Digital Commons Network^™

Prospective Telehealth Analysis Of Functional Performance, Frailty, Quality Of Life, And Mental Health After Covid-19 Hospitalization, Jacob J. Capin, Melissa P. Wilson, Kristine Hare, Swati Vempati, Carley E. Little, Donna Mcgregor, Jose Castillo-Mancilla, Jennifer E. Stevens-Lapsley, Sarah Jolley, Kristine M. Erlandson

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Background

COVID-19 is a global pandemic with poorly understood long-term consequences. Determining the trajectory of recovery following COVID-19 hospitalization is critical for prioritizing care, allocating resources, facilitating prognosis, and informing rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate recovery following COVID-19 hospitalization.

Methods

Participants age 18 years or older who were hospitalized for ≥24 h due to COVID-19 completed phone/video call virtual assessments (including the 10-time chair rise test) and survey forms at three time points (2–6, 12, and 18 weeks) after hospital discharge. Univariate logistic and linear regression models assessed the associations of the outcomes with primary …

A Physical Therapy Mobility Checkup For Older Adults: Feasibility And Participant Preferences From A Discrete Choice Experiment, Dalerie Lieberz, Hannah Borgeson, Steven Dobson, Lindsey Ewings, Karen Johnson, Kori Klaysmat, Abby Schultz, Rachel Tasson, Alexandra L. Borstad

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: Physical performance measures, like walking speed, identify and predict preclinical mobility disability but are rarely used in routine medical care. A preventive model of care called Mobility Checkup is being designed to reduce mobility disability in older adults. This study had two purposes: 1) determine feasibility and outcomes of the Mobility Checkup, and 2) identify preferences of older adults regarding this model of care using a discrete choice experiment.

Methods: Adults over 55 years of age were recruited from the community. In the study’s first phase, participants completed a Mobility Checkup, with feasibility evaluated using 6 criteria. In the …

Guidelines For Medication Education For Occupational Therapists, Jaclyn K. Schwartz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Taking medications is a vital health management activity for people with chronic health conditions. These individuals must take their medications as prescribed to receive the intended benefits and minimize negative effects. Many people with chronic health conditions do not know essential information about their medications, which limits their ability to take their medications as prescribed. Occupational therapists regularly engage in client education to enhance performance of health management. When addressing medications, however, additional considerations are needed because of the highly regulated, interdisciplinary, and complex nature of this occupation. The purpose of this practice guideline is to describe the integration of …

Animal Assisted Therapy For Older Adults In Aged Care Facilities: A Rapid Review, Mitchell A. Franklin, Tracey Parnell, Natasha Versi, Rodney Pope

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of animal assisted therapy (AAT) for improving the mental health of older adults in residential care. The aim of this rapid review was to synthesise existing research evidence to determine the approaches that AAT should take to enhance outcomes for older adults living in residential care. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies published between 2009 and 2019 that investigated AAT and improvement in physical and/or psychosocial outcomes for adults aged over 65 years, living in residential care. Studies were critically appraised to determine methodological quality, key data were extracted, and …

The Link Between Occupational Therapy Interventions, Quality Of Life, And Social And Leisure Participation In Adults With Chronic Conditions, Katie Deboer, Callie Kleindl, Monicah Nyakoe

Critically Appraised Topics

The focus population for this critically appraised topic (CAT) was adults aged 18 years and older with chronic conditions. For this CAT, chronic conditions included depression, heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis, respiratory diseases, chronic kidney disease, neurological disorders, and cancers. Chronic conditions greatly impact a large majority of the older adult population. Of the adult population, about 80% had at least one type of chronic condition while close to 70% had two or more (National Council on Aging, 2021). Diving deeper, the prevalence of chronic conditions in adults 65 years and older varied by race/ethnicity. According to Lim et al. (2018), …

Nonpharmacological Practices For Reducing Agitation In Persons With Dementia, Meghan L. Farkas

Commonwealth Scholars Program

1 in 11 people aged 45 years and older experience subjective cognitive decline, with nearly a third identifying a decline in the ability to participate in social activities, work, or volunteering. There are twelve modifiable risk factors that can either increase or decrease an individual's possibility of developing Dementia. This can include excessive alcohol consumption, head injury, air pollution, lower education level, hypertension, hearing impairment, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, and infrequent social contact. These modifiable risk factors may prevent or delay up to 40% of dementias. Furthermore, many risk factors cluster around inequalities, which occur particularly in Black, …

