Browsing by Author "Pritchard, Suzanne"

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    Occupational Therapy’s Role in Geriatric Primary Care: Helping Pave the Way
    (2025-05-05) Reyher, Whitney; Bednarski, Julie; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Pritchard, Suzanne
    Older adults often have complex healthcare needs that are managed by a primary care physician (PCP). As the amount of older adults rises in the coming years, in combination with a potential shortage of PCPs, occupational therapists can start to play an important role in assisting in their care in this practice setting, as the scope of OT aligns with the preventative and holistic nature of primary care. The aim of this project was to assist with occupational therapy joining the healthcare team at a geriatric outpatient clinic by identifying an OT population need and assessing the effectiveness of the current process to meet that need, while also educating interdisciplinary colleagues about OT’s scope of practice and the benefits of team-based care. The results of this study indicated that the current process of screening and referring to outside agencies is not effective at meeting the occupational needs of the patients.
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    Unwavering Occupational Therapy: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain in Geriatric Primary Care
    (2024-04-12) Dinwiddie, Jordyn; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Pritchard, Suzanne
    Patients with chronic pain are often seen within the primary care setting and occupational therapists play a critical role in chronic pain management. However, there is insufficient knowledge and utilization of occupational therapy services to address chronic pain in the primary care setting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the potential benefit of an occupational therapy program addressing the psychological impact of chronic pain on older adult patients in the primary care setting through the education of healthcare professionals. Results from the study indicated healthcare professionals were significantly more confident in utilizing their knowledge of the topic to help their patients, following the educational session. In addition, the majority of participants agreed the program promoted occupational engagement in desired tasks, having an occupational therapist would be beneficial to the clinic, and that other healthcare professionals would benefit from knowledge on this topic.