Browsing by Author "Hull, Kristin"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Accessibility Guidelines for Increasing Independence in Daily Life for Children with Disabilities
    (2023-04-30) Prentice, Alex; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Chase, Tony
    There is often a gap between how the environment is designed and what individuals with disabilities are able to do (Solvang & Haualand, 2014). I analyzed the limitations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to all areas of disability. Universal design is a good alternative to design recommendations from ADA as it strives to design for all people regardless of ability level. Universal design concepts and recommendations from an architect and disabled self-advocates were combined to create accessibility guidelines that surpass the limitations of the ADA. These guidelines were presented to a group of caregivers of children who use wheelchairs. Feedback received from the caregivers indicated that the guidelines will be used to assist them in making home modifications. The guidelines will continue to be updated and annually given to caregivers of participants in a community-based wheelchair skills program.
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    A Community-Based Occupational Therapy Program for Parkinson's
    (2023-05-02) Stiens, Maria; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Williams, Kim
    Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that causes symptoms that interrupt safety, performance, and participation in everyday life activities. The literature supports occupational therapy’s role in maximizing quality of life and preventing occupational decline in people with Parkinson’s disease. Despite the effectiveness of occupational therapy treatment with this population, occupational therapy services are under-utilized among those with Parkinson’s disease. This doctoral capstone experience and project sought to increase access to occupational therapy services to individuals with Parkinson’s within the state of Indiana through free occupation-based groups hosted by a local Parkinson’s organization. Through needs assessments and client-centered surveys, the occupational needs and interests of site stakeholders were determined. Fourteen in-person training sessions were created and delivered to two Parkinson group locations within the greater Indianapolis area. There was a total of approximately thirty participants primarily consisting of community-dwelling individuals with Parkinson’s. Post-survey results indicated a positive trend, demonstrating an overall decrease in participants’ perceived difficulty with surveyed tasks. This study supports the continued need for occupation-based education and training for individuals with Parkinson’s.
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    Creating a Maintenance Program for Rehab in House Patients: A Doctoral Capstone Report
    (2024-04-26) Melemed, Shayna; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Iannazzo, Lauren
    Local safety-net hospital rehabilitation therapists are faced with the challenge of rehabilitating patients to home without any funding. This process requires extensive collaboration across an interdisciplinary team to determine discharge disposition. The therapists have identified a gap in programming for the Rehab in House patients. The patients admitted to the local safety-net hospital that are identified as Rehab in House have no established routine and poor carryover of tactics outside of therapy. The capstone student worked with identified stakeholders across the hospital to develop a maintenance program with additional resources for use during the inpatient stay. The maintenance program addressed schedules and mobility to help prevent hospital-acquired debility during prolonged hospitalizations. The capstone project was evaluated through a mixed methods approach. Project success was determined through percent change of pre- and post-survey questions. Based on the survey results and data analysis, the capstone project was deemed successful. The inpatient therapy staff reported increased knowledge and confidence with the material presented. Overall, the maintenance program and additional resources had a positive impact on the safety-net hospital’s Rehab in House program.
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    Evaluating Return-to-Work Outcomes for Patients with Post-Concussion Syndrome
    (2024-04-24) King, Jennifer; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Ellis, Katherine
    Approximately 22% of all injury-related emergency department visits are due to a concussion (van der Vlegel, et al., 2021). If symptoms persist following an injury, the individual is diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome and may experience significant impacts to their occupational participation, including returning to work (Graff, et al., 2018). A local hospital's Comprehensive Outpatient Post-Concussion Rehabilitation Program provides thorough assessments and interventions to improve functioning and quality of life for individuals with post-concussion syndrome. However, research has not been completed within the program to better understand population characteristics and outcomes for post-concussion patients. This doctoral capstone student conducted research using retrospective data on return-to-work outcomes and self-appraisal scores (using the Appraisals of Disability: Primary and Secondary Scale) following a concussion for workman’s compensation patients. Results indicated that there were no significant differences in outcomes or self-appraisal scores for workman’s compensation patients compared to non-workman's compensation patients (p > 0.05). However, self-appraisal ratings of Fearful Despondency and Overwhelming Disbelief were significantly higher for individuals who did not complete therapy compared to individuals who returned within six months (p < 0.05). Therefore, the research conducted by the doctoral capstone student will serve as a pilot study for future research on self-appraisal and therapeutic outcomes for post-concussion patients.
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    Improving the Discharge Planning Process in Inpatient Rehabilitation
    (2023-05-02) Flores, Jessica; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Thompson, Laura
    The discharge planning process is a process that identifies the type of care you will need once you discharge from a healthcare facility and prepares you for the transition of care. An efficient discharge planning process can help prevent patients from experiencing adverse events, and, thus, reduce hospital readmissions. However, current literature suggests that healthcare facilities may struggle with maintaining an efficient discharge planning process due to discharge planning barriers and post-discharge concerns. One way to address this problem is through discharge planning, or transitional care, interventions designed to enhance this specific process. The ultimate purpose of this capstone project was to develop discharge planning interventions for a local inpatient rehabilitation hospital that identified gaps in its discharge process but lacked the resources to develop new interventions. After conducting a needs assessment, completing a literature review, and collaborating with crucial stakeholders, the capstone site was provided with two discharge interventions, a discharge checklist, and patient and caregiver resource binders. Utilizing an occupational therapy lens, the Plan-Do-Study-Act model, and the Adult Learning Theory, these interventions were designed to support and meet the needs of the patients, their caregivers, and the rehabilitation staff at the capstone site. Based on evaluation survey results, the site’s therapy staff were satisfied with the interventions as they perceived them to be beneficial for all the rehabilitation therapists, the patients, and the caregivers. Due to the project’s overall impact on the site and the profession of occupational therapy, this capstone project was deemed a success.
