Occupational therapy international
-
Professional reasoning in occupational therapy is the process used by practitioners to plan, direct, perform, and reflect on client care. The professional's ability to manage the process of the intervention is structured around it, thereby influencing the effectiveness of the work carried out. The objectives of this research were to identify and describe (a) the historical development of this area of research from 1982 to 2017 and (b) the nature and volume of the scientific literature on professional reasoning in occupational therapy and the evidence that exists today. ⋯ The research about professional reasoning in occupational therapy is a field of empirical nature, in which qualitative studies predominate. Principal lines of research are focused on specific fields of practice, undergraduates, and theoretical aspects of professional reasoning. There were identified three historical phases with common features in terms of objectives and research methods.
-
The World Health Organization records that indigenous peoples throughout the world experience poor health. The concept of health was explored from a Māori world view and compared with occupational therapy perspectives. The aim was to understand and value indigenous knowledge and promote culturally safe responsive practice. Māori methodologies were employed to protect the Māori knowledge shared in the study. This involved applying seven principles, including respect for people, be cautious, and look, listen, and speak. Perspectives on health and wellbeing were collected in 2008-2009 from indigenous occupational therapists, other occupational therapists and indigenous health practitioners using interviews and a questionnaire. The findings are presented as a conceptual framework, depicting a whare, a Māori meeting house to show relationships between culture and health. Key concepts held by occupational therapists and Māori were spirituality, holistic views, client responsive practice, and environmental contexts. Areas of difference were the focus on occupations, the interdependence of indigenous relationships, and the place of the extended family in supporting wellness. A strength was the respect for Māori methodologies and limitations were the number of participants (N = 23) and the small proportion of Māori therapists in Aotearoa/New Zealand. ⋯ Attention to culture is vital for appropriate, safe, and responsive practice. The conceptual framework provides a tool to inform, guide, and evaluate practice understandings. It acknowledges the importance of the individual within their extended family, their natural environment, and the historical, social, and political realities of living as Māori. Further research should explore the use of the framework and interaction between occupational therapy practice and specific indigenous cultures.
-
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to evaluate the effect of participation in the "Seasoned Arts At the Samford for You" (SAASY) programme, which included a 6-week acting class and four public performances, on the psychological well-being and health-related quality of life of older adults. Twelve older adults with chronic conditions from a low-income senior apartment and a senior living community participated in the programme. The acting class, led by two professional artists, met for a 2-hour class weekly for six weeks. ⋯ The present study used a pretest and post test one group design that has numerous inherent limitations that affect the ability to make valid inferences from study findings. A more rigorous research design with a wait-listed control group and collection of outcome measures immediately after the acting class as well as at three months follow-up is essential in validating the present findings. Outcome measures used in future studies to evaluate the health benefits of a theatre programme should focus on ameliorating the effects of disease on disability (such as functional mobility, everyday cognitive function and activities of daily living) in addition to prevention.
-
As the baby boomer generation, born 1945-1963, begins its transition to retirement, what might be the position of volunteering within their new life structure? Using retired occupational therapists as a purposive sample (n = 50), this survey provides a description of the volunteer experience in three distinct phases: 1) Pre-retirement contemplation and preparation; 2) Actions, thoughts and feelings during the volunteer experience; and 3) Thoughts and feelings related to ending their volunteer roles. Results reveal that while retirees are highly motivated by altruism and the wish to stay engaged and connected with others through volunteering, they often find the existing structure of the organizations unable and unwilling to provide the kinds of volunteer roles that meet their needs and goals. ⋯ In conclusion, results imply three new roles for occupational therapy practitioners with volunteering: 1) Promoting volunteer exploration and participation for older adult clients with disabilities; 2) Providing group interventions for Third Agers transitioning to retirement; and 3) Consulting with the organizations that depend on volunteers to guide them in revising the way they define and organize volunteer roles. Study is limited to one specific population but paves the way for replication with a broader range of participants.
-
The present study examined how practitioners conceptualized culture and used their understanding of a client's culture to provide culturally responsive caring. Descriptions of practice were elicited from experienced practitioners serving culturally diverse clients. Twelve practitioners completed a written questionnaire and participated in a telephone interview. ⋯ Culturally responsive caring is described as a process of actively developing a synergistic relationship grounded in mutuality and an intentional respect for a person's cultures. The findings add to the discourse on cultural competency in occupational therapy and may help to examine conceptual models of cultural competency for the profession. Possible implications for culturally responsive professional development, education, practice and research are presented.