Occupational Therapy Commons^™

The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Promoting Employment Outcomes With Individuals Diagnosed With A Serious Mental Illness, Lexie Coalwell, Allison Moran

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project is to enhance occupational therapy (OT) practitioners’ and other healthcare professionals’ knowledge on the essential role OT plays in promoting employment outcomes among individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness (SMI).

Increasing Quality Of Life And Occupational Performance: A Treatment Protocol For Military Burn Patients And Their Families, Emma Chafin, Jessica Lambert

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop a treatment protocol to address the challenges that can affect quality of life and occupational performance of military burn patients and their families. Occupational therapy can offer skilled treatment to help facilitate a successful transition back into civilian life after sustaining a lifealtering combat wound.

The Occupational Therapy Guide For Enabling Meaningful Social Participation Post-Tbi, Vanessa Johnson, Hope Nelson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a guide for occupational therapists to enable meaningful social participation throughout the rehabilitation phases with adults who have sustained a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Guide discusses and presents assessments and interventions recommended for each phase of the rehabilitation process.

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Developing Social Skills For Adolescents With Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Rachel Grubb, Amira Ragab

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a group protocol for occupational therapy practitioners to provide skilled mental health services to adolescents experiencing complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) due to domestic violence.

Increasing Participation In Meaningful Occupations For Disabled Veterans Through The Promotion Of Spirituality: An Intervention Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists., Tristen Smith, Audrya Tarango

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Veterans with psychological disorders may experience a combination of deficits that decrease their ability to engage in meaningful activities (Speicher, Walter, & Chard, 2014). Increasing the well-being and quality of life for veterans is an optimal opportunity for the OT profession to assert its distinct value in addressing the mental health needs of veterans through the enhancement of spirituality. The inclusion of spirituality in interventions are beneficial when alleviating symptoms of a physical and mental capacity, reestablishing beliefs, values, moral code, and relationships with self and the transcendent (Brémault-Phillips et al., 2019).

Occupational Therapy Joining Bariatric Care Teams: A Web-Based Resource, Annabelle Tarnowski, Rylee Skyberg

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose

Despite the overall positive physical and mental health results patients obtain following bariatric surgery, some individuals still experience significant negative health challenges postoperatively. Researchers have asserted that the psychosocial concerns of patients that undergo bariatric surgery are not being properly addressed prior to surgery; therefore, patients are not appropriately equipped with strategies or follow-up care to promote continued weight loss and increase quality of life post-operatively (Kalarchian & Marcus, 2019). Patients who undergo bariatric surgery have experienced maladaptive eating, substance abuse, suicide and self-harm at an increased rate (Kalarchian & Marcus, 2019; Sarwer & Heinberg, 2020). Additionally, occupational therapy …

A Practitioner's Guide: Using The Cognitive Performance Test To Increase Independent Living Skills For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Alycia Peacock, Grace Spanos

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have the desire to live as independently as possible (Gragoudas, 2014). There are a number of barriers that impact living independently including the ability to complete self-care tasks, money management, home management, and health management (Bond & Hurst, 2010). Other barriers reported for individuals with ID include relationships with caregivers, living alone, and vulnerability (Bond & Hurst, 2010). Research identifies that it is difficult to determine the amount of support needed to promote independence in individuals with ID (Francis & Reed, 2019). Occupational therapists (OTs) possess a unique skillset to assist clients with ID …

Empowering Grand-Families Through Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Intervention Program For Grandchildren And Custodial Grandparents, Macie Romsdal, Gabrielle Wavra

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project was to create a program for occupational therapists to use with custodial grandparents and their grandchildren. The number of grandparents becoming primary caregivers to grandchildren continues to increase, and more than 5.7 million grandchildren in the United States were living with and being provided for by grandparents in 2014 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2014). Although there are benefits to being placed in grandparent care, there are also challenges. Some of the challenges custodial grandparents face are health concerns, financial resources, and changes in social supports and occupational roles (Marken & Howard, 2014). Grandchildren may have …

Youth Mental Health Community Based Ot Intervention Guide: Putting The Pieces Back Together, Bailey Schumacher, Meaghan Wolfgram

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: Each year, approximately half a million youth are brought to juvenile detention centers. Based on these statistics, 26,000 children are detained each day (Holman & Ziedenber, 2006). Many children and youth who encounter the juvenile justice system have past experiences of exposure to trauma and mental health illnesses. When these are overlooked or neglected, this may lead to worsening mental health and longstanding involvement within the criminal justice system. For young people, action of prevention to keep them in school and in the community is key: kids should not be in jail in the first place, especially not as …

Coffee With Farmers, Ivy Steiger, Kelsey Sherry

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: The farming community is an underserved population in health care and historically there has been a lack of recognition of the psychosocial stress farmers endure. There is a lack of programming for addressing farmers’ psychosocial stress and mental health, specifically within the field of occupational therapy. The overall purpose of this independent study was to explore the role occupational therapy has within the farming community and develop a program that can be implemented to address psychosocial health with this population.

Addressing Culture Throughout The Occupational Therapy Process: Beyond The Basics, Samantha Plutko, Jacey Savage

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Purpose: Our product, a continuing education course for occupational therapy practitioners, was created with the purpose of giving attendees an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning exercises that will assist them with addressing culture throughout the occupational therapy process.