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    Increasing Awareness in Caregivers for Individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
    (2024-04-26) Bahney, Garrett; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Simpson, Connie
    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a type of motor neuron disease that can have life-changing effects on the individual that is diagnosed with the disease but also on the caregiver who aids with their loved one. The literature demonstrates the distressing experiences of caregivers as they go through the journey with their loved one. Literature also supports occupational therapy’s role in improving the quality of life and decreasing caregiver burden in caregivers. This doctoral capstone experience sought to identify the needs of a local association that works with the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis population and promote improvements in the quality of life to the individuals served by the site. Through a literature review, a needs assessment, and caregiver-specific surveys, the occupational needs of the site were discovered. 250 caregiver surveys were distributed to caregivers within the site’s database. 73 surveys were completed and returned to the site for analysis. Results were analyzed thoroughly and disseminated in a presentation to the care services team and clinical staff at the site. This project supports occupational therapy’s role in care for caregivers with a loved one diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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    Promoting an Interdisciplinary Approach to Health Management for Patients with an Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Doctoral Capstone Report
    (2024-04-25) LaVier, Grace; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Bavender, Clay; Kiser, Ryan
    A spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause permanent impairments impacting quality of life and participation in daily activities. Due to the impact on daily living, occupational therapy is an integral component of the SCI recovery process. Occupational therapy goals focus on improving all aspects of daily task performance for patients with an SCI. Health management is a component of occupational therapy that involves establishing and managing health and wellness routines for increased participation in daily living and meaningful activities. An individual following an SCI may experience limitations and differences in body functions such as bowel and bladder changes which limit that individual’s quality of life if new health management strategies are not adopted. Rehabilitation staff at a level one trauma hospital identified a gap in interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in health management best practices for patients admitted with an SCI. In an acute care setting, health management goals are shared with other disciplines as physicians guide the care plan and nursing staff carries out the plan including the initiation of new health management strategies. The purpose of this doctoral capstone experiential and project was to increase interdisciplinary knowledge and confidence in best practices for health management when caring for individuals after an SCI. The capstone student disseminated different modes of education to nursing staff on best practices for SCI health management and collected confidence surveys before and after the education interventions. Results of the survey support the effectiveness of the education in increasing overall self-reported confidence and knowledge in each target category.
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    Promoting Occupational Justice and Holistic Healthcare: Education and Training on Sexuality and Intimacy in Rehabilitation
    (2022-05-03) Spencer, Brooke; Van Antwerp, Leah; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Hull, Kristin
    Literature shows most healthcare professionals regardless of clinical context recognize the importance of sexual health but fail to routinely address it with clients. Barriers to addressing sexuality and intimacy include a lack of knowledge, training, comfort, and bias. The capstone student collaborated with a local rehabilitation hospital and found a gap in services that most rehabilitation therapists (occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists) lack the knowledge, comfort, and resources to address sexuality and intimacy regularly. If clients do not receive skilled rehabilitative services to promote participation in sexuality and intimacy, then they may be left with major misinformation and misconceptions that put them at risk for occupational injustice. The capstone student and site worked collaboratively to provide therapists with evidence-based educational seminars and resources in order to increase therapist knowledge and comfort with addressing this topic and promote holistic healthcare. Results of the capstone project indicated statistically significant increases in therapist comfort with screening/assessing, providing interventions, and providing resources specific to sexuality and intimacy concerns. Overall, the capstone project promoted occupational justice for current and future clients through the inclusion of sexuality and intimacy education and practices within the rehabilitation department.
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    The Purpose Program: Improving Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia Through Participation in Meaningful Activity
    (2023-05-03) Rueff, Martina; Hull, Kristin; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Schomber, Jerica
    Before the pandemic, the memory care residents at Aspen Place Health Campus (APHC) had fulfilling schedules with limited downtime. The residents were provided with vast opportunities for meaningful activity and occupational engagement provided by the nursing staff and activities department. During the pandemic, APHC was forced to stop all activities with the memory care residents due to safety restrictions and precautions. Since then, APHC has been instructed to resume “normal” pre-pandemic daily activities and programming. The activities department was successful in providing the memory care residents activities, however the nursing staff was not due to high staff turnover, and limited guidance and resources on the activities they should had been conducting with the residents. Because of this, the memory care residents were given limited opportunities to engage in meaningful activities during downtime, which resulted in poor mood, increased sedentary behavior, and overall decreased quality of life (QOL). There was a gap between what the memory care residents wanted and needed to do and what APHC provided for them. This capstone project, titled The Purpose Project, was focused on providing APHC an activity program that consisted of over 80 meaningful and evidence-based activities for the nursing staff to implement with the memory care residents to reduce sedentary time, improve mood and increase QOL of the residents. The Purpose Project was conducted twice a day, every weekday for five and a half weeks with participating memory care residents. Overall, Dementia Quality of Life (DEMQOL) scores increased by an average of 13 points for the participating residents, 92% of the activities resulted in positive mood after and sedentary time of the participating memory care residents was reduced by 66%.