Geriatric Rehabilitation

Jennifer M. Bottomley PT, MS, PhD2, has a bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an advanced master's degree in Physical Therapy from the MGH Institute of Health Professionals in Boston, MA. She also has a combined intercollegiate doctoral degree in Gerontology (University of Massachusetts) and Health Science and Service Administration (Union Institute), as well as a second doctoral degree in Health Service Administration, Legislation, and Policy Management with a specialty in Gerontology (Union Institute).

Dr. Bottomley has been clinically practicing since 1974 in acute care, home care, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Currently, she serves as an academic and clinical educator in Geriatric Physical Therapy internationally and throughout the United States in numerous university programs. In addition to teaching, Dr. Bottomley is a rehabilitation consultant for Amedisys Home Health and Hospice, Inc. She practices clinically in the Boston area in homeless shelters and has orchestrated free screening and intervention projects for the homeless elderly of Massachusetts, obtaining federal grants to provide free screening and care for low-income elders in 14 central Massachusetts cities and towns.

Dr. Bottomley has served on advisory boards for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Office of Women's Health for the Department of Health and Human Services, and was appointed to a White House Interdisciplinary Medicare Reform Advisory Panel for rehabilitation in home care and long-term care settings. She continues to serve in that capacity.

Dr. Bottomley is a nationally renowned speaker, author, and educator. She has contributed chapters to many texts, published numerous articles and co-authored a geriatric text, now in its 3rd edition, with Carole B. Lewis entitled Geriatric Rehabilitation: A Clinical Approach published by Prentice Hall Publishers in 2008. She has also edited the Quick Reference Dictionary for Physical Therapy, now in its 2nd edition, published by SLACK, Incorporated in 2004.

In 2006, MGH Institute of Health Professions recognized Dr. Bottomley with the 2nd annual Most Distinguished Alumni Award. The Massachusetts chapter of the APTA also awarded her the Mary MacDonald Distinguished Service Award in 2008.