Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Multi-Limb Control And Attention During Simulated Driving In Parkinson’S Disease: Study Methods And Discussion From An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Emily Mcfadden

OT Student Capstones

Driving is an important activity that enables independence and cessation of driving leads to decreased quality of life including depression, poorer health outcomes, and decreased longevity. Distraction and multi-tasking while driving often leads to disastrous results, highlighting the importance of attention and cognition for safe driving. Drivers with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are at particular risk for driving cessation or reduced safety due to progressive difficulties in both motor and cognitive function. A characteristic feature of cognitive impairment in PD is difficulty to begin or change self-initiated movement based on implicit or contextual cues. People with PD rely more heavily on …

Healthy Brains, Healthy Bodies: A Program Designed To Address Mealtime Routines And Self- Regulation In Children With Dual Diagnosis, Heather Warner

OT Student Capstones

Trauma can be defined as an actual or posed threat that could cause or has caused harm to an individual (National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2018). Situations that put a child at risk or have the perceived threat of putting a child’s life at risk are defined as traumatic and can cause serious detrimental developmental changes. For this particular doctoral project, programs were designed by an occupational therapy student for Tennyson Center for Children, a facility that works with at-risk children and their families, to address concerns in both the school and community-based setting for children who have experienced trauma. …

Sleep And Wellbeing At Phoenix Children’S Hospital, Rebecca Ls Knowles

OT Student Capstones

Background/Literature Review: Sleep and well-being have a dynamic, reciprocal relationship. A review of the literature suggests hospital night shift employees are vulnerable to health disparities due to circadian rhythm disruption, and experience low ratings of well-being. Methods: A multi-layered needs assessment included meetings with interdisciplinary representatives, review of employee satisfaction and attrition data, and interviews with night shift workers. Results: The needs assessment identified several unmet employee needs, including staffing, scheduling, and healthy food access. Insufficient staffing emerged as a barrier to employee health and well-being. Discussion: The results suggested that new graduates enter PCH enthusiastic and resilient but suffer …

An Examination Of Mothering Occupations In The Context Of Spinal Cord Injury, Gohar Ghushchyan-Tigranyan

OT Student Capstones

An examination of mothering occupations in the context of spinal cord injury across cultures, motherhood is a desired life trajectory that is strongly influenced by cultural norms and expectations. Mental or physical injuries can become a barrier to fulfilling this life goal, leaving a great sense of loss and feeling of failure for women (Albright, Duggan, and Rahman, 2009). This paper aims to understand the lives of mothers with spinal cord injury, the physical challenges and adaptation that they found around the disability, and the psychosocial impact of mothering from a wheelchair. This project will also investigate professional involvement, such …

Resiliency And Proactive Coping Methods Targeting Perceived Stress Levels In Older Adults, Katie Holmes

OT Student Capstones

Stress, or perceived stress, has the potential to be life-threatening to those that experience it on a regular basis. Community-dwelling older adults may be particularly vulnerable to perceived stress and its effects due to stressors such as negative life events, chronic disease or declining health, loss of loved ones experienced with the aging process, and social isolation. Stress and mental health and well-being are not being adequately addressed in independent and assisted living communities for older adults. An eight-week stress management program focusing on the concepts of resiliency and proactive coping was implemented at a local retirement community. An overall …

Board Games For Kids: Reducing Stress And Learning Through Play, Benjamin Wolf

OT Student Capstones

The aim of the project, Board Games for Kids was to provide an opportunity for underprivileged children to reduce stress and improve essential life skills through the occupation of play. Despite the lack of scholarly research, board games are widely considered to assist in the development of executive function skills necessary for future life skills. This program served as a pilot test and proof of concept. Clinical observation determined improvements in the development of appropriate play skills, and executive functioning skills such as planning, organizing, and sequencing. Staff observations noted improved peer to peer interactions, mood, and behaviors and abilities …

Case Report: A Modified Early Passive Mobilization Protocol For A Zone Ii Flexor Pollicis Longus Repair, Brandon Ryan

