Occupational Therapy Commons^™

A Home Safety Program For Low-Income Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Using Meals On Wheels Volunteers, Erin Jeffords, Ms, Otr/L

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Culminating Presentations

Low-income older adults who reside in the community have fewer opportunities to access services and limited resources to obtain equipment that would enhance safety in their living environment. Through their “army” of volunteers, Meals on Wheels agencies have long been the eyes of the community to identify older adults who are socially isolated and disabled (Thomas et al., 2018). The purpose of this project was to evaluate the (1) delivery of the Midlands Modifiers Home Safety Program and (2) training program for the Meals on Wheels volunteers who will administer the home safety screen. The Midlands Modifiers Home Safety Program …

Evaluating Non-Pharmacological Approaches To Nursing Home Dementia Care: A Protocol, Natalie E Leland, Victoria Shier, Catherine V. Piersol, Cara Lekovitch, Jenny Martínez, Yuna H Bae-Shaaw, Neeraj Sood, Claire Day, Paul Cass, Dominique Como, Carin Wong, Felicia Chew

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the daily challenges nursing home (NH) staff face caring for the residents living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (

METHODS: This clustered randomized trial will compare

CONCLUSION: This trial will be the first-ever evaluation of team- and problem-based approaches to ADRD care across multiple NHs and geographic regions. Results can provide health system leaders and policymakers with evidence on how to optimize ADRD training for staff in an effort to enhance ADRD care delivery.

From Isolation To Connection A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Older Adults’ Social Participation Using The Cov19-Qol Scale, Kathleen Melei Otd, Jill R. Linder Dhsc, Otr

Other Specialties

Abstract

The current study evaluated the relationship between social participation and quality of life (QoL) for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community-dwelling adults (N = 230) age 65 or older completed an online survey providing demographic data to identify changes in lifestyle routine during the pandemic using the COVID-19 Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) scores. Analyses revealed significant differences in reported lifestyle routines in relation to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and significant differences in COV19-QoL scores across various demographic groups. Results demonstrated the close relationship between social participation and QOL, assisted with identifying individuals at increased risk, and …

Using Participant Observation To Enable Critical Understandings Of Disability In Later Life: An Illustration Conducted With Older Adults With Low Vision, Colleen E. Mcgrath

Occupational Therapy Publications

Research with older adults aging with vision loss has typically been informed by a biomedical theoretical framework. With a growing focus, however, on critical disability perspectives, which locates disability within the environment, new methods of data collection, such as participant observation, are needed. This article, which reports on the findings from a critical ethnographic study conducted with older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL), aims to share those insights gained through participant observation and to demonstrate the utility of this method. Three insights were gained including the adaptive strategies tacitly employed to navigate the physical environment, a grounded understanding of …

A Protocol Paper On The Preservation Of Identity: Understanding The Technology Adoption Patterns Of Older Adults With Age-Related Vision Loss (Arvl), Colleen E. Mcgrath

Occupational Therapy Publications

There are a growing number of older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL) for whom technology holds promise in supporting their engagement in daily activities. Despite the growing presence of technologies intended to support older adults with ARVL, there remains high rates of abandonment. This phenomenon of technology abandonment may be partly explained by the concept of self-image, meaning that older adults with ARVL avoid the use of particular technologies due to an underlying fear that use of such technologies may mark them as objects of pity, ridicule, and/or stigmatization. In response to this, the proposed study aims to understand …

Immersive Virtual Reality For The Management Of Pain In Community-Dwelling Older Adults., Sara Benham, Minhee Kang, Namrata Grampurohit

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Immersive virtual reality (VR) can provide a high level of engagement and distraction analgesia to address pain. However, community-based applications of this technology for older adults have not been studied. The objective of this study was to examine the applicability and effectiveness of an immersive VR intervention for pain, depression, and quality of life (QOL) in older adults. This pretest–posttest, mixed-methods design included senior center members (n = 12) with pain that interfered with daily functioning. The outcomes included the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS^®) depression scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life …

Working Towards The Promise Of Participatory Action Research: Learning From Ageing Research Exemplars, Colleen E. Mcgrath

Occupational Therapy Publications

Within research addressing issues of social justice, there is a growing uptake of participatory action research (PAR) approaches that are ideally committed to equitable participation of community members in all phases of the research process in order to collaboratively enact social transformation. However, the utilization of such approaches has not always matched the ideal, with inconsistencies in how participation and action are incorporated. “Participation” within various research processes is displayed differently, with the involvement of community members varying from full participation to their involvement as simply participants for data collection. Similarly, “action” is varyingly enacted from researchers proposing research implications …

