Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Sexuality And Intimacy Support For Individuals With Idd: A Study Of Ohio County Services, Emmy Baldwin

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

Individuals with development and intellectual disabilities face barriers to participating in activities related to relationships and sexual well-being. This capstone focused on surveying Ohio county organizations to determine what services are available to support individuals in navigating sexuality and intimacy, culminating in a research paper exploring gaps and opportunities.

How Can Occupational Therapy Enhance Existing Substance Use Disorder Treatment In Summit County, Ohio?, Mary Barrett

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone project focused on the role of occupational therapy in substance use disorder treatment. While working at Cleveland State University a needs assessment of the services available in Summit County was conducted. The final project was the development of a pilot OT intervention program for agencies to utilize in their treatment services.

Missed Opportunities To Soothe Distress: Occupational Therapy (Ot) And The End Of Life, Joseph Mastrangelo

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

Hospice patients are underserved by rehabilitation professionals. This capstone, at the Hospice of the Western Reserve, advocate for occupational therapy services for hospice clients by demonstrating specific skills, identifying critical needs, and educating relevent stakeholders about the potential impact of OT for those at the end of life.

Inclusive Postsecondary Education For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Allyson Fedor

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone facilitated the development of the RISE Program at Cleveland State University, a certificate program for young adults with intellectual disabilities- including academic coursework, opportunities for employment, independent living, social participation, and self-determination. Activities focused on the peer mentorship program and supports for student wellness, residence life, and campus engagement.

Disability Awareness And Inclusion To Prevent Acts Of Bullying, Paige Simons

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone was completed at Logan Christian School in Southern Ohio specifically focused on reducing bullying with students with disabilities. Activities encouraging all students, teachers and administrators to become aware and accepting of childhood diagnoses - to minimize acts of bullying and to see abilities before disabilities!

Doing, Being, Becoming, & Belonging: Addressing Leisure To Improve Quality Of Life (Qol) For People With Spinal Cord Injury (Sci), Melanie Grady

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

Client-centered adaptive recreation and leisure activities were explored in rehabilitation and community settings, in collaboration with the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Department at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. A guidebook was created outlining adaptive leisure equipment and local opportunities in promote participation and fulfillment among individuals with SCI.

Incorporating "Occupation" Into Evaluations And Treatments For The Hand And Upper Extremity Population, Kaelyn Cantrell

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone was at the Cleveland clinic Hand Therapy Department. It focused on exploring, identifying and creating ways to enhance the use of occupation into evaluations and interventions for individuals with hand and other upper extremity conditions. This was done by identifying five evidence and occupation-based recommendations that could be implemented and explored at the Cleveland Clinic (research on outcome measures, updating a handout to address activities of daily living (ADLs) while wearing a splint, updated ADL kits, creating treatment cards, and created a manipulation board). This information was disseminated to the hand therapists for future use in practice.

Using The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach To Promote Employment Skill Acquisition In Autistic Transition-Aged Youth, Kristen Mey

Occupational Therapy Doctoral Student Capstone Posters

This capstone is dedicated to improving the occupational participation of autistic transition-aged youth using a novel model for treating autism called The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. ApproachSM. Striving to decrease the employment and wage gap that exists for autistics, this capstone focused on the design and implementation of the Employment Readiness program.

Using Ot-Based Yoga Programs To Improve Sleep Health Across Populations, Hillary Williams

MOT Student Capstones

Sleep dysfunction affects all ages and inhibits successful engagement in everyday activities. Pain and psychological issues are common factors that contribute to sleep health. There is demand for holistic approaches to promote sleep health due to undesirable effects of medications. Yoga has been shown to improve health and wellness of those who practice and can be a tool to improve symptoms leading to poor sleep health. Sleep is an occupational domain that is underrecognized compared to the full scope of occupational therapy (OT). OTs can implement yoga programs to promote sleep health across the lifespan, because they are skilled in …

Occupational Therapy's Role In Increasing Asl (American Sign Language) Intelligibility In Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students, Bailey S. Matney

MOT Student Capstones

Over the years, the occupational therapy profession has worked diligently to provide holistic treatment to all populations throughout the lifespan; however, gaps in practice do exist. One gap that was identified, by this paper's author, involves the Deaf and hard of hearing (D/hh) student population. In American Sign Language (ASL), there are twenty-two different handshapes that make up the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, all of which must be formed through the use of fine motor movements of the wrist, forearm, and digits. In typically developing children, these fine motor movements that ASL production requires are not challenging, but they …

The Proposed Implementation Of An Occupation-Based Wellness Program To Reduce Chronic Disease And Illness For Employees Of A Large Factory Corporation, Sarah Dixon, Rikki Lara

