Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

A Community Re-Integration Mental Health Occupational Therapy Program For Veterans At The Sioux Falls Veterans Affairs Hospital, Holly M. Forrester

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The Veteran population continues to be disproportionately impacted by mental health disorders despite growing efforts to address this epidemic. Despite an increase in Veterans Affairs (VA) sponsored programs to mitigate the disparity, the interdisciplinary team tasked with implementing the novel programs remains undiversified. My capstone project aimed to provide a comprehensive community reintegration program to the Veterans in the inpatient behavioral health setting and advocate for the role of occupational therapy on the mental health interdisciplinary team. The literature and needs assessment indicated a need for the implementation of occupational therapy specific groups that aimed to increase functional independence and …

Promoting Wakefulness To Increase Occupational Engagement In Military Service Members Experiencing Insomnia Following Mtbi, Leah N. Myers

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Sustaining a traumatic brain injury of any severity is associated with an extremely high prevalence of insomnia. Military service members, being exposed to hazardous equipment and conditions, are one of the most likely populations to sustain sleep concerns following TBI. This student capstone project aimed to support military service members experiencing sleep disturbances due to TBI through direct advanced clinical skill attainment, Light Therapy program development, and by initiating research and clinic resource creation relating to shift work and sleep. To target this population, the project was completed at the Fort Carson Intrepid Spirit Center in Colorado where outpatient concussion …

Facilitating Community Integration Following Inpatient Rehabilitation: The Importance Of Caregivers, Alysa N. Jensen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Community integration (CI) is a significant benchmark for successful rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of this capstone was to utilize occupational therapy assessments, interventions, and resources to support patients and their caregivers during the transition from the clinical setting to the community. Methods included assessment and intervention for patient function, cognition as it relates to burden of care, patient discharge statistics, development and implementation of caregiver resources, and semi-structured caregiver interviews. The outcomes of this project indicate that although TBI survivors are discharging home, they continue to require substantial caregiver support. Outcomes also indicate that there is …

Promoting Social, Emotional, And Behavioral Development For Children In A School Setting Using Targeted Occupational Therapy Intervention, Mykenzie N. Hall

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children who have experienced trauma often have poor emotional regulation skills which can lead to peer rejection, decline in engagement at school, and poor academic performance. Occupational therapists have the knowledge and skills to create a client-centered approach when working with children who have experienced trauma. This emotional regulation program is guided by a trauma-informed care approach and a public health approach to mental health. The program consisted of 59 students between transitional kindergarten and 5th grade meeting in small groups once a week for 30 minutes over 11 to 12 weeks. The sessions included activities related to emotional regulation …

Filling The Gap: Educating Caregivers And Patients Post Stroke In An Acute Care Setting, Gabrielle A. Blecke

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background: According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2022), every 40 seconds someone in the United States experiences a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), also known as stroke. A recent study suggests that 63% of these individuals will need informal caregiving from family, friends, or loved-ones throughout their rehabilitation process in order to safely transition home. Research suggests that patients and caregivers post stroke are not receiving enough education to prevent concerns such as caregiver burden, decreased caregiver wellness, and decreased patient outcomes, all which are within the scope of occupational therapy. Methods: Experiences at MyMichigan Midland Hospital drove …

Play, Splash, Ride: A Multidimensional Approach To Occupational Therapy Intervention For Sensory Processing Difficulties, Britney A. Bradwisch

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Sensory processing disorder affects between five and 16.5 percent of the population and up to 90% of individuals with disabilities. Occupational therapists are equipped to treat sensory processing difficulties using occupation-based, sensory-based, and client-centered interventions. There is limited evidence on how occupational therapists can use multiple intervention environments including typical sensory gyms, aquatic therapy, and equine-assisted therapy to specifically target sensory processing. Therefore, the purpose of the capstone project was to explore the effectiveness of multiple occupational therapy interventions for children with sensory processing difficulties. The capstone project focused on advanced clinical practice while incorporating education and program development to …

Enhancing Resident Engagement: Optimizing Meaningful Occupations In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Drew J. Couch

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Older adults residing in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) face a multitude of challenges in engaging in meaningful occupations. They are at risk of occupational deprivation due to the regulations of the facility, physical limitations, and restricted choices of activities (Keane et al., 2023). Though the occupational therapy profession acknowledges the impacts this has on older adults little has been done to combat these issues. The purpose of the 14-week capstone project was to promote meaningful occupational engagement for residents residing in an SNF. Additionally, this project advocated for occupational therapy’s distinct role in identifying and promoting meaningful occupations. Multiple goals …

A Peer-Mediated Art Program For Secondary Education Students: An Occupation Based Approach, Kjersten B. Sievers

