Earn CE Credit With AJOT Articles!
Learn about tested treatment strategies by reading AJOT articles in your area of practice. Become an evidence-based practitioner and demonstrate your knowledge by passing the course exam. Articles have been selected for their relevance to practice, fresh ideas, and strong evidence supporting treatment and the distinct value of OT.
Earn .1 AOTA CEU (1.25 NBCOT PDU/1 contact hour)
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE. Community participation is integral to wellness. This study examined the outcomes of Let’s Go, a program designed to facilitate community participation of urban-dwelling, low-income older adults.
METHOD. Fifty-two older adults participated in a mixed-methods, single-group pretest–posttest study. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire, participant surveys, and semistructured interviews were used to evaluate self-reported participation in community-based occupations, confidence, isolation, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships.
RESULTS. Significant improvement was found in participation, confidence, frequency of community trips, autonomy outdoors, and satisfaction with social life and relationships at 4 wk and 6 mo. Qualitative themes were decreased isolation, importance of peer and community support, increased knowledge of mobility options, and a shift from fear to confidence.
CONCLUSION. Community mobility programming can facilitate the participation of marginalized older adults in community-based occupations. Mulry, C. M., Papetti, C., De Martinis, J., & Ravinsky, M. (2017).
Learning Objectives
1) Explain how community mobility relates to occupational engagement and wellness and list alternatives to driving
2) Discuss occupational therapy’s role in community mobility programming and describe the Let’s Go program
3) Discuss efficacy of the Let’s Go program in facilitating community participation of marginalized older adults and implications for occupational therapy
Authors
Claire M. Mulry, OTD, OTR, CAPS, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Kean University, Union, NJ.
Christina Papetti, MSOT, OTR, is Occupational Therapist, Union, NJ. At the time of the study, she was Student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Kean University, Union, NJ.
Julian De Martinis, MSOT, OTR, is Occupational Therapist, Children’s Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, NJ. At the time of the study, he was Student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Kean University, Union, NJ.
Mark Ravinsky, MSOT, is Occupational Therapist, Union, NJ. At the time of the study, he was Student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Kean University, Union, NJ.
Reference
Facilitating wellness in urban-dwelling, low-income older adults through community mobility: A mixed-methods study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71, 7104190030. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.025494
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