OT Employment Program Addressing Homelessness for Women Experiencing Homelessness

Women experiencing homelessness face many barriers to employment participation. Occupational therapy (OT) is a well-suited profession to address employment barriers; however, there is a lack of OT programs that address the unique barriers to employment participation for women experiencing homelessness. The purpose of the capstone project was to develop a program focused on employment obtainment and maintenance for women experiencing homelessness. The employment program was developed based upon the findings from an in-depth literature review and needs assessment.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2023/1038/thumbnail.jp

How Occupational Therapists Address Chronic Pain and Sex/Intimacy

Sexual activity is 1 out of the 9 activities of daily living (ADLs) and is considered to be fundamental for a person\u27s life, yet it is one of the least discussed topics that occupational therapists address in client care settings, academia, and/or professional development. The aim for this project was to explore how occupational therapists addressed sex/intimacy with the chronic pain population in order to provide more insight and encouragement for other occupational therapists to incorporate discussion of sex/intimacy in their practice.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1034/thumbnail.jp

OT’s Role in a Social Enterprise Jobs Training Program for Homeless Youth

This capstone outlines a jobs training program for transition-aged youth (TAY), ages 18 – 25, currently residing at Urban Street Angels, a transitional housing facility for youth experiencing homelessness located in San Diego, California. The purpose of this project was to incorporate occupational therapy services into the site’s dormant social enterprise program, 8West. 8West produces a line of artisanal hand soaps created in-house by the youth living at Urban Street Angels. Through experiential and didactic learning, youth developed integral skills in customer service, communication, sales, marketing, professionalism, and production. The project addressed an unmet need for job skills training and development for TAY youth experiencing homelessness.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesfall2021/1012/thumbnail.jp

Sexual Activity and Intimacy within Occupational Therapy Practice

Sexual activity is often the forgotten ADL, that is underdressed in practice, and not spoken about in academia. This presentation aims to explore the role of occupational therapy addressing sexuality and intimacy following the onset of long term physical or neurological disabilities. This project outlines the role of OT in emerging practice in advocating for the development of a referral pathway specific for sexual activity and intimacy, and OT within an emerging setting.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2023/1032/thumbnail.jp

Inclusive Employment Opportunities for Adults with Down Syndrome

Adults with Down syndrome (DS) face several barriers to inclusive and community-based employment opportunities, including the DS phenotype, volition, and disability stigma. The purpose of this project was to create a strengths-based occupational therapy (OT) group program to address these barriers. Using information from the needs assessment as well as the Ecology of Human Performance model, the Model of Human Occupation, and the Social Model of Disability, the EmployAble program was created. EmployAble took place twice a week for five weeks and included six adults with DS, ages 19-32. The group focused on employment readiness skills such as interpersonal skills, professional communication, and self-advocacy through various client-centered activities. The outcome measures and evaluations demonstrated the effectiveness of the program. 66% of the group improved in the following domains: appropriate greetings, asking for help when needed, offering help if needed, taking responsibility for mistakes. Parents of group members reported unanimous satisfaction with the program. The EmployAble program, as well as relevant information about inclusive employment, was disseminated across a variety of platforms. It is recommended that OT practitioners continue to facilitate inclusive employment opportunities for adults with DS.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1035/thumbnail.jp

An OT Needs Assessment for Children and Families Residing in Shelters

This study created a needs assessment is to determine the unique occupational deficits of children and their families in California experiencing homelessness within a shelter setting via recording their lived experiences. A local family shelter was analyzed via observation and interviews with staff and residents of the shelter. The results were compiled into a facility assessment to identify supports and barriers to occupation. Results were also utilized to complete an occupational needs assessment for families and children living in homeless shelters. The study determined the occupational needs and occurrences of occupational deficits that were experienced by residents of the family shelter. This study discussed how role of occupational therapy can address occupational needs within the shelter setting.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2024/1040/thumbnail.jp

Supporting the Transition Out of the Family Caregiver Role: An Occupation-Centered Approach

Engagement in meaningful and valued occupations can be used as a means to help former family caregivers cope, heal, and grow following the loss of their loved one (Pickens, 2011). Occupational engagement can be used as a means to help former family caregivers reshape their personal identity, experience a sense of wholeness, and reestablish purpose and balance in their lives (Hocking, 2016). The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to educate hospice care staff on ways to support individuals with transitioning out of the family caregiver role following the death of the care recipient. An educational resource was developed to inform hospice care staff on the use of occupation-centered interventions and activities to foster adaptation to shifts in roles, routines, habits, and rituals after caregiving ends.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1009/thumbnail.jp

Entrepreneurship and OT

The purpose of this project was to discover the perceived and actual barriers to business ownership through research with current OT businesses and create a deliverable supporting OTs entering business ownership.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1043/thumbnail.jp

The Form, Function, and Meaning of Creative Expression

This project consists of school site observations and needs assessment data used to gain a better understanding of the various types of creative expression engaged in during the school day and to determine the form, function, and meaning of creative expression to students at a school for students with learning differences. This study discusses to the creation of a creative expression program created to help meet the sensory need demonstrated by this population of students on campus throughout the school day. The importance of zentangle based art use as a sensory regulation strategy in a school setting is discussed as well as taking a form, function, and meaning approach to bring meaningful art to the art classroom.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonessummer2023/1030/thumbnail.jp

Black Occupational Therapists’ Experiences on the Occupational Impacts of Racism

Research indicates that there is a correlation between racism and impact on occupations (Beagan & Etowa, 2009; Gershenson et al., 2016; Lavalley & Johnson, 2020). The purpose of this study was to expand on the existing research of occupational impacts of racism on the Black community and discover any differences or new themes that have occurred in the past decade. Additionally, this research project investigated specific examples and experiences that lead to these occupational impacts. The student researcher used surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews to gather data focused on the occupational needs and engagement of this population. The research question of this study was: What are the occupational impacts of racism from the perspectives and experiences of Black occupational therapists? The purpose of recruiting Black individuals within the realm of occupational therapy is due to the assumption that they have a true understanding of occupation, and have more insight on the impact racism has on occupations, drawn from their own personal experiences. This student researcher hypothesized that there were undiscovered impacts on occupational engagement and impacts on performance patterns (habits, routines, roles, and rituals) within this population, which became evident through this research study. The study has proven that there are many other occupations impacted by racism such as, but not limited to, social participation, dressing, eating, safety and emergency maintenance, driving and community mobility, shopping, and physical activity. Overall, the study found that anticipatory stress and the fear of affirming stereotypes leads to Black individuals avoiding and adapting occupations. In addition, while engaging in certain occupations, many Black individuals feel as though they cannot fully enjoy themselves, therefore decreasing the quality of engagement. This information is important to the profession of occupational therapy and will open up a broader conversation regarding systemic racism and the profession’s role in supporting the Black community and promoting occupational justice for all people.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstones-spring2022/1007/thumbnail.jp