Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Sclinda Janssen

Keywords

Aged; Health Promotion; Leisure Activities; Long-Term Care; Quality of Life

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this scholarly project is to address health, well-being, and quality of life with the use of leisure activities as modalities with residents in long term care (LTC) facilities.

Methodology The results of a thorough literature review supported the need for a program to address leisure participation in residents in LTC facilities. An abundance of literature supporting participation in leisure to enhance health, well-being, and quality of life emerged from the literature review, revealing an obvious gap between literature and practice. The information gathered in the literature review helped guide the development of a program manual to be used by LTC facility staff. The products were designed using concepts from the environment-health-occupational-well-being (E-HOW) theoretical model (Pizzi & Richards, 2017), as well as from the adult learning theory of andragogy (Bastable & Dart, 2011). E-HOW aims to address the health, environment, and occupational participation of an individual to enhance quality of life and well-being (Pizzi & Richards, 2017); whereas, andragogy focuses on how to best relay information to an adult learner (Bastable & Dart, 2011). Aspects from these two theories were used to increase the usability and effectiveness of the program and in-service manuals for LTC facility staff.

Results The literature review and the theoretical models resulted in the development of two products. The first product is a program manual that gives LTC facility staff detailed information on how to implement a leisure-based program into the facility with collaboration between the occupational therapist, activity and restorative aide personnel, and the resident. The second product is an educational in-service aimed at educating staff on the correct ways to utilize the program manual.

Conclusions It is anticipated that both the program manual and the in-service manual will be effective solutions to the barriers LTC residents currently face that result in occupational deprivation. Both manuals will serve as a resource to occupational therapists and activity and restorative aide personnel to both guide the development of health promoting functional maintenance programs (FMP) and to ensure that the leisure interests of each resident are addressed.

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