Date of Award

2013

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

LaVonne Fox

Keywords

Accidents, Home -- prevention & control; Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Self-Help Devices -- utilization

Abstract

With the demographic shift of the aging population within the United States, and the push for preventative healthcare measures, occupational therapy (OT) practitioners need to adjust the way they are delivering their services to best meet this growing population's needs. Falls prevention is a method for occupational therapists to get involved in preventative care. The need for preventing falls is further supported by the concept of aging-in-place. Aging-in-place is popular amongst the older population, as older adults often wish to remain in their homes and natural contexts for as long as possible. Homes can come in many different forms; and for this scholarly project, the contexts of the recreational vehicle (RV) home and the recreational vehicle (RV) park are addressed to enable snowbirds to continue to engage in seasonal migration.

The purpose of this scholarly project is to provide the snowbird population with the opportunity to continue participating in seasonal migration for as long as they desire. To achieve this objective, a series of checklists were created that will assist snowbirds, RV park owners, and occupational therapists in identifying potential safety hazards in their immediate environment; however, the checklists are not intended to be all inclusive. The overall product is intended to increase the snowbirds' safety, independence, and longevity in their occupation of seasonal migration.

The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) and the Ecological Model of Human Performance (EHP) were used as a guide throughout the creation of this product. Concepts of MOHO, such as volition, habituation, and performance capacity, were guiding factors in the product's development. The snowbirds' volition to participate in seasonal migration was analyzed, as well as their daily habits and routines within their environment. The safety of the snowbirds' environment was addressed to match a variety of performance capacities. The EHP model was also used to analyze the snowbirds' context and provide a safe environment for the snowbirds to perform their daily tasks. The intervention strategies such as: establish/restore, alter, adapt/modify, prevent, and create assisted in developing the series of checklists that are intended to increase the snowbirds' performance range in their natural contexts.

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