Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Occupational Therapy On College Campuses: Facilitating Student Success Through Occupation, Kristy Coen, Carlin Daley, Kieran Lewis, Susan Madigan, Karen Mccarthy, Clodagh Nolan, Áine O'Dea, Linda Reen, Liath Sheehan, Orla Sullivan

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Conference Presentations

Purpose: To explore how occupational therapy services fit into a supported education model on college campuses.

Rationale: College students present with many strengths and challenges in college settings. There are limited services for young adults to succeed in college and students with various diagnoses face challenges in the areas of time management, organization, academic skills, and in social areas of college (Orentlicher, & Olson, 2010; Rogers, Kash-MacDonald, Bruker, & Maru, 2010). Higher education is a role emerging area for occupational therapists, and there are some pioneering occupational therapists who have discovered multiple ways to provide services to students who are …

Inter-Professional Collaboration: The Impact Of Serial Versus Merged Treatment On The Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robyn Starry

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Interdisciplinary collaboration is an innovative, resourceful approach to healthcare intended to positively affect patient outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of the serial exposure to three treatments, Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy, in comparison with an exposure to a merge of these treatments on child outcomes. During the serial treatment phases of intervention, three licensed professionals implemented core techniques from their respective disciplines. During merged treatment phases, a graduate clinician combined and implemented techniques from all three fields: differential attention, request sequences, sensory exposure, verbal/tactile cueing for postural alignment/control and …

Stand Tall, Don’T Fall: A Systematic Review On The Effectiveness Of Tai Chi For Improving Balance In Healthy Older Adults, Miya Cho, Ots, Moira Frain, Ots, Courtney Monk, Ots, Caitlin O'Neill, Ots, Kathryn Ricciardi, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

•Identify and describe the need for effective balance related interventions among the healthy older adult population

• Recognize occupational therapy’s role in improving balance to decrease risk of falls

• Discuss the effectiveness of Tai Chi as an intervention for improving balance within this population

PICO

• Is Tai Chi an effective intervention for improving balance in the healthy older adult population?

Presentation: 40:55

Handout at bottom of page.

Reframe The Pain: A Systematic Review Of Occupational Therapy Interventions To Promote Quality Of Life For Adults With Fibromyalgia, Alyssa Armstrong, Ots, Jonathan Forkin, Ots, Emma Jablonski, Ots, Shelby Moyer, Ots, Suzanne Sager, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Define clinical presentation and three common characteristics of fibromyalgia (FMS) as it impacts quality of life (QOL).

2. Recognize the importance of an occupational therapy (OT) approach as an alternative to current practice methods.

3. Identify at least three effective EBP interventions within the scope of OT to address quality of life for individuals with FMS.

PICO:

What is the evidence to support the effectiveness of interventions within the scope of OT on improving quality of life for adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia?

Presentation: 43:56

Handout with references at bottom of page.

Keeping Up With The Preemies: Early Interventions In Occupational Therapy For Children Born Premature, Jennifer Donnelly, Ots, Angela Mancini, Ots, Heidi Miller, Ots, Taylor Vile, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Identify areas of occupational performance that may be impacted by premature birth.

2. Understand current themes of interventions for promoting development after premature birth.

3. Apply evidence-based practice to interventions for children born prematurely.

PICO:

What is the evidence to support the use of early interventions in the scope of OT to promote development in children born prematurely?

Presentation: 53:18

Ergonomic Intervention For Injury Prevention In Healthcare Personnel: A Systematic Review, Marisa Andrews, Ots, Kory Collier, Ots, Erin Dougherty, Ots, Alyssa Vidovich, Ots

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

1. Recognize the magnitude of work-related injury in healthcare and the need for intervention in this area

2. Discuss 2 ergonomic interventions within the scope of OT practice that can improve work-related injury

3. Recall 2 common themes that have emerged based on current literature for ergonomic intervention

Clinical Research Question:

Does ergonomic intervention prevent work-related injuries and associated outcomes for healthcare personnel engaged in patienthandling?

Presentation: 39:05

Facilitating Effective Communication Between First Responders And Older Adults During Fall Incidents: An Educational Intervention, Krystin M. Beeman, Erica L. Berger, Isabel A. Cabezas, Nicole M. Mathews

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

PURPOSE. The purpose of this project was to provide first responders with communication strategies for older adults that may help when responding to fall- related calls. General information was also provided to First Responders on working with older adults with a focus on the aging process, fall risk factors, and communications strategies.