OT Student Capstones

A hand can be injured in many ways, but rehabilitation of a tendon laceration following a surgical repair can be one of the most challenging aspects of hand therapy. For example, rates of secondary repair due to complications, such as tendon rupture or tendon adhesion, have been reported to be as high as 17% (Dy et al., 2012). This can be especially problematic when considering the unique characteristics of the dynamics of thumb flexion when compared with that of the other digits. There are many different protocols for flexor tendon repairs, which can make it difficult for a therapist to …

Use Of The Alert Program® In A Sensory Room At An Emergency Children's Shelter, Sarah May Bautista

OT Student Capstones

Children who have experienced trauma have difficulty with behavioral self-regulation which effects social participation, play, and academics (Petrenchik & Weiss, 2015). Young children learn through exploration of their environment and gather information from the senses of taste, sight, touch, smell, sound, proprioception, and body movement (vestibular). As sensory information is gathered, the brain and body organize and interpret these sensations. The manner in which these senses are experienced determine which sensory experiences are preferred, and the nature of behavioral reactions. Children who have experienced trauma have difficulty managing stress, emotions, and daily routines. In the community occupational therapists can encourage …

Dr. Seuss Fine Motor Development Club, Nicole Borcyk, Madelyn Beck

Honors Program: Expanded Learning Clubs

After school club that helps students develop fine motor skills by doing hands-on activities relating to Dr. Seuss's most popular books.

Examining The Benefits Of Educating Caregivers About Tummy Time In The Acute Care Setting, Alexandra L. Turner

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: This project addressed providing parents with education on tummy time in the acute care setting. This is based on a gap in the literature on occupational therapy (OT) services in the acute care setting.

Purpose: The purpose of this research project was to conduct a pilot study to examine the benefit of educating parents of infants in the acute care setting on providing tummy time as a developmental education measure.

Theoretical Framework: The occupational therapy practice theory, of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) supports the holistic supporting of families, in their role as a parent, to meet the …

Engaging The Occupational Imagination: Meeting In Diversity, Debbie Rudman

Occupational Therapy Publications

This article provides a reflection on the 2017 Occupational Science Europe conference through a critical occupational science lens. I first provide a key synopsis of lines of arguments forwarded in a keynote talk I delivered at this conference, titled ‘Embracing a critical turn in occupational science: Contributions and future possibilities’. I then draw upon one of the key directions forwarded in this talk as a means to further enact a transformative agenda through critical occupational science to reflect on how ‘meeting in diversity’ fostered critical alertness. In particular, the strategy of ‘meeting in diversity’ with occupation as a common ground …

The Home Health Aide Experience: Opportunities For Occupational Therapy, Julia Mindlina

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Introduction: Home health aides undergo significantly increased physical stress in their work with minimal support which may contribute to decreased satisfaction with a home health aide position (Czuba et al., 2012). Providing frequent assistance with hands-on self-care tasks and transfers has been correlated with an increased occurrence of physical injury (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2010). Occupational therapists have specialized skills in task-adaptation, environmental modification, and proper body mechanics that can assist home health aides in maximizing their client’s function and decreasing risk of injury such as back strain. However, little is known about how home health aides …

Caregiver Participation In Leisure And Social Activities While Caring For Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease, Ashley Devoti

MOT Student Capstones

This project focused on caregiver's participation in leisure and social activities while caring for individuals with Alzheimer's Disease or a related dementia. This project had caregivers describe how they view leisure and social activities. reporting the amount of time that they engage in leisure and social activities. The caregivers then participated in an educational training module. With the goal of having the caregivers identify a change in their overall views of leisure and social participation and thus reporting an increase in the amount of time that they engage in leisure and social activities in order to promote improved quality of …

Person-Environment Interactions: The Psychological Implications Of Behaviors, Confidence, And Self-Efficacy In Falls Management., Lisa S. Roberson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Strong evidence supports medication review and management, health and safety education, and home modifications as a holistic approach to falls prevention. Current research demonstrates that individual interventions reduce the risk of falls yet do not statistically reduce the number of falls (Gallo, Stelmach, Frigeri, & Ahn, 2018). The problem this Capstone project addressed was the limited psychological considerations, awareness of behaviors, confidence, and self-efficacy, as they relate to falls prevention. These psychological factors have not been previously studied in a single study.

