Browsing by Author "Breeden, Lori"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Current Evidence-Based Practices for Acute Stroke Rehabilitation
    (2025-05) Russell, Rachel; Breeden, Lori; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Del Gallo, Drew
    Every year more than 795,000 people living within the United States have a stroke (Tsao, et al., 2023). With the prevalence, complexity, and wide variety of symptoms a person can experience following a stroke, there is continual research advancements on the best practices for the acute stroke patient (American Stroke Association, n.d.). The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to research current evidence-based practices and develop educational resources for the acute rehabilitation team to expand their knowledge on the best practices that benefit acute stroke patients. Through the needs assessment, it was discovered that the site had a goal to increase knowledge on the current evidence-based rehabilitation practices that are relevant for acute stroke patients. Following a systematic review of the current literature, four resources were developed, and an in-service presentation was delivered to the acute rehabilitation team to guide the effective utilization of these materials in clinical practice. The acute rehabilitation team supported the use of these resources as they reported an increase in confidence and knowledge in researching and implementing current evidence-based practices in the future with acute stroke patients following the in-service presentation. The results indicate that continued research is recommended to further explore effective strategies for translating evidence-based practices into clinical practice by occupational therapists working with stroke patients in the acute care setting.
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    Examinining Transitions along the Continuum of Care for Older Adults in Retirement Communities: Opportunities for Occupational Therapy
    (2025-05-05) Harrison, Stephanie; Breeden, Lori; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Hoggard, Tiffany
    A better understanding is needed of the transitions that older adults experience when moving to new environments and across levels of care. This doctoral capstone project aimed to create opportunities for occupational therapy practitioners to address older adult transitions in future practice. In preparation a needs assessment and literature review were completed to inform the development of project goals. Residents were interviewed using the Quality of Life and Well-Being through Transition Questionnaire, adapted from established tools. Analysis of the interviews guided the design and implementation of interventions with a focus on evidence-informed practice. Informed by existing literature, this project further explored older adults’ experiences as they required additional care within a retirement community, offering insights into how transitions impact quality of life and well-being. The high socioeconomic status of residents at the site may have influenced their perceptions of quality of life, limiting generalizability to other retirement communities. Therefore, future studies would benefit from applying similar assessment tools across diverse retirement communities to further examine older adults’ perceptions of quality of life, well-being, and their experiences during transitions to new settings.
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    Exploring Faculty Attitudes Toward the Use of Virtual Reality within an Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program
    (2024-04-25) Morehead, Samuel; Breeden, Lori; Breeden, Lori; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Bednarski, Julie
    Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging evidence-based practice within the world of rehabilitation, with a significant body of research demonstrating the efficacy of VR as an intervention tool for occupational therapy (OT) practitioners in treating a variety of diagnoses. Researchers suggest VR as an effective tool to facilitate healthcare student education, including use in OT graduate programs. Despite this body of evidence, VR content can remain underutilized in OT student education. This capstone project sought to explore faculty perceptions toward VR classroom integration and facilitate its use in an OTD curriculum. Following a review of current literature, the capstone student created an educational intervention for faculty which consisted of written materials examining the evidence for the use of VR in the OT profession as well as hands-on VR experiences for the faculty to engage with. Various outcomes, including attitudes toward and confidence in using VR, were measured via a mixed-methods approach consisting of a pre-intervention and post-intervention interview and survey. Results indicated that the educational interventions increased faculty confidence in their knowledge of VR in higher education, comfort in integrating VR content into coursework, and anticipated integration of VR content into future coursework. These project results have implications for future attempts at integrating VR content as an evidence-based practice into educational opportunities for OT students and practitioners.
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    IU Occupational Therapy Doctorate Students’ Perceived Experiences on CarFit Training
    (2024-04-26) Instenes, Haley; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Breeden, Lori
    This paper describes the Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) by providing an overview of a comprehensive initiative focused on integrating CarFit training into the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) curriculum at Indiana University. CarFit is a program designed to optimize vehicle safety features and enhance driver comfort, for older adults, addressing the pressing concerns surrounding their increased vulnerability to injuries while driving. This initiative stems from the recognition of occupational therapists’ role in promoting older adult driver safety and aligns with the IU OTD program's mission of socially responsive healthcare, leadership, and advocacy. The project aims to equip second year OTD students with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in CarFit events, assess older adult drivers' needs, and provide personalized recommendations to enhance their driving experience. Evaluation methods include a post-survey to assess students' perceptions and learning outcomes. Results from the post-survey indicate students provided high responses in areas associated with CarFit being beneficial to the older adult population, understanding the purpose of CarFit, real life experiences increasing their confidence as a therapist, and CarFit being beneficial to receive certifications while in school. There were more neutral results towards continued CarFit education and event participation. With the overall results of the capstone indicating favorable outcomes for CarFit within the curriculum. The completion of this project resulted in CarFit being added to the curriculum in the Older Adults class for the upcoming year, 2025.
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    Supporting Academic Success: Development of Resources to Optimize the Effectiveness of a Preschool Sensory Room
    (2025) Clayton, Ella; Breeden, Lori; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Brown, Tammy
    Sensory processing challenges can significantly impact a student’s functional participation in educational activities, highlighting the importance of sensory rooms as therapeutic environments where sensory input can be modulated to support individual needs. This doctoral capstone project aimed to enhance the effectiveness of Pleasant View Elementary’s (PVE) preschool sensory room by providing education and resources to help educators adapt sensory input to students’ individual needs. To achieve this goal, the doctoral capstone student developed and implemented sensory resources, modified the sensory room layout and equipment, and provided staff education on sensory topics. Project efficacy was evaluated through pre- and post-surveys completed by preschool educators at PVE. Despite a limited survey response rate, results indicated that educators’ knowledge and confidence in supporting student’ sensory needs were increased after the sensory informational session. Additionally, educator responses and feedback indicated an overall increase in the perceived effectiveness of the sensory room in meeting students’ emotional and sensory regulation after the implementation of the doctoral capstone project. The outcomes of this project support the value of structured sensory environments and staff training in effectively supporting students with sensory processing challenges.