Effectiveness Of Early Intervention Programs Addressing Mental Health Issues Caused By Long-Haul Covid-19 In Older Adults, Grace Kleinvachter, Lauren Fischer, Kelsey Rajewsky

Critically Appraised Topics

Lannigan & Tyminski (2021) shared that occupational therapy practitioners are ready to address the many complications that COVID-19 has caused, including emotional issues, by encouraging engagement in healthy occupations in their day-to-day lives. Occupational therapists have specific skills to combat these issues, help others reclaim their occupational identity, and improve quality of life (Lannigan & Tyminski, 2021; Wilcox & Frank, 2021). Symptoms of long-haul COVID-19 have greatly impacted the valued occupations of those over 50 years old, leading to an occupational justice need for further investigation. Occupational therapists should then use that knowledge to understand the degree of impact the …

Occupational Therapy’S Ability To Address Perceived Stress Levels In Caregivers Of Individuals With Dementia, Kjerstin Drugan, Molly Van Drehle, Jadalyn Wagner

Critically Appraised Topics

Caregivers of individuals with dementia face unique challenges that affect their ability to participate in their occupations and maintain low-stress levels (Armstrong et al., 2019; Chiao et al., 2015; Cooper et al., 2010; Delgarno et al., 2021; Franzosa et al., 2019; Gleason & Miller, 2021; Lloyd et al., 2019; Madruga et al., 2020; Piersol et al., 2017; Sterling et al., 2021; Yong et al., 2020). Evidence has supported the benefits of occupational therapy intervention for caregiver well-being (Burgess et al., 2021; Lloyd et al., 2019; Raj et al., 2021; Sztramko et al., 2021; Yong et al., 2020). In this critically …

The Development Of An Exercise-Based Fall Prevention Program Tailored To Incorporate Caregivers Caring For Older Adults At Risk For Falls, Emma Heldt

OT Student Capstones

Older adults are living longer than ever. The global proportion of individuals 65 years or older was 526 million in 2010 and is estimated to reach 1.5 billion in 2050 (Duarte et al., 2020). The growing aging population comes with various challenges, such as chronic health conditions, which are the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Chronic health conditions can lead to other difficulties, such as declines in physical function or mobility. Duarte et al. (2020) found that around 10 million American older adults have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs, presenting a risk for falls.

Falling in older …

Developing A Resource For Optimizing Occupational Engagement In Adults With Dementia, Maria Del Carmen Rosas Ojeda

OT Student Capstones

Dementia is an umbrella term for cognitive impairments in memory, language, executive function, which may affect behavior and personality. Globally, about 50 million people have dementia, and that number is expected to reach 150 million by the year 2050 (Fortinsky et al., 2020). Dementia is a progressive disease that affects an individual’s ability to perform their daily occupations. The progression of dementia stages can be classified as early/mild, middle/moderate, and late/severe. Alzheimer’s disease makes up 60-80% of all dementia cases, although there are various other types of dementia, including Frontotemporal dementia, Lewy Body dementia, Vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease dementia …

Holistic Occupational Therapy Dining Interventions Supporting Individuals With Dementia In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Kathleen Osio, Sabrina Anne Cezar, Ashley Lorton, Lisa Worsham

Occupational Therapy | MSOT Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) with a Holistic Occupational Therapy Dementia Dining Toolkit to enhance the dining experience in the SNF setting for individuals in all stages of dementia. Dementia is a prevalent condition seen in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) that is expected to continue to rise; in 2016, 47.8 percent of individuals living in a SNF had a diagnosis of dementia (Center of Disease Control, 2020). Dining experiences for individuals with dementia (IwD) are impacted by an individual’s cognition, physical, environmental, and psychosocial factors. Additionally, the task oriented and structured approach to …

Safety, Feasibility And Initial Efficacy Of An App-Facilitated Telerehabilitation (After) Programme For Covid-19 Survivors: A Pilot Randomised Study, Jacob J. Capin, Sarah Jolley, Mary Morrow, Meghan Connors, Kristine Hare, Samantha Mawhinney, Amy Nordon-Craft, Michelle R. Rauzi, Sheryl Flynn, Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, Kristine M. Erlandson

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives Determine the safety, feasibility and initial efficacy of a multicomponent telerehabilitation programme for COVID-19 survivors.

