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A Comprehensive Diabetes Symptom Management Program for Independent Living Facilities
Get PDFThis project aimed to support older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and pre-diabetes in independent living facilities through a comprehensive symptom management program. Implemented at Coastal Heights Senior Living in Costa Mesa, California, the program focused on improving overall education and self-management of DM symptoms, emphasizing foot care, physical activity, and nutrition. Using a client-centered approach and the Person-Occupation-Environment-Performance model, participants engaged in group and individual sessions over an eight-week period. Outcomes showed an increased understanding of DM, improved self-care behaviors, and enhanced ability to manage symptoms independently, supporting aging in place and promoting overall wellness.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1040/thumbnail.jp
A Wellness and Social Engagement Program for Post-Lower Limb Amputees
Get PDFA wellness and social engagement program was developed and implemented to provide education relating to the mental health impacts, decrease in health management, and lack of social participation after a lower-limb amputation amongst adults, 18 years or older. The program provided a manual with educational information, external resources, and visual aids to enhance independence in activities of daily living (ADLs).https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1015/thumbnail.jp
Reminiscence-Based Occupational Therapy: A Concept Analysis
Get PDFDementia impacts cognitive function, emotional well-being, and occupational engagement, leading to diminished quality of life for older adults. Reminiscence therapy (RT) has been established as a viable approach to enhancing mood, cognitive performance, and social participation among individuals with dementia, however, its integration within occupational therapy (OT) practice remains under defined. The lack of the clear, defined role of OT in RBOT poses challenges for OT practitioners aiming to integrate reminiscence intervention within their scope of practice. The lack of a clearly defined role of OT in RBOT poses challenges for OT practitioners aiming to incorporate reminiscence interventions within their scope of practice. Problem: OT practitioners lack an understanding of the concept of RBOT for individuals with dementia, making it challenging to integrate reminiscence as a therapeutic intervention within clinical practice effectively. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to conduct a concept analysis aimed at defining and clarifying the concept of RBOT for individuals with dementia. By clarifying this concept, OT practitioners will be better equipped to integrate RBOT into their practice. Results: This concept analysis facilitated the identification of key defining attributes related to the role of OT in RBOT. These attributes include a) an emphasis on occupation, b) the reinforcement of narrative identity, c) a client-centered approach, and d) a structured therapeutic framework. This concept analysis contributes to the growing body of OT literature by providing a structured framework for integrating reminiscence as a therapeutic medium, thereby support OT practitioners in addressing the psychosocial needs of clients through evidence-based, occupation-focused interventions.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1079/thumbnail.jp
Enhancing Psychosocial Well-being for Pediatric Oncology Clients: A Guidebook for Occupational Therapists
Get PDFThis capstone project addressed the critical gap in psychosocial support for pediatric oncology clients by developing an evidence-based guidebook for occupational therapy (OT) practitioners. Grounded in the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), the guidebook provides therapists with developmentally appropriate strategies to enhance emotional regulation, social participation, and engagement in meaningful activities for children aged 3 to 12 undergoing cancer treatment. The project identified key psychosocial challenges through qualitative interviews, needs assessments, and real-time clinical feedback and designed targeted interventions aligned with OT principles. The digital guidebook provides accessible, structured resources to support holistic, client-centered care and improve the quality of life for pediatric cancer patients.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1081/thumbnail.jp
Education in Advance Care Planning: A Novel Equity-Based, Interprofessional Service-Learning Approach
Get PDFIntroduction: Despite health sciences graduate schools emphasizing service-learning and interprofessionalism, they often struggle to integrate these values into the curricula effectively. Advance care planning is inherently interdisciplinary and presents an opportunity to address equity gaps through service-learning. This report describes a novel interdisciplinary service-learning initiative for graduate student trainees, focused on advance care planning in underserved communities.
Methods: After targeted training, teams of medical, law, and social work students, and professionals from their respective fields, took part in two Life Planning Fairs in historically underserved neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Using a form developed by the Allegheny County Bar Association and the Allegheny County Medical Society, volunteers held value-based conversations about end-of-life care with patient-clients, followed by a reflection on the experience.
Results: Thirty patient-clients and fifty-four volunteers participated in the events. All student volunteers provided positive feedback regarding the value of this opportunity. Exit surveys showed that all responding patient-clients felt very satisfied with the services provided, and the vast majority completed documents to assign powers of attorney. Student testimonials reinforced the value of the experience for their own learning and interprofessional growth..
