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Perspectives on Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation Settings for the Elderly In an ever-changing society, occupational therapy (OT) is becoming more popular among people of all ages. Sturkenboom et al. (2012) explains that OT aims to optimize a person’s functional performance and achieve a more independent lifestyle during everyday activities. The services occupational therapists typically offer is a personalized treatment plan to improve a person's ability to perform daily activities while maintaining an independent lifestyle. This paper will examine multiple perspectives on the subject of the growing elderly population and the role rehabilitation can have on their lives. The multiple perspectives presented will determine if the elderly should rehabilitate back into their own homes or remain in a group setting to receive care following various types of illnesses or injuries. Literature Review Illness and Injury Occupational therapy is a profession that is concerned with promoting the health and well-being with people of all ages. Health and well-being is usually a major issue concerning the elderly. The following paragraphs will provide examples of how occupational therapy (OT) can help rehabilitate the elderly after certain illnesses and injuries and provide …show more content…
(2007) found that at six months decline of independence was significantly less likely in a community hospital setting because they elderly has round the clock access to rehabilitation. Some of the main advantage the researchers found was advanced care and timely access. Timely access is important for the elderly who have varying illnesses and injuries because the faster they can get help, the faster the recovery. Young et al. stated that many elderly are discharged before they are fully recovered and that can lead to a decline of personal well-being. They state it’s important for the elderly to have a smooth and easy transition from illness or injury to
According to the United States Department of Labor they explain that, “Occupational therapists treat patients with illnesses, Injuries, and disabilities through therapeutic use of everyday activities. Occupational therapist help patients recover, improve, and develop the skills
The health care industry is always growing and needing more workers. Occupational therapy has an extremely bright job outlook. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of occupational therapy assistants is projected to grow 29 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is much faster than other occupations. (Occupational, 2017) A reason for such a high outlook is because of the baby-boom generation becoming older which means more health implications. Becoming older can affect their ability to perform everyday
Though occupation usually refers to a job, a person’s occupation is initially determined by what their everyday life consists of. When a person becomes incapable of performing the tasks that they are expected to do in their everyday life due to developmental delays, physical injury, or psychological problems they are often referred to an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists, or OTs, usually have occupational therapy assistants, often called OTAs. The OT gives the OTA a set of objectives to help the patient achieve. Since people go through numerous occupations during the course of their lives, OT’s and OTA’s prov...
Long-term care (LTC) covers a wide range of clinical and social services for those who need assistance due to functional limitations. These limitations usually result from complications associated with age related chronic conditions, from disabilities related to birth defects, brain damage, or mental retardation in children; or from major illnesses or injuries suffered by adults (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). LTC encompasses a variety of services including traditional clinical services, social services and housing. Unlike acute care, long-term care is much more complicated and has objectives that are much harder to measure. Acute care mainly focuses on returning patients to their previous functional level and is primarily provided by specialty providers. However, LTC mainly focuses on preventing the physical and mental deterioration of an individual and promoting social adjustments to suit the different stages of decline. In addition the providers of LTC are more diverse than those in acute care and is offered in both formal and informal settings, which include: hospitals, physicians, home care, adult day care, nursing home care, assisted living and even informal caregivers such as friends and family members. Long-term care services have been dominated by community based services, which include informal care (86%, about 10 to 11 million) and formal institutional care delivered in nursing facilities (14%, 1.6 million) (McCall, 2001). Of more than the 10 million Americans estimated to require LTC services, 58% are elderly and 42% are under the age of 65 (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). The users of LTC are either frail elderly or disabled and because of the specific care needs of this population, the care varies based on an indiv...
This article discusses the basic understanding of what occupational therapy is and what it the
Reilly M (1962) Occupational therapy can be one of the great ideas of the twentieth century. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 16, pp. 300-308
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
The focus of this paper is to compare and contrast a well elder and a frail elder while using Occupational Therapy Practice Framework language. For this assignment I chose to conduct a semi structured interview using the Canadian Occupational performance Measure (COPM) to gather information about my chosen elders perceived problems and priorities. For this assignment I will be using pseudonyms in order to protect the privacy of both individuals.
