Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Sclinda Janssen

Keywords

Aged; Caregivers; Community Health Services; Dementia; Health Promotion

Abstract

In upcoming years, the population of older adults with dementia is expected to rise exponentially, with the expectation that the majority of these individuals will choose to age in place with increased caregiver support (AARP, 2011; National Alliance for Caregiving, 2009; Vincent & Velkoff, 2010). Without adequate education to prepare for the caregiving role, education, instruction, and support, informal caregivers are at an increased risk for caregiving burden, stress, and mortality rates (Morimoto, Schreiner, & Asano, 2003; Schulz & Beach, 1999; Thinnes & Padilla, 2011). The goal for this scholarly project was to create a home and community-based program for people with dementia and their caregivers to promote health and wellness. Caregiver interventions, such as education regarding the disease process, coping strategies, stress management techniques, and referral to community resources can reduce caregiver burden and strain while improving positive caregiving outcomes (Clark et al., 2011; Pizzi, 2010; Letts et al., 2011; Thinnes & Padilla, 2011). The core concepts of the Social Ecological Model of Health (SEMH), Ecology of Human Performance (EHP), and Cognitive Disabilities Reconsidered Model (CDRM) were integrated throughout the entire scholarly project (Dunn, Brown, & McGuigan, 1994; Levy & Burns, 2011; Lemyre & Orpana, 2002; Reitz, Scaffa, Campbell, & Rhynders, 2010). The resulting product was a grant application for a home and community-based service program for people with dementia and their informal caregivers. The intent of this program is to provide a holistic set of interventions, resources, and support through a multidisciplinary team.

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