Design Pilot randomised feasibility study.

Setting In-home telerehabilitation.

Participants 44 participants (21 female, mean age 52 years) discharged home following hospitalisation with COVID-19 (with and without intensive care unit (ICU) stay).

Interventions Participants were block randomised 2:1 to receive 12 individual biobehaviourally informed, app-facilitated, multicomponent telerehabilitation sessions with a licenced physical therapist (n=29) or to a control group (n=15) consisting of education on exercise and COVID-19 recovery trajectory, physical activity and vitals monitoring, and weekly check-ins with study staff. Interventions were 100% remote and …

Enhancing The Leisure, Social Participation, And Quality Of Life Of Older Adults Isolated During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mariah Leroux

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Title: Enhancing the Leisure, Social Participation and Quality of Life of Older Adults Isolated during the COVID-19 Pandemic

APA Citation Mariah LeRoux, OTDS. Enhancing the Leisure, Social Participation and Quality of Life of Older Adults Isolated during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Department of Occupational Therapy, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 1301 N Columbia Rd, Grand Forks, ND 58203.

Purpose The purpose of this scholarly project was to enhance the performance range of older adults in assisted living by equipping them with the skills to engage in meaningful occupations throughout a pandemic. The meaningful occupations outlined in …

Efficacy Of Power Training To Improve Physical Function In Individuals Diagnosed With Frailty And Chronic Disease: A Meta-Analysis, Alexander B. Sklivas, Lauren E. Robinson, Timothy L. Uhl, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, Kirby P. Mayer

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Muscle power training with emphasis on high-velocity of concentric movement improves physical functionality in healthy older adults, and, maybe superior to traditional exercise programs. Power training may also be advantageous for patients with acute and chronic illnesses, as well as frail individuals. To determine the efficacy of power training compared with traditional resistance training on physical function outcomes in individuals diagnosed with frailty, acute illness or chronic disease. PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL, PEDro, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. (1) at least one study group receives muscle power training of randomized controlled trial (RCT) (2) study participants diagnosed as prefrail, frail …

Community-Based Ot Program Planning: A Virtual Level Ii Fieldwork Program Developed In Response To The Global Pandemic, Tara Collins, Virginia E. Koenig, Stephanie J. Wong, Michelle Buccinna, Rena B. Purohit, Shifra K. Leiser, Debra Cullinane

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of this article is to explain how an occupational therapy (OT) program in a university setting developed a virtual Level II community-based fieldwork program in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This virtual fieldwork program, guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEED Planning Model (PPM), was designed to help keep students on track with their academic goals while providing them with experiential learning that would increase their confidence in OT program planning and promote their professional development. Outcome measures for this study consisted of a pre-and post-fieldwork survey that asked participants to rank their self-perceived confidence in five distinct areas of …

Cohort Analysis Of Four Graduating Classes Of Occupational Therapy Students' Knowledge Of Aging, Lavona Traywick, Brittany N. Saviers, Terry Wayne Griffin, Teressa Brown

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

At the same time that the number of senior adults in the United States is steadily rising, there is also a rising shortage of allied health care professionals, including occupational therapists, to meet the current and expected needs of the senior adult population. There are national standards that all occupational therapy programs must meet; however, there is not a set national curriculum. It is assumed that students will enter their respective occupational therapy programs with a base knowledge of aging due to prerequisite requirements. To test that assumption, with Institutional Review Board approval, over four consecutive years 192 first-year, first-semester …

Exploration Of A Short-Term Learning Community Focused On Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Interventions For Children And Youth With Autism, Christine T. Myers, Sandra Brown, Ashley Parigian

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Continuing education (CE) for occupational therapists typically takes place in workshops, seminars, or webinars with little support for practice change after the event concludes. Continuing education that occurs over an extended time with opportunities for social learning and competence assessment may improve knowledge translation. This study explored how pediatric occupational therapists who participated in a short-term, online learning community acquired new knowledge about evidence-based interventions from learning activities and how they applied this new knowledge to practice. Weekly modules with facilitated discussions, competency self-assessment, and peer-reviewed journal article readings occurred over a six-week period. An exploratory design included content analysis …