MOT Student Capstones

Chronic disease and illness can have debilitating effects on factory workers, their productivity, number of missed workdays due to sickness, and quality of life. As employers grapple with increased amounts of missed workdays due to sickness, subsequent loss of money, pushed-back deadlines, and scrambling to cover shifts of sick individuals, the need for occupation-based wellness programs is increasing. Occupation-based wellness programs are beneficial as they are client-centered. To combat the issue of chronic disease and illness among factory workers, an in-service was created and presented to members of management within a large factory corporation. Objectives of the presentation included educating …

Transition Ready: Improving Transition Planning For Students With Asd In Rural Georgia Using An Occupational Therapy Based Program, Christen Flowers, Keisa Boykin, Thais Petrocelli

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

PURPOSE To develop an occupational therapy based program to educate school staff and personnel about the transition planning process

Anodal Contralesional Tdcs Enhances Cst Excitability Bilaterally In An Adolescent With Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy: A Brief Report, Rodrigo G. Delatorre, Ellen N. Sutter, Samuel Nemanich, Linda E. Krach, Gregg Meekins, Timothy Feyma, Bernadette T. Gillick

Occupational Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Hemiparetic cerebral palsy (HCP), weakness on one side of the body typically caused by perinatal stroke, is characterized by lifelong motor impairments related to alterations in the corticospinal tract (CST). CST reorganization could be a useful biomarker to guide applications of neuromodulatory interventions, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), to improve effectiveness of rehabilitation therapies. We evaluated an adolescent with HCP and CST reorganization who demonstrated persistent heightened CST excitability in both upper limbs following anodal contralesional tDCS. Results support further investigation of targeted tDCS as an adjuvant therapy to traditional neurorehabilitation for upper limb function.

Adult Vocational Skills Program Development At Gigi’S Playhouse, Lavanya Reddy

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone experience aimed to further develop and individualize vocational skills programs for adults with Down syndrome through a partnership with GiGi’s Playhouse. The project entitled “Adult Vocational Skills Program Development at GiGi’s Playhouse” primarily focused on the expansion and individualization of the GiGi University program curriculum and the design of the GiGi Professional program. These programs are intended to improve vocational skills, confidence, and independent living skills for adults with Down syndrome.

An Occupational Therapist Role In Mental Health: Focus In Schizophrenia And Eating Disorders, Stephany Tourtillott, Lakeisa Boykin, Inti Marizita

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Occupational therapy is a field that aims to help a population gain as much independence as possible within all areas of occupation. In many cases and populations, this tends to fall within the physical limitations domain and does not often consider populations where mental health is the main domain affected. In this capstone project, the writer dove into how an occupational therapist can help those with schizophrenia and eating disorders, specifically within the adolescent population. This capstone project began with a literature review in which five significant themes arose: background on mental health, the current treatment of schizophrenia and eating …

Advocacy For Accessible Air Travel, Alexandra Bruce, Lydia Kite, Zeida Gutierrez

Spring 2023 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Problem: Passengers with disabilities decreased participation in air travel due to anxiety fear of injury, and damage to their assistive technology devices limits their ability to participate in occupations where air travel is used.

Purpose To highlight a need for occupational therapy (OT) collaboration with airlines and related stakeholders; and to advocate for more accessible air travel within the airline industry that can lead to a more safe experience for air travelers with disabilities.

Easydig, Austin Strzelczyk, Ots, Zachary Quain, Ots, Payton Cole, Ots, Elijah Jones, Ids

Program of Industrial Design Posters

Poster is of the "EasyDig" that assists those with difficulty bending and kneeling for long periods of time when gardening.

Simply Swivel Seat - Assistive Device, Patricia Cipollone, Ots, Amy Hanuschik, Ots, Adena Bannett, Ots, Joeseph Belardo, Ids

Program of Industrial Design Posters

Poster is of the "Simply Swivel Seat - Assistive Device" that allows you to sit while entering and exiting the bathtub safely. The seat sits over the edge of the tub and rotates as you lift your legs into or out of the bathtub. The device provides support and minimizes the fear of falling.

Cycle Ascension: 2023, Kerri A. Carpenter, Cota/L, Ots, Nicole Lester, Cota/L, Ots, Kalvin Matischak, Ids

Program of Industrial Design Posters

Poster is of the "Cycle Ascension: 2023" that is designed to maximize function and efficiency with an easy glide telescoping ramp feature, for effortless loading, without additional attachment parts or physical assistance.

Ez-Go Stairs, Jaclyn Jankowski, Ots, Kristina Camille Manapat, Ots, Bokyung Seo, Ots, Cariah London, Ids

Program of Industrial Design Posters

Poster is of the "EZ-GO Stairs" that is a device that will provide support when walking up and down the stairs with a basket attached to carry the items hands-free, and is adapted to client's staircase, height and ensured storability.