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this 14-week capstone project was to explore the impact of a peer-mediated art program on the social and occupational experiences of students with disabilities. This program was designed and implemented to promote inclusion of students with disabilities by providing an opportunity to interact with typically developing peers within their school-context. The 7-week peer-mediated art program was embedded into a startup peer-program at a high school. A total of 10 participants (4 from special education) were recruited to complete the study. Students met for three 45-minute sessions and one 90-minute session each week as part of the program’s …

Empowering Pregnancy And Postpartum: Supporting Motherhood Through Occupational Therapy Education, Alison Drexler

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

During pregnancy and postpartum, women are at increased risk for physical and psychological health concerns due to the changes and challenges that come with the transition. The purpose of this 14-week capstone was to develop and implement educational sessions using occupational therapy concepts and integrate them into a community parenting program to ease the transition during the perinatal period. It also aimed to advocate for the role of occupational therapy in pregnancy and postpartum. Methods included preparing and sharing supplemental educational materials, developing and implementing occupation-based sessions, creating a folder of resources, and developing a manuscript advocating for occupational therapy …

Occupational Therapy Intervention To Promote Recovery Of Individuals Impacted By Human Trafficking And Service Provider Well-Being, Carlyn J. Paxton

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals impacted by human trafficking experience prolonged traumatic experiences and a lack of personal autonomy. Literature indicates that after exiting trafficking situations, individuals face barriers re-integrating into the community. Additionally, workers and advocates who provide after-care services experience increased occupational hazards impacting the quality of care provided and personal well-being. This capstone project aims to increase student’s clinical skills for providing trauma informed occupational therapy to individuals exiting trafficking and to expand OT’s role in combating occupational hazards for providers through self-care-based occupations. Using a previously conducted needs assessment and a conceptual framework comprised of evidence-based models, this project includes …

An Eye-Opening Capstone: A New Perspective On Occupation-Based Treatments For Neurologic-Based Visual Deficits, Katlyn J. Knakmuhs

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this 14-week capstone experience was to gain hands on in depth clinical experience working with individuals post neurologic injury, specifically post-concussion, who were experiencing a visual perceptual deficit. Additionally, the focus of this capstone was to implement occupation-based skills and activities into therapy sessions for individuals experiencing those visual perceptual deficits post-concussion. This capstone experience took place at the Sanford Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and was completed under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist who is a certified brain injury specialist. Eight individuals post-concussion with visual perceptual deficits who were patients of …

Implementing The Copm To Create Occupation-Based Interventions In Outpatient Adult Rehabilitation, Kelcee A. Bacon

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Worldwide, people continue to live longer, with the number of people over the age of 60 predicted to double by 2050; many of those people also have chronic diseases that could benefit from rehabilitation services. Outpatient rehabilitative services, including occupational therapy, have increased occupational performance, strength, mobility, and coordination for those diagnosed with musculoskeletal or neurological conditions. This capstone focused on three components: 1) in-depth clinical practice using occupation-based assessments and interventions with the adult population, 2) understanding the administrative roles of private practice therapists, and 3) creating educational materials to increase knowledge and skills surrounding outpatient occupational therapy for …

Healing Horses: An Occupational Therapy Approach In An Equine Environment, Ashlyn Renee Yoder

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Aim: This project focused on the development of advanced clinical skills of OT-based hippotherapy in a pediatric setting and program development of the Genesis Therapeutic Riding Center. Information was gathered from primary and secondary sources to promote student skill acquisition, client goal progress, and parent-caregiver education of at-home interventions.

Objective: Goals focused on gaining knowledge and competencies of OT-based hippotherapy, key clinical information, and interdisciplinary roles. The purpose of this project was to highlight the impact of staff responsibilities and OT-based hippotherapy on physical and cognitive deficits.

Method: OT hippotherapy session observation and facilitation, extensive literature review, and multidisciplinary interviews …

Restoring Meaning Through Leisure: Exploring The Benefits Of Leisure-Focused Occupational Therapy For Individuals With Neurological Diagnoses, Elizabeth Rose Stoutland

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

There are limited findings in occupational therapy literature on leisure, despite being a highly meaningful area of occupation that has implications for both physical and mental health. This poster describes an occupational therapy Capstone experience in adaptive sports and inpatient rehabilitation at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center related to leisure restoration. The student investigated the role of occupational therapy in restoring leisure and recreation for individuals with neurological conditions and achieved the following main goals: (Goal 1) to gain skills in adaptive recreation for individuals with neurological conditions, and (Goal 2) to determine how leisure exploration can be implemented in …

Promoting Life Skills Through An Occupation-Based Program For Youth In The Juvenile Justice System, Maggie L. Dejong

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Youth who have experienced trauma are at risk for negative developmental changes to their brain, which may lead to poor health outcomes, involvement in the juvenile justice system, and early death. This population may experience a lack of occupational engagement, decreased self-regulation strategies, and difficulty forming life skills that are necessary for carrying out everyday tasks. Having trauma-informed awareness in the contexts of these individuals is essential when providing care and meeting their needs. The doctoral capstone project aimed to promote life skills through an occupation-based program for youth in the juvenile justice system. Current literature supports the need for …