Improving School Readiness In Home-Based Care Settings, Malea Peters, Shelby Wittenberg

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to create a resource guide for home-based daycare providers to promote school readiness skills in preschool-age children. Several national and local policies promote children’s school readiness in early childhood years (NEGP, 1995). Children in home-based daycares may be at-risk for lower school readiness skills upon school entry compared to similar-age children in other childcare arrangements (Bassok, Greenberg, Fitzpatrick, & Loeb, 2016). Occupational therapists can play a role in supporting home-based daycare providers to implement school readiness activities for preschool-age children into their daily routines.

Occupation-Based Intervention With Evaluation Of The Home Environment For Older Adults In A Long-Term Care Facility, Teo Faulkner, Autumn Hopkin, Anna Logan

Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of this critically appraised topic (CAT) is to recommend education of longterm care staff on the residents and the residents’ previous experiences and preferred occupations and how home evaluation within the long-term care facility with recommendations for the environment could indicate where there is occupational deprivation, and lack of occupational based/client-centered interventions for adults 65 and older in long-term care facilities.

Post-Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Interventions And Their Relationship To Social Involvement And Quality Of Life For Middle-Aged Women, Abby Bauman, Jenna Holm, Sarah Zuelzke

Critically Appraised Topics

In the United States, statistics have shown that there is a one in eight percent chance that a woman will develop breast cancer sometime throughout their life, and it is estimated that there will be 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women in the year 2021 (American Cancer Society, 2021). One in five of the women who survive breast cancer will develop lymphedema within the initial three years following their breast cancer treatment (American College of Surgeons, 2013; DiSipio et al., 2013). Lymphedema is a chronic and progressive condition that is defined by the abnormal swelling caused …

Utilizing A Community-Based Core Approach To Foster Occupational Engagement In Individuals With Mental Health Conditions Within Rural Communities, Anne Domanus, Melanie Martinez, Sheena Miller

Critically Appraised Topics

“Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness,” which was approximately 51.1 million people in 2019 (National Institute of Mental Health, 2021, para. 1). This is an important issue within the country; however, it is not widely talked about, especially in rural areas. Research has shown that the prevalence of mental health conditions is consistent across urban and rural areas, but the stigma that surrounds mental health conditions is worse within rural communities (Thorne & Ebener, 2020). This has been attributed to the lack of access to resources, lack of knowledge about resources and mental health conditions …

A Guide For Occupational Therapist Working With Women With Postpartum Depression And Eating Disorders, Nathina Crabtree, Sara Gregoire

Occupational Therapy Capstones

An eating disorder (ED) is characterized by regular and constant disturbances in eating or an eating-related behavior that are associated with distress and impairments (Marcus, 2018). Schmidt et al., (2016), noted that the average duration of an ED illness is six years and young women make up the majority of people with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). According to Knoph et al., (2013) the majority of women with AN and BN that were pregnant appeared to turn to adaptive changes in eating behaviors. The researchers in the article by Knoph et al., (2013) found that pregnancy is a …

Structured Ambassador Program For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In The Preschool Setting, Aspen Pitcher, Abby Wendel

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) have multiple opportunities to participate in the community through a variety of programs. Most programs show significant benefits in immersing individuals with ID/DD in social and physical contexts. Ashley, Fossey, and Bigby (2019) explain that participation for individuals with ID/DD is influenced by motivation, abilities, and environmental conditions. The environment plays a key role in supporting or hindering occupational engagement for individuals with ID/DD (Ashley et al., 2019). The research supports the use of vocational programs, intergenerational programs, and peer mentorship to improve the quality of life for individuals with ID/DD …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Addressing Mental Health Needs In Middle Schoolers, Taylor Anderson, Emily Annen, Seira Dick

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Adolescence is a period of time filled with many transitions. The transition from elementary to middle school comes with new academic, social, and environmental demands. Currently, adolescents often lack the skills and the support necessary to cope with these demands, leading to an increase in mental health challenges (Moksnes, Lohre, Lillefiell, Byrne, & Haugen, 2016). While there are many school-based interventions designed to support students throughout this difficult transition, many environmental barriers exist which prevent the effective implementation of these interventions. One category of barriers is the lack of school resources. Although there is significant positive research on social emotional …

Creating An Adaptive In-School Sports Program To Increase Occupational Engagement And Performance In Children With Physical Disabilities: A Resource Manual For Occupational Therapists, Bethany Kasberger, Kaylee Loken

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Participating in physical activity, including sports programs, has been found to have many positive health benefits both physically and mentally (Moss, Lim, K, Prunty, & Norris, 2020). The purpose of creating adaptive sports programs within schools is to promote engagement in physical activity and achieve the many benefits that sports programs have to offer. Children with and without physical disabilities should have equal access to these benefits for appropriate development. Enabling individuals with physical disabilities to participate in sports can assist in improving their overall quality of life and begin building skills that will benefit them in adulthood.

Immersive Virtual Reality (Vr) And Telehealth To Promote Engagement In Occupations For Rural Populations: Manual For Occupational Therapists, Brock Wahlert, Emily Utech

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Abstract

Telehealth has been used to alleviate the impact of occupational deprivation in rural communities (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2018). There is continuing research on the development of telehealth in the occupational therapy profession. An emerging type of technology utilized in occupational therapy consists of using immersive VR interventions to increase client's performance skills (Karamians, Proffitt, Kline & Gauthier, 2019; Kwan, Park, Yoon & Park, 2012; Halton, 2008; Weiss Rand, Katz & Kizony, 2004). The combination of immersive VR and telehealth allows occupational therapy practitioners to interact, evaluate, and intervene with clients living in rural communities. The immersive VR …