METHODS. A series of educational sessions to first responders at a local fire district were developed and presented by occupational therapy students. Materials were developed by presenters from evidence-based resources and tailored to the target population. Each presentation focused on statistics about older adults, the aging process, fall …

The Lifestyle-Integrated Functional Exercise Program For Older Adults, Anna Lee, Courtney Beyer, Jessica Lim, Sienna Anderson

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the most common cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults over the age of 65 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009). Falls can lead to a myriad of traumatic physical and emotional consequences. Integrated exercise programs such as the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise (LiFE) program are effective in preventing falls and increasing fall efficacy in individuals who have previously fallen (Clemson et al., 2012). The purpose of our study was to examine if the LiFE program is as effective in reducing fall risk and increasing fall …

Increasing Occupational Participation Of Older Adults With Low Vision Through An Occupation-Based Exercise Video, Valerie J. Deroos, Skyler Moon

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

With the increasingly large population of older adults with low vision, many older adults would benefit from having a guide dog as an assistive device. When walking with a guide dog, different upper extremity muscles and postures are adopted to handle the guide dog. However, older adults with low vision may not be in the proper physical condition to meet the strenuous demands of handling a guide dog due to the normal aging process and decreased mobility. To prevent pain and injury, stretching and strengthening muscles used when handling a guide dog may benefit older adults before entering the Guide …

Preventing And Reducing Falls In Assisted Living Facilities: An Educational Intervention, Jennifer A. Borcich, Raquel F. Ramos, Taylor S. Wong

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

As the number of older adults continues to rise, falling in older adults has become a national health care issue. Many older adults who fall reside in assisted living facilities. Every time a fall incident occurs, first responders are called, utilizing a significant amount of first responder’s time and resources. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to implement a fall prevention program for residents of an assisted living facility (ALF) to reduce fall risk and fall-related calls to the local fire department. The project consisted of a four-week course given once weekly for 60 minutes to residents at an …

Capturing Success At Autistry Studios: A Qualitative Study, Ali Ives, Vince Colombano, Joey Bava

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study examined the perceived outcomes of participation at Autistry Studios among young adult students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Autistry Studios is a unique program offering services to individuals with ASD similar to that of a pre-vocational training program. The mission of Autistry Studios is to help students with ASD become independent adults by engaging in “project-based therapy.” A setting is provided where individuals with ASD can achieve personal and functional growth with the use of creative resources like art supplies, raw materials, and power tools to pursue and complete a project that is client-centered. The purpose of …

Effectiveness Of The Bridge/Adapt Program On Functional Skill Generalization After Acquired Brain Injury, Janice S. Li, Diana Lopez, Eugene Cheung, Angela Talamantez

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This study explored the effectiveness of the Bridge/Adapt program for generalizing increased cognition to functional skills. Three participants, identified as having significant cognitive impairments as measured by the Cognistat assessment, participated in the Bridge/Adapt program, an eight-week program that includes both remedial and compensatory components. The remedial component used was a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program called Parrot Software. Past studies have proven computer-based cognitive rehabilitation to be effective in increasing overall cognition. The Bridge/Adapt module is the compensatory component that utilized a variety of strategies and everyday tasks to facilitate the generalization of improved cognition to functional performance. A homework …

Occupational Therapy Discharge Planning And Recommendations In Acute Care: An Action Research Study, Helene Smith-Gabai

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In today’s health care environment of quick discharges and shortened hospital stays discharge planning has become increasingly important in acute care occupational therapy practice. Discharge planning is a complex process and an important aspect of patient care as poor discharge planning has been associated with poor patient outcomes and increased risk of adverse events and readmission. This study addressed the following research questions: (a) How do acute care occupational therapists describe their role in the discharge planning process? (b) What guides acute care occupational therapists discharge decisions and recommendations? (c) How do acute care occupational therapists define optimal discharge planning? …

Tune Up Your Teaching Toolbox, Anne H. Zachry, J. Flick, S. B. Lancaster

Faculty Presentations

Occupational therapy (OT) educators strive to prepare entry-level practitioners who have the expertise to meet the diverse health care needs of society. A variety of instructional methods are used in the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) MOT program, including traditional lecture-based instruction (LBI), problem-based learning (PBL), team-based learning (TBL), and game-based learning (GBL). Research suggests that active learning strategies develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are necessary for effective clinical reasoning and decision-making abilities. PBL, TBL, GBL are being successfully implemented in the UTHSC MOT Program to enhance the learning process and improve student engagement.