Sensory Processing Difficulties In Children Born Preterm And The Needs Of Their Families, Shelby J. Buie

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children who are born preterm frequently experience sensory processing difficulties due to their underdeveloped brains and the atypical early sensory experiences that are associated with increased medical needs. These factors impact the development of a child’s sensory system, which ultimately influences how a child participates in daily activities. Having a child born preterm that requires increased medical attention causes stress on the family. Increased stress and a decrease in mental health can disrupt the parent-child bond. This project aimed to provide sensory-based occupational therapy treatment sessions to children who were born preterm to improve their sensory processing skills. Furthermore, the …

The Importance Of Preferred Meaningful Occupations For Children With Medically Complex Conditions, Kaylee S. Schmit

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children with medically complex conditions experience limitations in their ability to engage in preferred meaningful occupations. Additionally, when these children are in the hospital setting, the environment poses another barrier to accessing preferred meaningful occupation opportunities. This capstone project aimed to explore how preferred meaningful occupations could be utilized with children with medically complex conditions in the pediatric inpatient setting. The literature and needs assessment indicated the need for preferred meaningful occupations to be used as a motivator and a way to target specific skills a patient wanted to regain. With the focus of occupational therapy on return to occupation …

Occupational Therapy Services In Pediatric Mental Health, Hallie Jerome

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Children and youth experiencing mental health concerns often have limited or decreased engagement in meaningful occupations. Additionally, children and youth who experience mental health concerns at an early age are more likely to experience negative health outcomes such as poor occupational engagement, academic achievement, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), maltreatment/abuse/neglect, family and peer conflict/rejection, low self-esteem, early substance use, and many others impacting their overall health and well-being. My capstone project aimed to administer occupation-based interventions in a pediatric mental health program while I advance my skills working with an interdisciplinary team. The literature and needs assessment indicated a need for …

A Program Based On Meaningful Occupations To Improve Perceived Health And Well-Being For People Experiencing Homelessness, Annika Overgaard

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals experiencing homelessness face a variety of barriers to occupational performance and participation, thereby negatively impacting their quality of life, health, and well-being. Occupational therapists are uniquely qualified to address the health and well-being needs of individuals experiencing homelessness due to their holistic client-centered approach, their efforts in promoting occupational participation, and providing opportunities for occupational empowerment. Occupational therapy with this population is a growing area of practice, and there is a lack of literature focusing on interventions related to meaningful occupations. My capstone project aimed to create a meaningful occupation-based program for individuals experiencing homelessness at a drop-in day …

Incorporating Occupation-Based Activities Into Treatment For Adolescents With Substance Use Disorders To Increase Self-Efficacy, Brea E. Westberg

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

In 2022, over 48.7 million people aged 12 and older reported having a substance use disorder in the past year. Adolescents are increasingly becoming involved in substance use behaviors that impact their lives daily. There is limited evidence for providing mental health interventions, including those provided by occupational therapy practitioners, to adolescents with SUDs within the substance use treatment setting. Self-efficacy is an important part of the substance use recovery process. Therefore, the purpose of the capstone project was to determine the effects on self-efficacy after incorporating occupation-based activities into programming for adolescents in treatment for SUDs. The Model of …

Animal-Assisted Therapy In An Outpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy Setting, Peyton N. Stolle

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The use of animals to assist in the healthcare industry has been around for some time now, however, only recently have those in the occupational therapy industry begun looking at the effects that it would have on patients within their scope of practice. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has various uses, and recent studies have shown that the use of dogs within a healthcare setting can greatly increase patient motivation and well-being. However, prior literature shows that there are limited studies on the effects of AAT in a pediatric occupational therapy (OT) setting, specifically an outpatient setting. My capstone project aimed to …

Promoting Participation And Engagement In Meaningful Activities Amongst Residents At A Long-Term Care Facility, Tanner Steineke

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The use of long-term care facilities continues to grow as the population ages. According to the Kaiser Foundation (2022), 1.1 million individuals were residing in a long-term care facility in the United States in 2022. Individuals reside in long-term care facilities for a variety of reasons including limitations in function and the need for supervision (Sengupta et al., 2022). Residing in long-term care facilities often nurtures a feeling of loneliness, social isolation, and lack of meaningful occupation (Choi, Ransom, & Wylie, 2008; Mitchell et al., 2022; Slettebø et al., 2017). Occupational therapy is a profession that is primed to address …

Welcoming Wellness: A Health Promotion And Chronic Condition Prevention Program Rooted In The Foundations Of Occupational Therapy, Karlee G. Duncan

