Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Sclinda Janssen

Keywords

Aged; Aging; Health Promotion; Housing for the Elderly; Residence Characteristics

Abstract

Purpose: It is estimated that by 2030, one in five people in the United States will be 65 or older (US Census Bureau, 2008). An aging in place initiative has come to the forefront of health care to help seniors cope with the age related challenges, allowing seniors to experience productive aging in their own homes. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an occupation based aging in place wellness program for community dwelling elderly.

Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify the current challenges associated with aging. In addition, the literature review identified strengths and limitations of existing wellness programs that assist community dwelling elders to age in place.

Results: The occupational adaptation model was used to create the aging in place program which is designed to be implemented by an occupational therapist. This program includes session topics and outlines which may be modified by a skilled occupational therapist to meet needs of the group participants. This program also uses a multidisciplinary approach by inviting other disciplines to be educational guest speakers for various topics and to participate in a wellness fair. Evaluation tools to determine program effectiveness include: biometrics, balance assessment, wellness survey, and program satisfaction survey.

Conclusion: An aging in place program may allow community dwelling elders to continue aging safely in their home environment. It is recommended that this program be used in community based settings with grant funding.

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