Fall prevention is one of the biggest safety concerns regarding geriatric and pediatric patients in a health care setting. Falls occur almost every day in hospitals and nursing home settings because of a variety of reasons, from weak bones and throw rugs to toys lying in the floor. Tumbles can have grave effects on a child because they tend to play and not pay attention to their surroundings which causes them to take a spill. The consequences can be even worse for an older adult that suffers a fall giving their age and health concerns, this gives the elderly a disadvantage when falls transpire. Most people can help prevent falls from occurring but OTs (Occupational Therapist) are an elite group of people with knowledge and skills that train,
Assisted living is an effective type of care facility programmed towards helping older individuals with their increasing disabilities. “The fit between individual capacity and the availability of satisfying activities within an environment is an important aspect of positive aging and an especially salient issue for ALF [Assisted Living Faculty] management, given the role of activities in the consumer selection of assisted living”.2 This isolation of this quote is “positive aging”. Positive aging is important since it leads individuals to have a happier and more fulfilling life, and it can be supported through everyday activities and through the living environment. In nursing homes, each individual needs help with making sure that they are given care that meets their needs. This varies through different states and also communities. The purpose of the quote is to show that each person should be evaluated individually, meaning everyone needs a different approach to deal with the aging process.
A., de Rijk, A., Van Hoof, E., & Donceel, P. 2011). The therapist has to assess the patient to see if they have a need for splints or supports which may benefit the patient and then step in to help design the specific assistive devices needed. It is the job of the occupational therapist to come up with plans to overcome the inconvenient limitations while still helping the patient to reduce strain and prevent further damage by teaching them techniques that will conserve their energy. There are a variety of different ways to make daily living much easier. The most crucial part of therapy is assessing the patient's environment. All the people, cultural conditions and physical objects that are around them, create their environment. The behavior and development of people is a direct result of the interaction between them and their surroundings. A patient's behavior is greatly affected when they are mismatched with their environment. A person's environment match is present when the person's level of competence matches the demands of the environment. Full participation by the patient is required to make it practicable. “The science and practice of occupational therapy are well suited to develop, refine, and test approaches to translate therapeutic gains into
Occupational therapy was based off of psychology; we evolved from treating mentally ill patients with isolation as an efficient treatment plan. We must never forget we are known to be “the art and science of helping people do the day-to-day activities that are important and meaningful to their health and well being through engagement in valued occupations” (Crepeau, Cohn, & Schell, 2008). To other professional disciplines this article explains the difference between each of us, yet can also express our relation to one another. The basic goal of all therapeutic disciplines is to better our clients life, through physical, speech or occupational therapy. Every discipline targets different goals, may it be body mechanics, reducing a stutter or buttoning a shirt, at the end of the day our clients well being may it be through science, art or both is all that matters. To the occupational therapy field this article means progress for what we do. Reading this article today in the year 2015 did not seem like old information to me, it is still relevant, I am proud that our field is not only evolving with contemporary time but it is also maintaining its
Occupational therapy (OT) theory offers valuable contribution to support professionalization since possessing a unique body of knowledge is essential to define a profession (Cooper, 2012). To utilize theory effectively, it is essential to differentiate between generic and specific theory as knowledge of the core theory helps to form OT identity and action as a practicing practitioner. In this essay, OT theory refers only to philosophy and OT specific models. Frame of references (FOR) will not be included since it can be shared with the other professions (Boniface & Seymour, 2012).
Change is something that human have to face often, yet it is still very hard for us to adapt to it. We can, in turn, agree that change is not easy (Jacobs 2002). Occupational therapy has been thought a lot of changes which give rise to new treatment methods, new approaches and a better to communicate with the patients. Below is an analysis of the changes that have been made in the occupational therapy field and their outcomes.
witnessed first-hand the impact occupational therapy can make in people’s lives, watching the delight of a