A Pilot Professional Development Program For Occupational Therapy Practitioners Who Work In Home Settings: Knowledge Translation On Urinary Incontinence, Jaimee Betts Hegge

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The purpose of this project was to increase the knowledge and confidence of home based occupational therapy practitioners working with adults and older adults who have urinary incontinence. The knowledge translation model of education is used to educate health care providers to improve integration of new information. The Reflective Questioning Framework for coaching can be effective with increasing knowledge and confidence of practitioners that are integrating new learning into their daily home care practice. This project investigated how these two approaches to education impacted occupational therapy practitioners perceived level of knowledge and confidence treating urinary incontinence in adult and older …

Effect Of Life Review On Quality Of Life For Older Adults Living In Nursing Homes, Rene' Wren

Occupational Therapy Collection

Aim: To examine the effects of life review on daily activities, social participation, outlook on life, and perceptions of living in a nursing home measured by life satisfaction and quality of life in older adults.

Method: The study design was a two-phase quasi-experimental pre-post-tests including development and testing of a life review protocol. Nine residents, age ≥65, participated in a life review group once weekly for 6 weeks. Outcomes were analyzed using the Life Satisfaction Index-Z (LSI-Z) and pre-post surveys.

Results: LSI-Z scores improved post-intervention and survey outcomes indicated participation in activities of daily living (ADLs), socialization, …

Does A Multicomponent Home Intervention Reduce Functional Difficulties In Community-Dwelling Older Adults As Compared To No Intervention?, Laura Henty-Clark, Rosemarie Lion, Nadine Marcelo, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

Many older adults live with chronic conditions that may affect their ability to safely perform their daily occupations. Small decreases in ability of older adults to function independently can have profound effects, possibly leading to hospitalization, institutionalization, or death. However, preventative home-based interventions for older adults typically are not reimbursed by Medicare or other insurance carriers.

This study on intervention effectiveness contributes to a growing body of evidence for providing preventative home-based intervention to older adults to support their abilities to function independently in their communities. This study examined whether a preventative home-based intervention, including occupational therapy and physical therapy, …

For Low-Income Adults Who Experience Trouble With One Or More Activities Of Daily Living (Adl) Or Two Or More Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living (Iadl), Does The Community Aging In Place: Advancing Better Living For Elders (Capable) Improve Performance Of Adls And Iadls?, Noelle Bakken, Lauryn Banovitz, Abigail Lafrenz, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

The growing population of older adults has created a societal shift, with many older adults preferring to stay in their homes for a longer period of time. This trend, known as aging-inplace, may provide greater independence and autonomy to older adults compared with those living in nursing homes. However, physical and cognitive changes associated with age may affect the ability to safely perform activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). This study examined performance in ADLs and IADLs, fall efficacy, and quality of life in 40 low-income, community dwelling adults aged 65 and older. Participants …

Do Restorative Home Care Programs Increase Independence In Adls And Iadls In Older Adults Receiving Home Health Services?, Adrienne Angeles, Shanee Ben-Haim, Amy Smith-Schwartz, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

There has been a worldwide shift from viewing aging as a dependent stage of life to one that increasingly encourages independence and a more active lifestyle for older adults. In Australia, where this study was conducted, restorative care that embraces active aging was not yet considered an essential component of home health care on the national level. However, restorative home care has been gaining more recognition as increasing importance is placed on independence and self-management in older adults.

The researchers of this study explored whether older adults’ participation in restorative home care programs reduced the need for ongoing personal care. …

Evidence-Based Review Of Interventions For Medically At-Risk Older Drivers, Sherilenne Classen, Miriam Monahan, Beth Auten, Abraham Yarney

Collected Faculty and Staff Scholarship

OBJECTIVE. To conduct an evidence-based review of intervention studies of older drivers with medical conditions.

METHOD. We used the American Occupational Therapy Association’s classification criteria (Levels I–V, I 5 highest level of evidence) to identify driving interventions. We classified studies using letters to represent the strength of recommendations: A 5 strongly recommend the intervention; B 5 recommend intervention is provided routinely; C 5 weak evidence that the intervention can improve outcomes; D 5 recommend not to provide the intervention; I 5 insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the intervention.

RESULTS. For clients with stroke, we recommend a graded simulator …