Date of Award

2015

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Lavonne Fox

Keywords

Huntington Disease -- rehabilitation; Huntington Disease -- therapy; Occupational Therapy -- methods

Abstract

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease that can cause stress on the individual as well as their family members and caregivers. Due to the rareness of Huntington’s disease (HD), it is common that professionals are often at a loss when treating patients who have it. Dawson et al. (2004) discussed the need for individualized and client-centered care for those individuals diagnosed with HD, as well as providing practical supports for those diagnosed and their families. Furthermore, a major challenge to assessment and intervention is the complexity of the symptoms present with HD. Etchgary (2011) found in her study that caregivers and those diagnosed with HD discovered many primary care providers lacked the foundational knowledge of HD and often were not able to find a correct diagnosis for the symptoms presented in the initial phase, thus contributing to the problem of lack of supportive care for this client population.

Implications of Huntington’s Disease on Daily Living: An Educational Tool and Guide for Occupational Therapists Treating Individuals with Huntington’s Disease, was developed to address the continuing need for supportive care in healthcare for those affected by Huntington’s disease. A literature review was conducted to identify evidence based and best practices. The guide is designed to address various occupational components affected by Huntington’s disease thus increasing quality of care, and decreasing lack of supportive care for individuals affected by Huntington’s disease and their caregivers.

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