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Resident Reported Changes To Social Engagement And Quality Of Life Due To Increased Physical Activity Within A Senior Living Facility, Sydney Leroy

Capstone Projects

The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was to see if regular participation in an exercise program could promote positive changes in social engagement and overall quality of life for older adults residing in an independent or assisted living facility. A standardized assessment and interview were completed with each participating resident before and after a 6-week exercise program to assess any changes in social engagement and quality of life. As a result, recruitment for this study and overall resident participation increased by advertising new and existing exercise classes throughout the senior living facility. In addition to the already scheduled …

Exploration Of Driving Rehabilitation Best Practices To Sustain An Occupation Focused Driver Rehabilitation Program, Kelsey East

Capstone Projects

In the United States driving dominates as the primary mode of transportation connecting people to resources including work, school, stores, and hospitals. Driving enables individuals to participate in the occupations they need or want to do, which is why it is a critical Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). Because driving falls within an occupational therapist’s scope of community mobility, many driving rehabilitation specialists have a background in occupational therapy. Driving rehabilitation is an expanding practice area, with emerging evidence supporting the use of an IADL based assessment for determining fitness to drive. Therefore, the main goal of this doctoral …

Disability Advocates Of Kent County (Dakc) Consumer Follow-Up For Aging In Place, Bianca Cordova

Capstone Projects

Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC) is a non-profit organization with an occupational therapy (OT) department that aims to keep primarily community-dwelling, low-income, older adults safe and independent in their home. The organization provides home assessments which identifies the barriers and supports for daily activities within the home. After the home assessment evaluation, adaptive equipment and/or home modification recommendations are provided. Literature supports the restorative approach DAKC uses to facilitate aging in place. There was a lack of quantitative and qualitative evidence on how consumers were aging in place post-intervention. This capstone project focused on creating a pilot follow-up program …

Occupational Therapists' Experience Of Using Home Adaptation And Assistive Products As Interventions For Older Individuals And Persons With Disabilities In Thailand, Peeradech Thichanpiang, Veerawat Sansri, Surachart Thongchoomsin, Sutinun Juntorn, Thitiya Wangkawan, Supatida Sorasak, Phichaya Baramee, Kannika Permpoonputtana, Chirathip Thawisuk, Chutikorn Nopparat, Anuchart Kaunnil Corresponding Author

The Qualitative Report

As Thailand becomes an aged society it is important to promote advancements in geriatric medicine to provide the best care for older individuals. The right assistive facilities and household mobility equipment are essential for everyday activities. The use of home adaptations and assistive products can maximize the quality of life for older individuals and make life more convenient for those with disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the experience of occupational therapists, using home adaptations and assistive products. An individual interview was conducted with eight occupational therapists who worked at regional hospitals and centers of excellence throughout Thailand using a …

Family Caregivers Of Older Adults With Physical Disabilities In Rural Thailand, Denis Tuttle, Jiranan Griffiths, Anuchart Kaunnil

The Qualitative Report

Thailand is one of many countries experiencing changes in the demographics of its population. People are living longer and having fewer children resulting in an increasing percentage of older adults in the general population. This presents a challenge in providing care for older adults, especially in countries where there is a culture of family caregiving. This study aims to investigate the experience of family caregivers, exploring the problems of caring for older people with physical disabilities and the needs of family caregivers. This is done to better understand ways to support caregivers. Using a descriptive qualitative approach, 15 family caregivers …

Rest And Sleep Patterns And Activities Of Residents In Long-Term Care Facilities: A Descriptive Study, Pei-Fen Chang, Kai-Lai Tsai, Clarissa Richard, Harriett A. Davidson, Gayle Hersch

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background:To facilitate healthy occupational participation and highlight the significance of rest and sleep for older adults, this study aimed to provide a description of rest and sleep patterns and activities of residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Method: Secondary analysis of rest and sleep data collected from a funded R21 study was conducted. Twenty-nine residents were interviewed using the Yesterday Interview (YI) to describe their time and daily activities, including rest and sleep patterns and activities.

Results: Average time spent sleeping was 10.22 (±1.77) hr and resting was 4.77 (±3.3) hr. Data were also collected on …

The Impact Of A Two-Visit Occupational Therapy Home Modification Model On Low-Income Older Adults, Anna Y. Grasso, Annmarie Murphy, Cynthia Abbott-Gaffney

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Various studies support the benefit of occupational therapist-led home modification to support successful aging in place for older adults. However, methodological differences limit generalizability. This study aimed to determine the impact of a replicable two-visit occupational therapy home modification program on occupational performance of low-income, community-dwelling older adults.

