Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Supporting Caregivers And Survivors Of Stroke In Their Journey Through Stroke Recovery Via Telehealth Services, Keri Kamphoff

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Supporting Caregivers and Survivors of Stroke in their Journey through Stroke Recovery via Telehealth Services

Background: Strokes are a prevalent condition around the world that cause chronic functional deficits. Survivors of stroke and their caregivers in the community report limited social participation, decreased involvement in favored occupations, worse health outcomes, and increased rates of anxiety and stress. Occupational therapists have the skills to provide education and support for this population through community programs using telehealth.

Methodology: This project was completed at the American Stroke Foundation (ASF), which was operating virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Webinars, caregiver support groups, daily …

The Benefits Of Utilizing A Sensory Room In A Pediatric Outpatient Setting, Mackenzie L. Wand

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this Capstone project was to develop a sensory room in an outpatient setting to support child-led sensory integration. The Capstone experience was completed at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota in an outpatient setting. The project was geared towards working primarily with the pediatric population with a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The main learning objective was creating the sensory room which included creating a list of equipment for the room and setting up the room once the items were delivered. Another main learning objective was creating binders to provide …

Role Of Occupational Therapy In The Nicu And Post-Nicu Settings, Katlyn M. Schochenmaier

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this capstone experience was to gain advanced clinical experience and explore occupational therapy’s role in the NICU and post-NICU settings. Further focus of this capstone was on the feeding concerns and sensory development of infants following a NICU stay. This capstone project was completed at a Level IV NICU and an outpatient speech and occupational therapy clinic in a midwestern city. Theoretical models of Ayres’ Sensory Integration, Neonatal Integrative Developmental Care Model, and Biopsychosocial Model of Pediatric Feeding were used to develop and implement this capstone experience. A two-day continuing education course was completed prior to the …

Advocating For The Field Of Occupational Therapy In A Childcare Setting, Nicole K. Leinhart

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Significant physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development occurs during the first five years of life; many children spend time in the childcare setting during this crucial time of development. Appropriately meeting the needs of children is important for healthy growth and development throughout an individual’s life. Working in collaboration with the childcare staff, occupational therapists are beneficial when working with the pediatric population. With their extensive knowledge, expertise, and training in human development, as well as the physiological, psychological, social, and emotional needs of individuals throughout the lifespan, occupational therapists improve the children’s engagement and success within a childcare setting. …

Empowering Occupational Therapy Practitioners Through Virtual Education On Seating And Wheeled Mobility, Jane A. Loscheider

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background and Purpose: Seating and wheeled mobility is a complex practice area with serious secondary complications if the client does not have an optimally configured seating and mobility device. Occupational therapists receive basic education on seating and wheeled mobility, but additional education is needed for best practice. The purpose of this project was to provide education for the occupational therapy practitioner and identify if a virtual seating and mobility course could improve their comfort level working with their clients who rely on a wheelchair for occupational engagement. Methods: A literature review and needs assessment submitted by 100 occupational therapy clinicians …

Virtual Reality And Its Impact As An Intervention On Meaningful Occupations For Individuals With Mental Health Diagnoses, Alison S. Benson

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

The purpose of this capstone project was to administer occupation-based and therapeutic interventions based on virtual reality and evaluate their impact on participation in meaningful occupations by individuals with mental health diagnoses. I completed this 14-week capstone experience at the Professional Rehabilitation Consultants, an outpatient occupational therapy mental health clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota. The interventions that I tested were administered using strategies from principles of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and the Recovery Model. I created intervention modules based on published instructions on the use of VR equipment and information gathered from research on the VR applications. I …

Supporting The Holistic Treatment Of Adults With Upper Extremity Injuries: Bridging The Gap Between The Clinic And Classroom, Stephanie W. Mcclung

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Research continues to support the need for holistic and occupation-based treatment of patients with upper extremity (UE) injuries, therefore, occupational therapy students (OTS) would benefit from continued education supporting holistic hand therapy. Thus, the purpose of this capstone experience was to offer a capstone student with an opportunity to provide holistic hand therapy, explore and address barriers to delivering holistic therapy services, and following reflection, use the knowledge and skills gained through this experience to create supplemental educational materials to further peer education in holistic hand therapy. While providing direct patient care, the capstone student developed a better understanding of …

