Document Type

Student Paper

Publication Date

2019

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the life history study of Fred Sammons, OT, is to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history and how occupational therapy (OT) practice has evolved from its inception to current practice through the life history stories of occupational therapists who have held leadership roles at the national level and beyond. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information.

Method: An in depth, semi-structured, 70-minute interview was conducted at the Goodstein Foundation Library on the campus of Casper College via ZOOM due to Mr. Sammons being located in Michigan. The interview was then transcribed verbatim and coded by the two researchers and collapsed down into four categories with four corresponding themes for each.

Results: The categories that arose in this study were the contribution to OT, development of OT, professional journey, and networks. The findings indicate that Mr. Sammons’ contributions of adaptive equipment will forever impact the field of OT.

Conclusion: Mr. Sammons developed into his role of an OT through the education he received and professional journey he encountered. His education and experiences influenced the development of his role of a businessman in inventing gadgets for the profession of occupational therapy. The impact his business has had impacts the profession globally, which leads to his connections and knowledge of networks at the international level.

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