Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Addressing Food Insecurity Among College Students: A Life Skills Program, Lizbeth Mapa, Karen Park, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Food insecurity, or the “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate, safe foods, or inability to acquire personally acceptable food in socially acceptable ways,” is becoming a prevalent problem. College students are one of the susceptible groups to food insecurity, impacting many aspects of a student’s daily life. At present, there is limited OT-based programming that addresses the multiple internal and external factors of food insecurity in college students.

Purpose: The purpose of this capstone project was to develop a life skills program for college students experiencing food insecurity. The program aimed to address internal and external …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Emergency And Disaster Preparation For The Population Of Physically Disabled Individuals, Aldin Cerillo, Susan Macdermott, Karen Park

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Emergencies and disasters may occur anywhere in the world, with no population immune to their effects. Vulnerable populations, including individuals with physical disabilities, are more at risk and lose the ability to maintain crucial occupations in the event of an emergency or disaster (Rutkow et al., 2015). Currently occupational therapy services have a strong presence in post emergency situations, in a recovery capacity. Despite Safety and Emergency Maintenance being an Instrumental Activity of Daily Living, a gap exists in the literature regarding what occupational therapists may do when engaging in emergency and disaster preparation with individuals who have a physical …

Peer-Led Building Resilience And Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills Program, Danielle K. Enrico

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Capstone experience was to develop and implement a five-week peer-led building resilience and social-emotional skills training program at a public high school. This program addressed high school students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding resources, social-emotional skills, and resilience. A questionnaire was administered pre and post-program to measure effectiveness. The results indicated an increase in scores, demonstrating a clearer understanding in all three areas.

Using A Social Support Group To Educate And Empower Immigrant Latina Women, Diana N. Rendon

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to promote mental health education and access to vulnerable South Florida Latina Women. The original intent was to establish a program providing families with mental health education, including information about common mental illnesses, signs and symptoms, community resources, and the impacts on occupations. This capstone experience was conducted with the Magnolias Women's Support Group at Caridad Center, located in Palm Beach County, Florida. The focus areas of this capstone were advocacy, policy and program development, and administration. Furthermore, this capstone project was intended to promote health literacy for underserved populations, especially immigrant women.

Facilitating Aging In Place And Community By Empowering Participation In Society: A Mixed Methods Study On The Co-Development Of A Theory Of Change With Suburban-Dwelling Older Adults, Emily Balog

Doctor of Philosophy in Translational Health Sciences Dissertations

Background: Baby boomers are steadily aging in America and represent an increased population in nearly every sector. In suburban communities today, older adults make up 51% of the population. Ninety-five percent of all older adults live in community settings and have expressed a desire to avoid costly institutionalization and to remain in their homes and communities, also called aging in place. Older adults in moderate income suburban communities are increasingly at a higher risk for institutionalization should their health or finances decline as the access to their wealth is within the home in which they dwell. This process …

Addressing Oral Health Inequities Through Community Based Programs: Opportunities For Interprofessional Teams, Stephanie De Sam Lazaro, Rachel Mcpherson, Annalise Wallerich

Occupational Therapy Faculty Scholarship

Learning Outcomes of the presentation were for participants to:1. Identify the importance of addressing oral health with all of their clients.2. Recognize strategies that can be used by various professionals to prevent oral health issues.3. Summarize interprofessional teaming opportunities to combat oral health inequities.

