Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Department
Occupational Therapy
First Advisor
Mandy Meyer
Keywords
Middle Aged; Occupational Therapists -- education; Role; Stroke -- rehabilitation; Young Adults
Abstract
Young and middle-aged adults experience disruptions to their daily life roles and responsibilities due to the variety of impairments they may face following a stroke. This population is in the time of their lives where they have a variety of roles and responsibilities that are important to them such as work, parenting, home management, education, driving, community re-integration, and social participation (Harris & Bettger, 2018; Lawrence, 2010, Maaijwee et al., 2015). An extensive literature review was conducted to determine if and when occupational therapists address roles during the rehabilitation process with young and middle-aged adults post-stroke. The thorough review of literature verified that there is a lack of emphasis placed on addressing prior life roles with this population. The literature review indicated that there is a need to educate occupational therapists on the importance of addressing returning to prior life roles during the rehabilitation process with young and middle-aged adults post-stroke.
Although occupational therapists have the skills to address meaningful life roles in young and middle-aged adults post-stroke, there is a disconnect between the literature and what is happening in practice in regards to addressing roles prior to discharge. A common theme that was found among the literature was that young and middle-aged adults post-stroke find transitions following discharge to be extremely difficult as they are ill-prepared to successfully return to their prior life roles and responsibilities (Anderson & Whitfield, 2012; Burton, 2000; Cott, Wiles, & Devitt, 2007; Lawrence, 2010; Meijering, Nanninga, & Lettinga, 2015). Involving the client in the recovery process by collaborating to address one's roles in conjunction with other necessary rehabilitation earlier on in treatment can be beneficial in reaching both the goals of the client and the occupational therapist (Lloyd, Roberts, Freeman, 2013; Schiavi et al., 2018; Van der Kemp et al., 2017).
The findings of the literature review provide support for the development of a product that aims to inform occupational therapists in the inpatient rehabilitation setting about the importance of addressing return to roles in young and middle-aged adults poststroke, as well as to provide guidance for how to incorporate roles into the treatment process. The overall goal of “Addressing Role Transitions in Young and Middle-Aged Adults Post-Stroke in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting: An In-Service for Occupational Therapists” is to enhance role transitions following discharge.
Recommended Citation
Ystaas, Ashley and Raymond, Kelsey, "Addressing Role Transitions in Young and Middle-Aged Adults Post-Stroke in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting: An In-Service for Occupational Therapists" (2019). Occupational Therapy Capstones. 428.
https://commons.und.edu/ot-grad/428