Discussion: Experiential, community-based service-learning offers graduate students meaningful hands-on training and fosters interprofessional collaboration. Through working in teams on advance directives, students apply the principles of service-learning, interprofessionalism, and patient-centered care. This educational model provides a replicable framework for other institutions. We propose several strategies for future iterations to further support the mission of this educational opportunity
The Experience of People Living with Dementia (PwD) in Participating in Virtual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (vCST)—a Qualitative Systematic Review
Get PDFBackground: This systematic review aims to explore the experiences of people living with dementia (PwD) participating in virtual cognitive stimulation therapy (vCST). With the global shift of cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) online during the COVID-19 pandemic, little research has explored how PwD experience telehealth interventions. This is the first qualitative systematic review on the experience of PwD participating in vCST.
Methods: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for qualitative systematic reviews, a comprehensive search was conducted across six databases and the grey literature from January 1, 2013, to August 31, 2023.
Conclusion: Two synthesized findings were identified from two identified studies. PwD generally reported positive experiences with vCST, but communication challenges online hindered their overall satisfaction. Occupational therapists and facilitators demonstrated excellent ability to tailor telehealth interventions based on environment modification and grading of activities. Communication difficulties specific to telehealth interventions should be reduced to optimize the benefits
Sound Asleep: A Manual for Occupational Therapy Practitioners (OTP) Addressing Sleep-Related Challenges in Young Children
Get PDFThis capstone project sought to address the limited competence and confidence of occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) in providing services for children and families facing sleep-related challenges. The objective was to enhance OTP knowledge and skills in delivering specialized sleep interventions through the development of an educational resource. The project was implemented across two settings: telehealth and an outpatient pediatric service, integrating both virtual and outdoor environments for occupational therapy (OT). Participants include OTP, OT students, and families of young children (ages 0-5) experiencing sleep disturbances.
The project followed a structured four-phase approach: strengths and needs assessment, development of an educational manual, evaluation and revision, and dissemination. The initial phase involved observational analysis of OT sleep interventions and the identification of gaps in OTP knowledge. The development phase culminated in the creation of a manual that outlines the OTP role in sleep interventions, including coaching strategies and therapeutic approaches. In the evaluation phase, feedback from an OTP and OT students guided revisions to the manual. The final phase involved the dissemination of the refined manual to stakeholders.
This initiative aimed to enhance OTP ability to address sleep challenges in pediatric populations, promote interprofessional collaboration, and actively involve caregivers in the intervention process. It underscores the need for further research into a standardized sleep assessment tool and the impact of OT sleep interventions on developmental outcomes. Ultimately, this project aspires to improve OT practice, child sleep outcomes, and family well-being through evidence-based, client-centered strategies.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1004/thumbnail.jp
Educational Program for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries Over Bowel and Bladder Management
Get PDFA spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-altering event that impacts many domains of an individual\u27s life. Individuals may experience a decreased ability to participate in meaningful activities and a loss of voluntary body functions. The most common symptom following an SCI is loss of voluntary bowel and bladder control. Literature highlights the importance of education on bowel and bladder management following a SCI. However, there is a lack of accessible and comprehensive education on this topic for individuals affected by an SCI. To address this problem, an educational resource was created. The purpose of the educational resource was to help individuals with SCIs improve their understanding of bowel and bladder management to enhance their overall quality of life. This educational resource contains ten topics critical for bowel and bladder management, addressing the specific needs of the spinal cord injury population to support an effective routine.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1006/thumbnail.jp
Increased Caregiver Involvement in Pediatric Home Health
Get PDFThis pediatric home health capstone project aims to enhance caregiver implementation of home exercise programs for children. By providing tailored training, resources, and support, the project seeks to improve caregivers\u27 confidence and competence in guiding children through prescribed exercises. Through structured education, clear communication strategies, and ongoing feedback, the initiative strives to promote better adherence to the exercise regimen, ultimately improving the child\u27s health outcomes and quality of life.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1010/thumbnail.jp
Daily Routine Redesign To Optimize Occupational Performance For Individuals with Cancer During and Post-Treatment
Get PDFCancer and cancer treatment impacts individual\u27s ability to participate in daily activities due to the symptoms or side effects that they experience. With advancements in cancer screenings and treatments, there is a growing population of those living with long term side effects that lower their quality of life. A program was developed to redesign cancer survivors\u27 daily routine based on their symptoms and priorities to increase occupational performance in activities of daily living. The program showed a positive impact on the lives of cancer survivors\u27 daily lives.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2025/1024/thumbnail.jp