Bridge/Adapt: Transfer From Computer Remediation To Functional Skill, Janice S. Li, Diana Lopez, Eugene Cheung, Angela Talamantez

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

This study explored the effectiveness of the Bridge/Adapt program for generalizing increased cognition to functional skills. Three participants, identified as having significant cognitive impairments as measured by the Cognistat assessment, participated in the Bridge/Adapt program, an eight-week program that includes both remedial and compensatory components. The remedial component used was a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program called Parrot Software. Past studies have proven computer-based cognitive rehabilitation to be effective in increasing overall cognition. The Bridge/Adapt module is the compensatory component that utilized a variety of strategies and everyday tasks to facilitate the generalization of improved cognition to functional performance. A homework …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Listening On Bilateral Coordination, Avery Wilson, Michael Yra Munchua, Mios Buccat, Morgan Mousley, Amanda Grace Irao

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

Therapeutic Listening® is a sound-based treatment developed by Sheila Frick, OTR, rooted in sensory integration (Frick & Young, 2009). In Therapeutic Listening® programs, clients listen to music that has been electronically altered (Hall & Case-Smith, 2007). Therapeutic Listening® is an intervention increasingly used by occupational therapists despite the lack of supporting evidence in current literature.

A previous thesis study attempted to determine the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening® through the outcome measure of bilateral movement. In the previous thesis study, three assessments were used to measure bilateral coordination in typically developing children. However, the quantifiable results did not reflect the qualitative …

Ot & Industrial Design: Developing Client-Centered Product Designs To Enhance Occupational Performance & Participation, Kimberly S. Mollo, Otd, Otr/L, Robert W. Walsh, Ms, Otr/L, Michael Mcallister, Mid

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

Objectives

• Recognize the needs and benefits of broadening inter-professional collaborations outside traditional occupational therapy models of teaching, learning, and practice.
• Identify components required to create, conduct, and integrate effective inter-professional occupational therapy and industrial design collaboration
• Describe outcomes to measure effectiveness at the student, client, and inter-professional levels.

Using Animals During Occupational Therapy To Improve Quality Of Life, Lauren Morosky, Mat, Ots, Elizabeth Gina Fenn, Ots, Audrey Zapletal, Ms, Otr/L

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

Background:

Integrating animals into occupational therapy intervention with individuals of various health conditions…

• Incorporating animals into an OT intervention plan is unique and can be an alternative to traditional device. Research suggests the animals may be viewed as a form of assistive technology(Camp, 2001).
• Occupational therapy intervention incorporating animals may:
• Increase participation in the community
• Augment the individual’s independence
• Positively impact the individual's psychosocial functioning (Camp, 2001)

Enhancing Occupational Therapy Student Systematic Reviews: An Occupational Therapy Faculty And Librarian Collaboration, Teal W. Benevides, Phd, Otr/L, Katie Moran, Ots, Gary E. Kaplan, Ms, Ahip, Paul Hunter, Mlis, Dmd, Daniel G. Kipnis, Msi

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

Objective: To describe the outcomes of a curriculum-based collaboration between Occupational Therapy faculty and librarians (‘collaboration’) to enhance graduate student skills for conducting and disseminating a systematic review (SR)

Teaching Mindfulness Strategies To Parents Of Adolescents With Executive Functioning Deficits To Support Caregiving Skills, Kimberly S. Mollo, Otd, Otr/L

Department of Occupational Therapy Posters and Presentations

SETTING & BACKGROUND

Health Horizons

• Suburban private medical practice located in suburbs of Philadelphia
  • General, integrative, and holistic medicine; psychiatry
• OT referrals contracted to Kimberly S. Mollo’s private homecare practice
  • Population: child, adolescent & young adult (ages 7-25)
  • Dx: ADHD, ODD, LD, NVLD, anxiety, & co-morbid executive dysfunction
  • OT sessions in home; parents are present to provide carryover
  • Fee-for-service pay structure

Executive Functioning

• Defined: complex neurological processes necessary for purposeful activity
• Skills emerge, combine, and mature during teenage years
• Lack of skill attainment:
  • Leads to difficulties in all areas of occupation
  • Predictor of level of occupational dysfunction in adulthood
• Parents …