Browsing by Author "Stinson, Kelsey"

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    Area Agency on Aging and Occupational Therapy
    (2021-05-07) Minnich, Victoria; DeRolf, Annie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Ziegler, Dustin; Stinson, Kelsey
    Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and the profession of occupational therapy have similar values as they pertain to the promotion of aging in place amongst community-dwelling older adults. AAAs provide a wide range of services that allow older adults to safely and productively age in their own homes rather than in institutionalized settings (National Association of Area Agencies on Aging [n4a], n.d.). Occupational therapy practitioners have an essential role in promoting quality of life, health, and participation in meaningful occupations amongst community-dwelling older adults (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2016). Despite these similar values, there are few partnerships between the two entities as fewer than 3.2% of occupational therapists even work in community settings with older adults (AOTA, 2020b). The goal of this capstone project was to evaluate an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and provide the organization with an evidence-based, client-centered proposal on how a staffed occupational therapy practitioner could fit within their organization. Outcomes of this capstone project consisted of five tailored recommendations for the organization as well as an increase in knowledge and perception of the scope of occupational therapy amongst the organization’s staff. Future research should be conducted on the outcomes associated with partnerships between AAAs and occupational therapy practitioners.
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    Dementia Care from an Occupational Therapy Perspective for CICOA: Aging & In-Home Solutions
    (2023-05-02) Taylor, Abigail R.; Bednarski, Julie A.; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Stinson, Kelsey
    Dementia is a growing condition among many seniors all over the world. This condition impacts not only individuals with the diagnosis but also their family caregivers. The numbers of seniors with dementia being cared for by family members within their homes are drastically increasing. Having the appropriate education and training about how to care for loved ones with dementia is crucial to the health and well-being of individuals with dementia and their caregivers. A literature review was conducted in order to explore the most current research regarding occupational therapy and how it relates to supporting individuals with dementia and their caregivers. This information was used to determine the gaps in caring for this population and to aid program development and implementation for a doctoral capstone project. Twenty articles were appraised and included in this review based on relevance to the project’s purpose, focus, and goals. The occupational therapy student used the information collected throughout her literature review to create evidence-based material regarding dementia care for staff members at her capstone site placement to strengthen their knowledge regarding dementia care from an occupational therapy perspective to assist them in providing specialized education to caregivers.
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    Occupational Therapy in an Area Agency on Aging: Informing Caregiver Support and Fall Prevention Programming
    (2022-05-02) Brown, Victoria; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; Ziegler, Dustin; Stinson, Kelsey
    This paper details an occupational therapy doctoral capstone project at an area agency on aging. Based on a needs assessment, gap analysis, and literature review, the capstone student planned out a two-fold project. The student first addressed caregiver burden through the creation of an energy conservation handout. A survey found that most caregivers struggled with fatigue and pain, and they thought the information in the handout was relevant to caregiving. A vast majority also stated they were likely to apply the energy conservation strategies to caregiving and daily activities. The student then wrote a literature review to inform the implementation of CAPABLE, a fall/disability prevention program, at the area agency on aging. Based on the project evaluation, future capstone projects could include occupational therapy sessions with caregivers, caregiver workshops, education on environment modification for those with dementia, and supporting the implementation of CAPABLE.