Developing A Community-Based Rehabilitation Programs In Elderly Nursing Home: A Brief Descriptive Analysis, Melinda Harini, Dosmaria Dosmaria, Herry Herry, Lisa Emilda, Listyani Herman, Nelfidayani Nelfidayani, Putu K. Mahardini, Shynta D. Hantogo, Widya Meiliana, Ikhsan Johnson, Peggy Peggy, Wanarani Aries, Widjajalaksmi Kusumaningsih, Luh K. Wahyuni

ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement

The need for rehabilitation services in nursing homes (NH) for the elderly is increasing each year, and this need is fulfilled both with ordinary clinical rehabilitation center visits, as well as community-based rehabilitation (CBR) inside the facility. However, a proper situation analysis is needed to establish a well-delivered CBR program in the NH, a niche to be fulfilled in this study. This study used a descriptive measurement and cross-sectional design to target the elderly who are living in the NHs. Consecutive sampling was done in the largest NH in Jakarta, in Cipayung District. Participants who were dependently ambulated were assessed …

Ot’S Role In Older Adult Transitions To Assisted Living, Michelle Chavez, Karen Park

Fall 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: The transition of moving to an assisted living facility as an older adult can be accompanied by many physical and psychological challenges affecting adjustment to such a facility. Occupational therapists assist clients as they prepare for and cope with major life transitions, however this role is most often seen in childhood and early adulthood transitions. Occupational therapists are skilled at facilitating the re-establishment of roles, habits, routines, and rituals and are knowledgeable in how the environment serves as a major influence on this. Because of this, it would be ideal for occupational therapists to have a role in facilitating …

Lower Extremity Power And Movement Velocity In Competitive Older Athletes, Becca D. Jordre

Dissertations and Theses

Older adults are a rapidly growing population which house a subset of older athletes who regularly engage in sport competition. The physical health and risk factors of this competitive older athlete population have been largely overlooked by healthcare providers and researchers and are poorly understood. Older athletes exhibit distinctly different measures of physical performance which require unique thresholds to identify health-related risk factors. While lower extremity power and movement velocity have been identified as valuable measures of physical performance and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults this relationship has not been explored in competitive older athletes. One method for analyzing …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Supporting The Needs Of Older Adults Who Identify As Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And/Or Transgender (Lgbt), Phyllis Simon, Lenin Grajo, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

There are growing numbers of older individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) who are in need of health care services provided by culturally and clinically competent providers, including occupational therapists. The LGBT community presents with unique needs and circumstances that impact occupational therapy (OT) practice. This Opinions in the Profession article presents an overview of the unique narratives of and special considerations for LGBT older adults that the OT profession needs to address to meet the needs of this population and improve our service delivery. We assert essential implications for OT practice and education to better …

Older Adults In An Lgbt Residential Community: Impact Of A Safe Space On Occupation And Well-Being, Daniel P. Swiatek, Sheryl Ryan, Terry Peralta-Catipon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: LGBT seniors have suffered a lifetime of societal and institutional discrimination and health care inequalities. The number of LGBT people 50 years of age and older will surpass five million in the coming decades. LGBT seniors are at greater risk of disability, isolation, physical and mental health issues, and substance abuse. Supportive social environments and networks are correlated with higher quality of life. The purpose of this study was to better understand how living in a safe and secure apartment community specifically for low-income LGBT older adults impacted the residents’ daily life and well-being.

Method: This study …

Remote, Unsupervised Functional Motor Task Evaluation In Older Adults Across The United States Using The Mindcrowd Electronic Cohort, Andrew Hooyman, Joshua S. Talboom, Matthew D. De Both, Lee Ryan, Matthew J. Huentelman, Sydney Y. Schaefer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 has impacted the ability to evaluate motor function in older adults, as motor assessments typically require face-to-face interaction. One hundred seventy-seven older adults nationwide completed an unsupervised functional upper-extremity assessment at home. Data were compared to data from an independent sample of community-dwelling older adults (N = 250) assessed in lab. The effect of age on performance was similar between the in-lab and at-home groups. Practice effects were also similar. Assessing upper-extremity motor function remotely is feasible and reliable in community-dwelling older adults. This test offers a practical solution for telehealth practice and other research involving remote or geographically …

Between-Site Equivalence Of Turning Speed Assessments Using Inertial Measurement Units, Lucy Parrington, Laurie A. King, Margaret M. Weightman, Carrie W. Hoppes, Mark E. Lester, Leland E. Dibble, Peter C. Fino

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background

Turning is a component of gait that requires planning for movement of multiple body segments and the sophisticated integration of sensory information from the vestibular, visual, and somatosensory systems. These aspects of turning have led to growing interest to quantify turning in clinical populations to characterize deficits or identify disease progression. However, turning may be affected by environmental differences, and the degree to which turning assessments are comparable across research or clinical sites has not yet been evaluated.

