Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Aquatic Therapy For Subacute Stroke Patients, Meaghan Buchanan

MOT Student Capstones

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability in the U.S. affecting patients physically and psychologically. A stroke can lead to significant functional deficits, depending on the location of the stroke, and level of rehabilitation. Currently, no rehabilitation protocol exists for stroke patients and often patients reach a plateau during treatment, without reaching their full potential, and with continued deficits that affect functional mobility. Interventions provided in an aquatic environment can promote continued therapeutic outcomes, not possible with land-based therapy. The purpose of this paper is to showcase aquatic therapy as a viable therapeutic intervention and to provide a …

Implementation Of Mental Imagery Training For Upper Extremity Recovery Post-Stroke, Jenna Curcio

MOT Student Capstones

Mental imagery is a powerful tool in upper extremity stroke recovery when used in conjunction with traditional rehabilitative therapies. ft is the process of cognitively visualizing fluid and functional movements of the affected upper extremity during everyday tasks. Substantial research has been conducted regarding the efficacy of this intervention with supported outcome measurement data. Mental imagery training is beneficial because it can be done with minimal set up and completed outside of therapy hours. Neuroplasticity is used to salvage motor pathways for functional return of the limb. This tool is not suitable for every person who has had a stroke, …

Self-Efficacy Of Professionalism: Online Modules To Improve Implementation On Level Ii Fieldwork, Leigh Leonard, Otd, Ms, Otr/L

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Professionalism is a fundamental component of occupational therapy. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has many official documents that reference professionalism including the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics, Standards for Continuing Competence, Standards of Practice for Occupational Therapy, and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, 4th ed. There are high professional expectations of occupational therapy students, however, the definition of professional behaviors varies among fieldwork educators, faculty, and occupational therapy students. The literature revealed four themes of professionalism that were consistent across all stakeholders. Online education has increasingly become the norm for many programs and there is strong …

Navigating The Community With A Disability: How Ability App Can Help And Why Ots Should Get Involved, Hailey Scandin

OTD Capstone Projects

Ability App was invented and founded by Alex Knoll, an incredible teenager with a passion for helping provide resources for individuals with disabilities. The app strives to serve people with disabilities, their families, and caregivers by providing a road-map of accessible public spaces and business locations around the world while raising awareness about the importance of accessibility and inclusion. The project goal was to network the app to different occupational therapy programs in order to help expand the number of locations that are available for Ability App users. Occupational therapists can use Ability App to advocate for individuals with disabilities, …

Qualitative Analysis Of Different Educational Physical Activity Interventions And Policies For Older Asian Americans In The United States, Raisa Kabir, Manoj Sharma, Sayeda Tazim Zaidi

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Physical activity (PA) provides numerous positive health benefits and minimizes chronic diseases and mental health issues, especially in older adults. The national survey data indicated that only 27.3% to 44.3% of older adults meet the recommended physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes/ week. There are limited data on PA behavior among older AA adults as very few to no local/national surveys are targeted for older AA and their marginalized subgroups. This qualitative analysis aimed to understand and review the effectiveness of physical activity interventions targeted for and done among older Asian American adults. The study included a comprehensive review based …

Occupational Therapy In Youth Violence: An Occupation-Based Program For At-Risk Youth, Jasmine Shahin

Student Capstone Papers

Throughout the years, youth participating in violence has become an increased concern around the nation as there is an increase in media outlets displaying tragedies, such as mass school shootings caused by students. The at-risk youth population is a specific population disadvantaged in engaging in safe and health-promoting activities due to limited resources or opportunities. As a result, at-risk youth make decisions based on their disadvantaged environment (Farajzadegan et al., 2018; Gallagher et al., 2015a). Factors including socioeconomic status, social support from family or friends, and mental health impact an individual’s opinions, attitudes, and interests as well as their occupational …

Occupational Engagement And Integration Among Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Immigrants, Sherry Manoly

Student Capstone Papers

Background: The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox (Copt) population in America has grown exponentially due to religious intolerance in Egypt. Many Copts experience feelings of helplessness because of the stark difference in American culture compared to their home culture. Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession that can impact the experience of Copts through participation in meaningful occupations. This qualitative study sought to answer the research question, “what is the current state of occupational engagement for recently immigrated Coptic immigrants?”

Methods: Eighteen participants filled out the 9-question open-ended survey concerning overall perceptions about moving to America. Data was analyzed using thematic …

Let’S Dance: Exploring The Physical, Psychological, And Social Effects Of Dance In Children, Alexis Sunderlage

Senior Theses

Movement and dance have a lot of positive health benefits, physically, psychologically, and socially. Children love to intrinsically move and creating a structured dance program is one way to gain the benefits of dance. The purpose of this study is to explore the physical, psychological, and social effects of dance in children while gaining insights that could be applied to the setting of occupational and physical pediatric therapies. This was done by conducting a literature review and exploring how children react to learning and following dance videos in a classroom setting by evaluating ability, engagement, and enjoyment by creating Let’s …

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

Other Specialties

Abstract

The current study evaluated the relationship between social participation and quality of life (QoL) for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community-dwelling adults (N = 230) age 65 or older completed an online survey providing demographic data to identify changes in lifestyle routine during the pandemic using the COVID-19 Quality of Life (COV19-QoL) scores. Analyses revealed significant differences in reported lifestyle routines in relation to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and significant differences in COV19-QoL scores across various demographic groups. Results demonstrated the close relationship between social participation and QOL, assisted with identifying individuals at increased risk, and …

Cooper Neurological Institute, Kayla Cupano

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

A Farewell To Ears: Hearing The Call And Answering, Ann Marie Brown

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

A semi-humorous autobiographical account of one first-year MSOT student trying to do their part to support the local healthcare community and its clients during the time of COVID-19 and self-quarantine.