Method: The researcher used a quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design. The participants were low-income homeowners, age 55 years and older, with decreased performance and/or satisfaction in one or more ADLs and IADLs as determined by the COPM. An occupational therapist provided the participants with a home safety assessment using …

State Of The Journal: Introducing Assistant Editors, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Cat Part Iv: Occupational Therapy Interventions To Support Upper Extremity Spasticity In Older Adults Following A Stroke, Mary Redlin, Allie Reiffenberger, Shannon Ring, Aubrey Rude

Critically Appraised Topics

This critically appraised topic focuses on interventions for improving hand functions in activities of daily living (ADLs) for elderly adults who have chronic upper extremity spasticity following a stroke. For the purpose of this critically appraised topic, the focus will be on the elderly population, defined as being age 55 and older; research indicates stroke is most prevalent in this population (Mayo Clinic, 2022). When considering a particular theory, the Ecology of Human Performance (EHP) is the most suitable model for our focus question (Dunn, 2017). The Ecology of Human Performance is focused on the person and environment to increase …

Perceptions Of Occupational Therapists Working In Established Pace Programs, Jessica L. Daugherty-Peters

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: The Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) provides medical and social services to older adults who meet nursing home level of care but wish to remain in their own homes. Although PACE has been in existence for decades, this program is new to the state of Kentucky.

Purpose: The problem this Capstone project will address is the need for further research related to occupational therapy’s roles and experiences in PACE programs. This capstone will explore the perceptions of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants working in established PACE programs.

Methods: This study followed a Qualitative Descriptive …

How Do Informal Caregivers Of A Person With Dementia Experience Stress And Which Supports Help Mitigate The Effect Of These Stressors?, Kwandra Andrews Brinson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) are one of the most rapidly growing epidemics that the world is facing. Caring for a person with ADRD is challenging and often causes informal caregivers stress, loneliness, and social isolation.

Purpose: The aim of this qualitative instrumental case study was to obtain a better understanding of how informal caregivers of persons with ADRD experience stress and which supports helped mitigate the effect of these stressors in their role as a caregiver.

Theoretical Framework: The Model of Human Occupation focuses on therapy helping persons to engage in occupational behaviors that maintain, restore, reorganize, …

The Perception Of Stroke On Iadl, Paula O. Buari

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Residents in a skilled nursing home receiving rehabilitative services following a stroke may value instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) tasks more than ADL tasks. This research investigates the impact of IADL tasks on quality of life (QoL). Purpose: The research questions were: How do individuals post-stroke and receiving occupational therapy services in a skilled nursing facility perceive their participation, or lack of participation, in IADL, and how does this impact their perceived QoL? Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework that guided this project was the Model of Human Occupation. Methods. A phenomenological research-based qualitative approach designed to understand …

Don’T Forget The Importance Of Leisure Occupations For The Community Dwelling Elder, Susan Witt

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Leisure exploration is important to the community dwelling elder (CDE) as research indicates that social and leisure activities correlate with well-being in this population (Adams et al., 2011). This research project aimed to gain insight on the CDE’s perspective on leisure as they age in place and the role occupational therapists play in leisure promotion for this population. This mixed method study included quantitative data from the Activity Card Sort (ACS) assessment which provided data on how leisure and activities of daily living have changed with aging. Qualitative data was gained through semi-structured interview and explored the perspectives of the …

Community-Dwelling Older Adults’ Perceived Self-Efficacy And Readiness For Discharge After Receiving Occupational Therapy Services At A Skilled Nursing Facility (Snf)., Shih-Ni N. Lai

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Abstract

Background: Older adults who plan to go home from a SNF after having injuries have increased concerns about their transition and feel they have limited knowledge and information on community resources. There is research on the critical roles of occupational therapy in preparing community-dwelling older adults to transition home from SNF. However, limited research on community-dwelling older adults' perception of their self-efficacy and discharge preparedness after receiving occupational therapy services at SNF.

Purpose: This project examines the perceptions of community-dwelling older adults’ preparedness and self-efficacy after receiving occupational therapy services in a SNF to increase their quality of life …

Development Of Wellness And Nutrition Through The Use Of Gardening, Josie Anhorn

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The population of older adults has been rising exponentially in recent years (Duffin, 2022), leading to an influx in people moving into retirement or independent living communities. This transition may cause many changes in the new residents’ occupational participation and overall well-being. Research has shown specific areas of concern in socialization, nutrition, self-esteem, physical abilities, and continued participation in meaningful occupations (Holland et al., 2017; Knecht-Sabres et al., 2020; Smith, 2015; Sommerfeld et al., 2018; Swann, 2006; Swann, 2010). Gardening has been shown to positively impact these areas of health and well-being and ease some of the negative symptoms (Thompson, …