Research question

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which peak turning speeds are equivalent …

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 Occupational Therapy Practitioners’ Knowledge And Attitudes About Older Adult Sexual Health And Sexual Activity Through Continuing Education, Robin Lynn Chilton

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Capstone Projects

Background: There is very little research examining how specific education about older adult sexual health and sexual activity may improve occupational therapy practitioners’ knowledge and attitudes towards geriatric sexuality. Research is also limited as to how knowledge about older adult sexual health and sexual activity is applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is important to investigate to what extent education in older adult sexual matters impacts occupational therapy practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice.

Objective: To examine and explore occupational therapy practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice in the areas of older adult sexual health and sexual activity. Study Design: …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy Practitioners In Evaluation And Intervention Of Sleep With Older Adult Clients, Susan Cleghorn, Nicole Bell, Sauda Muhammad, Jordan Schneider, Laura Zeleznak

Older Adult

Objective: This study sought to explore occupational therapy practitioners’ perceptions of their role in working with older adults with sleep issues.

Methods: A mixed methods approach was used with data gathered from an online survey tool disseminated through social media platforms. Data from 17 participants was analyzed.

Results: Respondents reported not receiving entry-level knowledge of sleep evaluation in academic programs (70.6%). Additionally, 41.2% of respondents utilized continuing education opportunities. Respondents reported lack of occupational therapy specific evaluation tools as a significant barrier to addressing sleep in practice.

Discussion: Results indicate the need for additional research, coverage on sleep in the …

Effects Of Social Technology On Older Adults In A Residential Living Facility, Katherine Bennett, Mia L. Gonzalez, Sydney L. Harper, Madison N. Logan, Kaeli M. Jeffers, Alexandrea C. Springer, Jeanne Sowers

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Personal connection and social interaction are vital components of health throughout the lifespan. Loneliness and social isolation among the older adult population impacts both physical and mental health negatively. Analysis of published research demonstrates the importance of considering the use of different social technology platforms to foster opportunities for social support among family and friends. Researchers noted an increased relevance of the need for social technology in residential living facilities with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing. The study aims to investigate the impact of social technology, via Sherish℠ Connect on older adults’ reported levels of loneliness …

Quality Assurance Of Service Learning Back School, Eric Bashaw, Vu Pham, Tyler Parvin, Ryan Pauly

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Project Execution: Back School: During the 2019-20 academic year, two University of Nevada, Las Vegas Physical Therapy (UNLVPT) core faculty members, along with eight doctor of physical therapy students, provided three student-led, pro-bono back school classes at Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada (VMSN). Each back school class consisted of two, 2-hour sessions where participants were screened for red flags, educated on pain management strategies and common causes of back pain, and given an individual home exercise program. Quality Assurance Surveys: Patient’s and VMSN staff were all given questions in the form of Likert-scale and open-ended questions via printed handouts …

Effects Of Altered Somatosensory Input On Lower Limb Mechanics Via Different Shoes And Barefoot Walking In Individuals With Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Aaron Abraham Simon, Jynelle Marie Guerrero Arches, Megan Leigh Keohane, Wee Jin Jed Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

[Purpose/Hypothesis] Stroke is a leading cause of disability that results in various neurological deficits. Stroke can cause impaired somatosensory input, which results in decreased balance and gait speed, ultimately increasing fall risks. Therapies to increase somatosensory input have shown promise for people with stroke as well as other neurological populations. However, few studies have systematically investigated varying somatosensory input via different footwear to improve walking in people post-stroke. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of altering somatosensory input via different types of footwear (i.e., barefoot, self-selected shoes, and memory foam shoes) on gait kinetics and ankle …