Zero Balancing In The Chiropractic Practice, Michele Doucette Dc

Journal of Transformative Touch

Discovering the profound gifts of the leading-edge structural and energetic manual therapy Zero Balancing (ZB), and adding it to my chiropractic and nutrition practice, has unified my personal growth with the sustainability of my professional practice. Much of humanity is starving for wholeness, authenticity, and meaningful connection with ourselves, others, and something greater. Chiropractors are well positioned to be leaders in a true evolution of healthcare, especially if, as we continue to explore the various branches of our therapeutic repertoires, we stay connected to our vitalistic roots that are now more supported than ever by new findings in the fields …

The Ot Well-Being Summit 2021, Deanna Waggy Otr

Journal of Transformative Touch

The OT Well-Being Summit empowers occupational therapists and other holistic practitioners around the globe to have confidence with holistic health and wellness skills for their therapy practice. The OT Well-Being Summit brings together 11 occupational therapists who share holistic health and wellness strategies and tools that you can use in your integrative medicine practice today with the confidence (and evidence) to use them. The OT Well-Being Summit is an online self-paced course with 12 hours of information and insights to give you the confidence to move forward in areas related to holistic health, wellness, and prevention. https://tinyurl.com/t9cc6afp

Assessment Of Modified Patient Education Materials For People With Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Jennifer Fortuna, Anne Riddering, Linda Shuster, Cassie Lopez-Jeng

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Existing research on health literacy identifies a disconnect between the readability of patient education materials (PEMs) and the reading abilities of American adults. For people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), central vision loss creates an additional barrier to health literacy. This study explored how evidence-based guidelines for creating easy-to-understand written materials influenced the usability of PEMs in people with AMD.

Methods: Evidence-based guidelines were applied to modify one PEM. Standardized tools quantified differences in readability and suitability between the original and modified PEM. Twelve people with AMD rated the comprehensibility (design quality) and shared personal preferences during semi-structured interviews. …

An Ipa Analysis Examining Transportation, Community Engagement, And Healthcare Access Of Elderly Adults In A Rural Border Community, Madison Rowlinson, Angela Blackwell, Karen Aranha

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Introduction: There is a lack of understanding about the accessibility needs of elderly borderland residents, and the barriers that they face when they try to maintain their health and well-being.

Objectives: To analyze transportation and community engagement in a rural community on the US-Mexico border. To analyze the findings of transportation and community engagement in a rural community on the US-Mexico border.

Methodology: A triangulated study using the Place Standard Assessment, Semi-Structured Interviews, and a walking survey with the theoretical framework of the Person, Occupation, Environment, Performance (N=3). Data analysis consisted of comparing means generated by the PSA on 14 …

Occupational Approaches For Reducing Food Insecurity In College Students, Jessica Sabbara, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott, Karen Park

Spring 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Food insecurity is a prevalent problem in the United States (Feeding America, 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic has exasperated existing health disparities including access to the food resources necessary for a healthy lifestyle (Feeding America, 2021). The impact of food insecurity on health, well-being, and quality of life is well-documented Schmelzer & Leto, 2018; Seligman et al., 2010 Emerging adults and college students may experience food insecurity due to limited access to nutrition assistance programming and low food literacy (El Zein, et al., 2019; Owens, et al, 2020). Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners can serve an important role in reducing food insecurity …

Qualitative Analysis Of Different Educational Physical Activity Interventions And Policies For Older Asian Americans In The United States, Raisa Kabir, Manoj Sharma, Sayeda Tazim Zaidi

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Physical activity (PA) provides numerous positive health benefits and minimizes chronic diseases and mental health issues, especially in older adults. The national survey data indicated that only 27.3% to 44.3% of older adults meet the recommended physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes/ week. There are limited data on PA behavior among older AA adults as very few to no local/national surveys are targeted for older AA and their marginalized subgroups. This qualitative analysis aimed to understand and review the effectiveness of physical activity interventions targeted for and done among older Asian American adults. The study included a comprehensive review based …

Parental Educational And Engagement Through Positioning And Play, Gaile E. Seay

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: This project is to increase the confidence of parents/caregivers via education about their infants that may not otherwise be provided by other health care professionals. This project also provides early intervention to the infants in efforts to facilitate their maximum development through proper positioning for sleeping and play. Purpose: The purpose of this project was a parental education class for parents/primary caregivers of babies ages 0-6 months. They were educated about their child’s development, and how to engage their baby through play and positioning for optimal cognitive, communication, and social-emotional development. This class and project sought to enhance parents’ …