Beyond Surviving: Identifying How To Support Individuals Living With Mental Illness And/Or Substance Use Difficulties To Thrive Following Homelessness In Kingston, Ontario, Carrie Marshall

Occupational Therapy Publications

While unhoused, persons who have experienced homelessness are frequently consumed with securing the necessary conditions to meet their basic needs including finding a place to stay for the night, finding food, and keeping safe. In other words, they are simply trying to survive. It is frequently assumed that when individuals secure a tenancy following homelessness, that their life naturally improves for the better in most or all areas of their lives. Unfortunately, recent research suggests that many people who secure housing after homelessness languish and continue to live in a state of survival. While the importance of supporting individuals to …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Addressing Sexuality And Intimacy For Individuals With Progressive Neuromuscular Disorders, Lindsay N. Richards

Student Capstone Papers

Individuals with progressive neuromuscular disorders (PND); specifically, Parkinson’s disease (PD), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Huntington’s Disease (HD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) often face physical, psychological, and social challenges related to sex and intimacy. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are experts in activity analysis and are equipped with unique knowledge of performance skills and client factors to address deficits in occupational performance.

Though there is literature presenting the effects of PND on sexual occupations, a gap exists as it relates to qualitative data from the perspective of the individual and their partners. A mixed-methods survey was conducted examining the lived experience of …

The Risk Factors And Preventive Measures Regarding Fall-Related Injuries At Home Among Older Adults: A Literature Review, Alexarae A. Deer, Carlyn Ellison, Linda R. Struckmeyer

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors, among older adults, that play a role in causing fall-related injuries in the home as well as to investigate the various preventive measures via a literature review. 14 articles were identified to have met the inclusion/exclusion criteria for this review. The results showed that there were potentially modifiable risk factors (for example, musculoskeletal factors like balance and gait impairment), several available preventive measures (for example, home modifications and medication review), and effective multifactorial programs in preventing falls among older adults. This study also sought to locate gaps in the …

Striving For Consistency Among Change And Uncertainty: A Year Of Interprofessional Student Hotspotting, Tracey Earland, Phd, Otr/L, Megan Hershman, Ms, Samantha Burke, Otd

Collaborative Healthcare: Interprofessional Practice, Education and Evaluation (JCIPE)

In Student Hotspotting, interprofessional teams provide hands-on, individualized interventions to patients with high healthcare utilization to address underlying social determinants of health (such as education, economic stability, or neighborhood safety), promote interprofessional collaboration, and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions for patients with complex health and social needs.

Meet An Ipe Student Champion From Thomas Jefferson University, Umara Iftikhar

Collaborative Healthcare: Interprofessional Practice, Education and Evaluation (JCIPE)

For the past year and a half, I have been a graduate assistant (GA) for JCIPE and have had the opportunity to work on various projects.

The Development Of A Multiple Errands Test For Pre/Post Concussive Testing On A College Campus: The University Multiple Errands Test - Lessons Learned, Regula H. Robnett, Kathleen Hahn, Tetee Roland

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The Multiple Errands Test (MET) is an occupation-based assessment tool, used to determine if someone who has sustained an acquired brain injury can successfully complete everyday errands, such as purchasing items at a gift shop, mailing a letter, and determining what hours a store is open. The MET has been used successfully in a hospital setting. Due to the MET’s ecological validity, we sought to determine if an adapted MET (revised for a college campus setting) would be an appropriate alternative to the ImPACT, an often-required, on-line pre and post-concussion neuropsychological assessment for high school and college athletes. Students may …

Program Evaluation Exploring Effectiveness Of Experiential Learning Activities On Transition To Practice In An Occupational Therapy Educational Program, Kari M. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed methods program evaluation sought to determine the current curriculum’s overall effectiveness in relation to student readiness for fieldwork. The use of teaching practices in this occupational therapy curriculum was evaluated to determine if they support a successful transition to professional practice. Qualitative data was collected through semistructured interviews to ascertain student satisfaction with the educational program, student readiness for fieldwork, and the student perception of the educational program’s mission. Semistructured interviews were also used to gain insight from fieldwork educators regarding student readiness for practice and the effect of the program mission on student performance. Quantitative data was …

Creating A New Normal Through Engagement In Meaningful Occupation, Jennifer K. Fortuna Phd, Otr/L

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Katie Edick, an occupational therapist and artist based in Portland, Michigan, provided the cover art for the Winter 2021 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Katie Bird” is a 4” x 6” watercolor painting. After receiving a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), Katie set out to find a new purpose and leave a legacy. She made the decision to live with intention and choose life experiences that create joy. Through engagement in meaningful occupations, such as painting and patient advocacy, Katie is creating a new normal.

Bridging The Gap: Three Strategies To Optimize Professional Relationships With Generation Y And Z, Elizabeth D. Deiuliis, Emily Saylor

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Millennials (Generation Y) and the Generation Z population comprise the majority of occupational therapy student cohorts and new graduates entering the workforce. While fieldwork education has historically prepared students for generalist, entry-level practice, there is still a gap between what students versus employers feel are career-ready skills and qualities to be successful in the workforce. This manuscript presents evidenced-based strategies for educators, occupational therapists, and managers to enhance the preparation and professional development of occupational therapy students and new graduates. Use of coaching philosophies, emphasizing practice-ready skills, and a growth mindset are methods to target the strengths of Generations Y …