Browsing by Author "Notter, Hope"

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    Enhancing Student Occupational Performance: How Physical Activity and Sensory Systems Intertwine in an Early Childhood Setting
    (2025) Notter, Hope; Belkiewitz, Johnna; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Miller, Erin
    Physical activity (PA) is not only essential for supporting health and well-being, but for stimulating the sensory systems. The underutilization of sensory systems, particularly the vestibular system, has increased due to the rise in sedentary behaviors among children and adolescents. Schools are uniquely positioned as an ideal setting to promote PA and the establishment of healthy routines. Doing so within the early childhood timeframe has shown to be especially crucial, with impacts lasting into adult life. However, school personnel have expressed that the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) is unclear, impacting interprofessional collaboration and ultimately, students—specifically regarding PA-induced sensory stimulation and corresponding classroom accommodations. Furthermore, caregiver involvement and modeling are needed for continued carryover of these activities at home. This Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) aimed to address these concerns by implementing the Minds-In-Motion (MIM) program in an early childhood setting to enhance student occupational performance through PA-induced sensory stimulation. Additionally, this DCE provided training for teachers to increase their understanding of the role of Occupational Therapy (OT) in the school environment and strategies to integrate PA into the daily routines of their students. A caregiver resource was also developed to promote skill carryover at home. Results from pre- and post-surveys demonstrated improvements in students’ social-emotional behavior, motor movement and strength, visual tracking, and auditory processing skills as well as school personnel’s knowledge and confidence levels. Findings reinforce the essentiality of PA in supporting early childhood development, the value of OT in school-based settings, and caregiver modeling.
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    Examining the Effects of Aging in Place on Quality of Life Compared to a Long-Term Care Facility: A Rapid Systematic Review
    (2023-05-04) Clayton, Ella; Doss, Breanna; Harrison, Stephanie; Mukhtar, Anam; Notter, Hope; Reyher, Whitney; Sego, Daniel; Chase, Anthony; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences
    As individuals age, they face impacted occupational performance which present as challenges performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) independently. This rapid systematic review seeks to investigate the effectiveness of existing occupational therapy (OT) interventions for older adults who are both aging in place and residing in long term care facilities through examining the evidence of 29 studies. Occupational therapy interventions investigated through this study were found to have common themes related to quality of life, occupational performance, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being. Common limitations found among studies include lack of randomization, small sample sizes, and lack of generalizability to different populations. Findings reveal that OT interventions with a focus on client-centered care contribute to improved occupational performance, participation, and quality of life for older adults. This systematic review supports implementing OT interventions for older adults aging in place and in long term care facilities. However, further research is needed to increase generalizability of conclusions and further examine the differences in outcomes between settings.