Purpose: To determine the relationship or significance of psychological considerations as they relate to fall prevention. Increase …

Benefits Of The Incorporation Of Occupational Therapy Services Into The Clemsonlife Program, Taylor Gee

MOT Student Capstones

This capstone project is based on increasing advocacy for the introduction of occupational therapy services within the ClemsonLIFE program The ClemsonLIFE program, located on the campus of Clemson University, is focused on providing both educational and life skills opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The program lasts between two and three years with graduates earning a certificate of achievement. Currently the program does not incorporate occupational therapy services into their curriculum. The goal of this capstone project is to increase awareness and demonstrate the efficacy of occupational therapy services when incorporated into the program. In order to demonstrate the potential …

Occupational Therapisrs Perceptions On Benefits Of Yoga For Depression In Chronic Illness, Alexandra Feldman

MOT Student Capstones

This project was established to explore the complementary practices of yoga and occupational therapy (OT) and its effectiveness in addressing depression in adult populations with chronic illnesses. Project objectives aimed to provide OTs with an increase in perceived knowledge regarding the use of yoga as a therapeutic tool, to identify the beneficial therapeutic relationship between yoga and OT, to increase the likelihood of implementing yoga during OT intervention. to enable OTs to educate others regarding the benefits of yoga and OT. and to promote an understand ing of the similar yogic and OT philosophies in relation to client-centered practice. A …

Elder Communication In The Skilled Rehabilitation Setting: An Occupation-Based Alternative, Shanna M. Fisher

MOT Student Capstones

This research focuses on the certified nursing assistant (CNA) population within the skilled nursing setting and their related understanding and use of intergenerational communication, specifically elderspeak. Principles of Occupational Therapy (OT) were integrated into an educational module that provided alternative forms of communication to foster a change in the interdisciplinary relationship between OT professionals and nursing paraprofessionals and to improve the experience of geriatric patients during their stay at a skilled rehabilitation facility. A twenty-minute in-service was implemented to educate CNAs on elderspeak and incorporate new communication techniques. Pre- and post-surveys were administered to assess the baseline knowledge and beliefs …

The Impact Of Education On Implementation Of Mirror Box Therapy Across Occupational Therapy Practice Settings, Nicole Y. Larue

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Mirror box therapy has been found to be effective in changing motor and sensory outcomes in patients with cerebrovascular accident (CVA). It has many benefits to use for occupational therapists such as ease of use, ease of transportation, capability to be used across practice settings, and ability to be incorporated into conventional therapy treatment. However, therapists included in this study may not have been using the intervention due to lack of knowledge or availability of the intervention equipment.

The purpose of this capstone project was to determine the impact education would have on occupational therapists’ attitudes and behaviors towards the …

Acute Care Occupational Therapy Practice: Application Of The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure In A Palliative Care Program, Karen Enlow

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Occupational therapists working in acute care must meet the many challenges of working with a diverse group of clients such as adult cancer survivors. Clients may be transitioned to acute palliative care due to disease progression. Clients in palliative care have many unmet needs affecting engagement in occupations, thus requiring occupational therapy services. The goal of this capstone project is to describe occupation-based problems and level of independence in completing basic activities of daily living among acute palliative care clients to illustrate the importance of using occupation-based approach with this population. The longitudinal prospective study utilized standardized evaluations to assess …

Heart To Heart: Educating Allied Healthcare Students And Professionals About Heart Failure, Samantha M. Barefoot

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Heart failure (HF) is a health problem which providing necessary education to healthcare professionals who serve individuals with HF allows for continuity of care and the promotion of disease management for this population. The intent of this research was to determine if providing an educational in-service to allied healthcare students and practitioners increased their knowledge of OT’s role with HF clients and about HF itself as a condition interfering with occupation. The design of this study involved collecting pre/post survey data to evaluate the knowledge of the participants about the HF population and gathering participant satisfaction data regarding the in-service. …