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background: Despite the national $3.8 billion spent annually on chronic condition management, they are still the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Chronic conditions have a variety of global implications. The development of chronic conditions can be managed through education and lifestyle behavior modifications, which lies within the scope of occupational therapy. Method: Simultaneous experiences at Logan Health and Logan Health Medical Fitness Center informed the development and implementation of a health promotion and prevention program, Welcoming Wellness. Results: Treating clients in acute care improved my understanding of chronic condition presentation and population needs, and connecting …

Mobile Munchies: An Occupation-Based Transitional Skills Program For Adolescents, Reilly S. Dujmovic

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This capstone project is focused on program development in the area of life/work skills for adolescents in a special education setting. The specific interest was in transition skills for adolescents, or skills that promote independence in ADLs, IADLs, and leisure, and work activities following formal education. The goal of this project was to develop work programming as an intervention to teach transition skills to adolescents in a special education classroom setting. The programming developed was based on programming the special education classroom has used in the past. Programming was modified to take an occupational therapy lens to reach the goal …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Helping Individuals In The Us Justice System Transition From Incarceration To The Community, Kathryn E. Foster

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals with cognitive disabilities face unique challenges in their transition and integration from prison settings. Occupational therapy offers tailored, client-centered reentry services to address their needs and the evidence on impact is limited. The purpose of this project was to examine the efficacy of strengths-based, occupational therapy-led reentry services on the reentry of individuals on probation and parole with a cognitive challenge into society following incarceration. I used a retrospective, mixed methods design to complete this project. Community-based reentry services were provided post-release in the local St. Louis community. Participants included both occupational therapy practitioners tracking process and impact measures, …

An Occupational Therapy Program For Improving Caregiving Performance And Satisfaction With Performance Among Caregivers For Individuals With Neurological Conditions, Andrea Marie Molus

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

This capstone project was to develop a program that would decrease the symptoms of caregiver burnout to increase the performance and satisfaction with performance among caregivers of individuals with neurological conditions. Caregivers can develop burnout when the burden of caregiving increases to the extent that the experience is not a healthy option for the caregiver or care recipient (Kasuya et al., 2000). Three occupational therapy theories were used to support this project: Model of Human Occupation, Tolgia’s Dynamic Interactional Approach, and Andragogy Learning Theory for Adult Learners. An online resource website was developed to help disseminate the information used in …

Promoting Successful Discharges From Skilled Nursing Rehabilitation Units Among Older Adults, Melissa A. Tweet

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Older adults may face occupational limitations that serve as a barrier to maintaining independence in their homes for various reasons, including the onset of illness, injury, or age-related generalized weakness. When individuals are admitted to the hospital and require ongoing rehabilitation to improve their functional abilities, they require effective and client-centered discharge planning to promote a successful transition from the rehabilitation unit. There is a continued need to explore how occupational therapists can provide quality discharge planning throughout the patient’s therapeutic process and methods to facilitate the carryover of skilled interventions after discharge. This capstone project aimed to obtain in-depth …

Occupational Therapy In Family Education: Fourth Trimester Wellness To Kindergarten Readiness, Gabrielle Madeline Hagen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Early intervention programs provide unique opportunities for children to develop cognitive, socioemotional, behavioral, and executive functioning skills which are necessary for success in the school environment. The purpose of this 14-week capstone experience was to integrate trauma-informed occupational therapy principles into an early childhood family education course and to advocate for the role of occupational therapy in postpartum and postnatal wellness. Methods included facilitating play-based interactions between caregivers and children, preparing and presenting educational materials, completing an annotated bibliography, and developing a freely accessible webpage with information about fourth trimester support. The outcomes of this project demonstrate that implementation of …

Relaxation As An Intervention For Military Service Members Experiencing Ans Dysregulation Following Mtbi, Tori Julianne Vanvelzen

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Current evidence indicates that a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can negatively impact autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation, leading to decreased occupational performance (Belchamber, 2022; Frueh et al., 2020). This project aimed to support military service members in ANS regulation following an mTBI to enhance the quality of life (QoL) and occupational performance. The Person Environment Occupation (PEO) Model, Psychological Model of Stress, and Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT) provided a theoretical foundation for the capstone project. Clinical practice, the development of a standardized pilot manual with a relaxation-based curriculum, and education for the interdisciplinary healthcare team were implemented to achieve …

Occupation-Based Sexual Health Education For Adolescents With Disabilities, Elizabeth J. Klocke

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience barriers to learning about sexual health education even though there is documented interest in this subject. Additionally, caregivers of children with disabilities lack experience and knowledge of their children’s sexual developmental needs. My capstone project aimed to provide comprehensive sexual education to adolescents with disabilities and education on childhood sexual development to healthcare professionals, educators, and parents. The literature and needs assessment indicated a need for sexual health education for both students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and caregivers. Due to viewing clients in a holistic manner, occupational therapy is uniquely qualified to …