Daily Living Assistance Provided By Residents To Other Residents In Residential Aged Care Homes: Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices, Siti Noraini Asmuri, Masne Kadar, Nor Afifi Razaob, Chai Siaw Chui, Hanif Farhan Mohd Rasdi

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: The rise of the aged population in Malaysia has resulted in the increased need for services, especially in terms of healthcare. Hence, continuous support is crucial to managing the daily living activities of this group. This study aimed to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of older adults residing in Malaysian aged care homes concerning daily living activities and their provision of assistance to other residents with more significant disabilities.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted on ten older adults and six staff members of two selected residential aged care homes. The interview session concerned the knowledge, attitudes, …

Ensuring A Knowledgeable Geriatric Workforce: Interdisciplinary Education In Long-Term Services And Supports, Gina Tucker-Roghi

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

In this symposium, we describe five interdisciplinary educational programs to enhance the geriatric workforce in long-term services and supports (LTSS): Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living, and home health and hospice. The interdisciplinary teams that came together to offer the programs leveraged technology to maximize access to experts in both the curriculum development process and the delivery of the educational programs for a wide range of target learners. The first program, an interdisciplinary telementoring series on dementia care for therapists in SNFs, was developed by a team of experts from occupational, physical and speech therapy. The program included asynchronous online …

Interdisciplinary Telementoring For Therapists In Snfs To Improve Dementia Care Knowledge And Skills, Gina Tucker-Roghi

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Occupational, physical, and speech therapists possess knowledge and skills that have the potential to reduce the burden of care and improve the quality of life of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents living with dementia. Despite this opportunity to impact the well-being of residents with dementia, many therapy practitioners lack specialized training on the management of dementia. Therapy practitioners (n=31) from 22 SNFs participated in eight weekly interdisciplinary educational sessions using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) tele-mentoring model. An interdisciplinary team of therapy experts collaborated on the development of the curriculum, which included didactic content on dementia-care best …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of The Cope Program For Persons Living With Dementia: Toward A Payment Model, Laura T Pizzi, Eric Jutkowitz, Katherine M Prioli, Ember Yiwei Lu, Zachary Babcock, Heather Mcabee-Sevick, Dorothy B Wakefield, Julie Robison, Sheila Molony, Catherine V. Piersol, Laura N Gitlin, Richard H Fortinsky

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Background and objectives: There is a critical need for effective interventions to support quality of life for persons living with dementia and their caregivers. Growing evidence supports nonpharmacologic programs that provide care management, disease education, skills training, and support. This cost-benefit analysis examined whether the Care of Persons with Dementia in their Environments (COPE) program achieves cost savings when incorporated into Connecticut's home- and community-based services (HCBS), which are state- and Medicaid-funded.

Research design and methods: Findings are based on a pragmatic trial where persons living with dementia and their caregiver dyads were randomly assigned to COPE with HCBS, or …

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

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social isolation during COVID-19 has the capacity to impact older adults’ physical health, mental health, and quality of life. Using an occupational therapy perspective of social participation as an occupation, the current study explores (a) the extent to which social participation (habits/routines) has changed following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, (b) differences in perceptions of social participation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (c) differences in scores on the COVID-19 Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) scale by demographics, access to health care, and lifestyle routine.

Method: Community-dwelling adults (N = 230) 65 years of age or …

Examining The Effects Of Passenger Conversation On Older Adult Driving, Allison Green, Meg Tedder, Amanda J. Mohler, Amanda M. Carpenter

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Older adults have impaired driving performance compared to other age groups, and auditory stimuli has adverse effects on driving performance (Karthaus & Falkenstein, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand knowledge of driving and passenger conversation within the older adult population. Participants (n = 17) completed a drive of 7.8 miles on a driving simulator twice; once without conversation and again with conversation. Both drives used the same simulated driving tasks to examine driving performance with and without conversation. Participants exhibited poorer driving performance from the first drive without conversation to the second drive with conversation, …

Avian Assisted Intervention During Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions, Sandia Wood, Mary Thelander Hill

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational Deprivation has been a present risk [ER1] for people in inpatient hospital settings such as Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions. Clients have described their days as “boring” and “unfulfilling.” Clients experiencing extended in-patient hospitalization, who already might experience great interruptions to their treasured roles, routines, and occupations, were further restricted from recreational and social opportunities usually present in those settings. This work describes the translation of the animal assisted intervention evidence base to an occupational therapy student-developed program at a SNF to address this deficit. A vibrant avian therapy partner gave moments …

Interprofessional Collaboration With Occupational Therapy Assistant And Physical Therapist Assistant Students Through A Simulated Academic Setting, Brooke Gentry, Samantha Harris, Cindy Hayden, Allen Keener

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

Background: There is a direct emphasis on interprofessional learning and interprofessional education (IPE) at the accreditation and national level (IPE, 2016). There are, however, no studies on the effectiveness in the delivery of interprofessional collaboration in the academic setting, specific to occupational therapy assistant students. Therefore, the following research has been developed to address this area of need in occupational therapy assistant education.

