional care providing therapy to seniors rehabilitating to be able to return home.
Change Is The Only Constant
In 2019, Dianna accepted an opportunity to join Odom Therapy and is now in her 6th year serving seniors in the senior living communities Odom serves. “I really like the small company vibe I found with Odom.” She commented.
Dianna went on to explain “Odom really supports therapists with setting realistic case loads and managing Medicare. They really do a great job with the Medicare documentation piece.” She added. “And I can approach anybody in management and am always supported.”
Dianna also finds it rewarding working with the Odom licensed PT assistants as well.
Performance Takes Acceptance, Creativity And Persistence
“I love collaborating with staff with all the variables that need to be watched. We regularly inform each other what we are seeing to serve residents most effectively.” There are always several factors to monitor in getting to good outcomes for residents.
Variables Dianna is always mindful of include how involved and realistic family is, the level of dementia of given individuals and even co-pays as they apply to clients she knows have limited income. She utilizes Odom’s PT assistants as well.
Dianna also knows the value of relationship before ever getting to scheduled treatments. “You have to build trust with clients before hand.” Doing so accelerates the time to engagement and consequently results. “I know all my dementia friends already, so if they get orders they already know me.” Dianne explained.
“We work with very tangible goals. Then we celebrate the smallest successes and build from there.” Dianne went on to recount a woman she worked with in a power chair to be able to transfer in and out on her own. After some trial and error Dianna simply tried having her attempt the move from the other side. And voila! It worked. “The look on her face was priceless!” smiled Dianna. “That is why I love my job!” she concluded.
It Takes A Village
Sometimes a client is resistant. “It’s hard to have my directives for their own safety be rejected.” Dianna went on to explain “If family is accepting, that can help get them to buy in.” She recalled one couple both of whom were declining cognitively but the two daughters were entirely on board. Staff validated the daughters for their understanding and acceptance of the reality in service of the treatment approach.
“I really like the dementia training.” One gentleman with advanced aphasia was wandering one day. Dianna had gotten to know him well enough that she understood he might be missing his wife that day and unable to express it. This allowed her to give him those words and he acknowledged that was what was upsetting him and he was able to then settle.
On the lighter side there was the woman in dementia that didn’t know her age at all. On her birthday she was asked if she knew which birthday it was she was celebrating. She said she didn’t think it was her 20’s or 30’s and wondered if it was her 40th. When Dianna explained it was her 95th birthday the resident responded with a wide-eyed “Holy sh*t!”
Dianna said “Those are the kinds of things I love emailing to family.”