Complementary And Integrative Approaches For Occupational Therapy Practitioners: An Educational Experience, Wanda Kay Lauer

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Background and purpose: The use of complementary health approaches and integrative health (CHAIH) practices are on the rise in the United States. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) supports their use as occupations, activities, or interventions to support occupations yet many occupational therapists do not feel comfortable discussing or implementing complementary approaches in their therapy practice. The purpose of this project was to develop a two-day continuing education course to provide occupational therapy practitioners with information to increase their competency and confidence in utilizing complementary and integrative approaches in practice.

Methods: A literature review was completed to determine if there …

Improving Quality Of Life Among Individuals With Neurocognitive Disorders Using Occupational Therapy And A Sensory Integration Approach, Makenzie K. Johnson

Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations

Abstract

Currently, 50 million people worldwide are affected by major neurocognitive disorder (MND). Those with MND often exhibit behavioral and psychological symptoms that have a significant impact on occupational participation and overall quality of life. Symptoms are frequently treated with anti-psychotics; however, a need for a non-pharmacological approach to alleviate these symptoms is indicated through current research. This 14-week Capstone experience was completed in the memory care neighborhoods at Sunrise Retirement Community in Sioux City, Iowa. Throughout this experience, knowledge related to effective caregiving strategies and sensory based interventions was enhanced, education was provided to memory care staff and occupational …

Effect Of Sport-Specific Demands On Swimmer's Shoulder, Jordan A. Thielbar

Honors Thesis

Swimming is a unique sport in that the shoulders generate most of the propulsive force. Therefore, due to the large amounts of repetitive force, the shoulders generate during freestyle, swimmer’s shoulder is the most common injury among competitive swimmers. Freestyle biomechanics, muscular imbalances and posture all play a pertinent role in a swimmer’s risk for developing a shoulder injury during their swimming career. Swimmers typically develop large muscular imbalances between their dominant and nondominant shoulders due to several sport-specific demands including freestyle stroke mechanics, breathing, and body roll. These muscular imbalances alter a swimmer’s posture and freestyle biomechanics which eventually …

Review Of Cerebral Palsy: The Various Intervention Techniques, Taylor Jo Schultz

Honors Thesis

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from a disruption in the development in the infantile or fetal brain. It affects over 17 million people worldwide. The goal of this review paper is to provide an in-depth literature review behind the causes, diagnosis, associated disorders of CP as well as the treatment interventions that would lead to a comprehensive treatment plan for CP patients. There are many possible causes of CP, contrary to the popular belief that CP is only caused by hypoxia or ischemia at birth. Diagnosis requires determining the motor function, part(s) of the body affected, …

The Effect Of Exercise On College Students' Overall Health, Tanner Steineke

Honors Thesis

Introduction: Many individuals are not attaining the World Health Organization and American Heart Association’s recommendations for daily physical activity. Physical activity habits are developed during young adulthood and it is therefore important to study barriers to physical activity in college students.

Objectives: Investigate the relationship between college student’s physical activity and their overall health. Methods: Data was collected by circulating an online survey to students on the University of South Dakota campus. Several survey questions were used from the SF-36 and the National College Health Assessment. Measures included mental health, physical activity, overall health, diet, and sleep habits.

Results: Results …

Always Hope: The Matthew Jessen Story, Christopher Jessen

Honors Thesis

Everyone is at risk of a brain injury every day. The effects of a brain injury can range from the minimal to the debilitating. Matthew Jessen is a brain injury survivor and my brother. His story is one of struggles and triumph as he overcame an injury that could have killed him. This documentary examines the impact brain injuries have through Matthew’s story. It describes Matthew’s journey through his initial seizures, his stay at the Mayo hospital and the brain injury facility On With Life, and his return home and to school. The documentary also shows wide range of effects …