Methods: This research was conducted in the academic setting, through a simulated lab-based case with occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant students as the participants. The perceived confidence and communication were measured through a pre …

Barriers To Exercise And Physical Activity - Insight From The Rural Practitioner, Erin G. Tillery

Honors College Theses

Sedentary lifestyles are a growing public health concern. Furthermore, many rural Americans lack adequate access to healthcare resources. When healthcare is sought, the patient-practitioner interactions may serve to influence the patient’s lifestyle choices. The practitioners' exercise and physical activity habits may shape the effectiveness of the patient-practitioners interaction. Here, we explored the potential barriers to exercise and physical activity (PA) in licensed physical and occupational therapists. In addition, we aimed to describe barriers to exercise and PA in individuals with a history of stroke from the perspective of the practitioner. Lastly, how current exercise and physical activity habits influence their …

Dancing With Dementia: Using Dance And Movement To Combat The Negative Effects Of Occupational Deprivation In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Mikenzi R. Rivenbark

MOT Student Capstones

As human beings, it is natural to crave interaction with others and to engage within our surrounding environments. Unfortunately, individuals with dementia often lose their ability to independently access and participate within their environment; resulting in occupational deprivation. Occupational deprivation is seen frequently in residents with dementia within a skilled nursing facility (SNF) as they are often left disengaged and seated idle within the facility. Occupational deprivation can lead to psychological and physical illnesses, it can also enhance the progression of dementia, and result in premature death. The use of dance and movement with these residents can provide them the …

Practice Guidelines: Addressing Vestibular And Visual Problems In The Neurologically Impaired Adult, Mary J. Mcguire

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The visual and vestibular problems experienced by adults post brain injury (concussion, traumatic brain injury, cerebral vascular accident, tumor removal, etc.) must be evaluated and treated in conjunction with each other for best outcomes. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) Practice Framework categorizes both the visual and vestibular sensory systems as client factors (body functions) that are a part of the scope of practice of occupational therapy (AOTA, 2020). AOTA’s statement on vestibular impairment, vestibular rehabilitation, and occupational performance emphasizes the importance of occupational therapists addressing this critical client factor. The skills of entry-level and advanced-level occupational therapists are outlined …

Exploring Spirituality Of Elders Relocating Into Long-Term Care Facilities, Kai-Lai Tsai, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Anila J. Mathew, Clarissa Richard, Harriett A. Davidson, Gayle I. Hersch

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Spirituality is recognized as an important contributor to quality of life, particularly for older adults. Yet, limited research has been conducted to examine spirituality of older adults relocating to long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The intent of this mixed methods study was to cull data from a parent study to explore different aspects of spirituality among residents newly admitted to LTCFs.

Method: Qualitative and quantitative data of six participants from a parent study including interviews and scores from the religious and existential well-being sections of the Spiritual Well Being Scale (SWBS) were analyzed and triangulated.

Results: Descriptive …

Wellness Promotion Through Leisure Activity Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Gabriela Morrell-Zucker

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The purpose of this capstone project is to analyze the outcomes of an occupation-based wellness program which aims to address the problem of a lack of wellness promotion programs for community-dwelling older adults. Through structured programming older-adults demonstrated increased participation in leisure activities contributing to positive health and wellness. As the older adult population continues to grow, there is a need to engage community-dwelling older adult populations in wellness promotion through leisure activities. For this purpose, a quantitative approach examines the outcomes of program development from older adults' perspectives through a the CHAMPS Older Adult Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Leisure Activity And Social Participation Group Therapy To Address Geriatric Depression Symptoms, Austin Brown, Keegan Mckay, Lisa Griggs-Stapleton, Rene Wren

Spring 2022 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project involved the creation of a group therapy program that used leisure activity and social participation to address geriatric depression.

Preventing Occupational Imbalance With Seniors Living In The Community During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carrieanne Allegri

MOT Student Capstones

When COVID-19 shut down the world in March of 2020, nobody knew what to expect. What we discovered was seniors no longer had the opportunities to engage in social events, attend classes, or participate in the community. Understanding that engagement in leisure and social activities are important in preventing depression and isolation amongst seniors, finding alternative activities via virtual delivery and socially distanced were identified as a need. 3 An in-service was provided to senior citizens at a community center to address areas identified as a need by community center staff and members. The main objective of the in-service included …