A WEBSITE FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTITIONERS
This site was developed for occupational therapy (OT) practitioners who strive to implement client-centered, occupation-based, evidence-based practice in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). With the well-being of clients in mind, this website provides OT practitioners with ideas and information for using leisure as a reimbursable therapeutic modality.
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Our primary goals through this website are to:
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- Enhance the well-being and quality of life for residents in SNFs
- Provide a resource for OT practitioners in SNFs who are
motivated to use leisure as a therapeutic modality
- Promote and encourage the use of occupation-based,
client-centered, evidence-based OT practice
LEISURE AS A THERAPEUTIC MODALITY
Leisure is an important part of life, from birth into old age. The Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014) includes leisure as an area of occupation. OT practitioners are uniquely qualified to address leisure participation with older adults living in SNFs. Skilled OT interventions that utilize leisure as an occupation-based modality are reimbursable. The use of leisure facilitates more repetition, intensity, duration, and task-specificity because it is more meaningful to clients. Leisure not only adds value to life, but also enhances therapeutic engagement and outcomes. This website is intended to help OT practitioners implement leisure as an effective occupation-based intervention.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The creation of this website was guided by two theoretical models.
PRACTICE MODEL
E-HOW
The Environment-Health-Occupation-Wellness (E-HOW) Model was used as the lens through which we view OT intervention, outcomes, and the clients we serve (Pizzi & Richards, 2017). With the E-HOW Model, OT practitioners are encouraged to focus on the therapeutic outcome of participation rather than simply occupational performance (Pizzi & Richards, 2017). It is an assumption of this model that meaningful and relevant daily activities promote health, wellness, and quality of life, which are the client outcomes we are encouraging OT practitioners to consider (Pizzi & Richards, 2017). This website is a tool for OT practitioners to use as they strive to implement occupation-based practice through the lens of OT models.
LEARNING MODELÂ
ANDRAGOGY
Since the intended consumers of this website are OT practitioners, the andragogical model, or adult learning, was used to develop the website to cater to the needs of adult learners (Cox, 2015; Knowles et al., 2018). By using this model of learning, it is our hope that this website encourages OT practitioners to use their existing knowledge and clinical experience to develop a deeper understanding of leisure as a therapeutic modality (Cox, 2015). The information and materials on this website were designed to establish a need, acknowledge practitioners’ experience, present problem-based learning opportunities, and inspire growth
(Cox, 2015; Knowles et al., 2018).
LATEST NEWS
Check out the latest information regarding OT in SNFs
NEW PAYMENT MODEL
October 2019
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The Patient Driven Payment Model for patients with Medicare Part A was put into effect on October 1, 2019. The changes put in place by this model can be an opportunity for OT practitioners to showcase our unique value. Addressing leisure with residents in SNFs is one way we can demonstrate our value with skilled, meaningful, reimbursable intervention. To learn more:
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- See the Reimbursement page in the main menu at the top of this page
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- Click the link below for PDPM information and resources recommended by AOTA
INAPPROPRIATE AND POTENTIALLY UNETHICAL PRACTICES IN SNFS
April 2017
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Rote exercise is the most common OT intervention provided in LTC facilities (Jewell et al., 2016), yet it is one of the least effective in enhancing functional abilities. The AOTA (2017) asserted that providing rote, unskilled services is inappropriate and unethical practice. Throughout this website we will address the barriers that pressure OT practitioners to use rote exercise as intervention, as well as solutions for providing occupation-based intervention.
Click the link below to read the full article from AOTA.
EFFECTIVE OT LEISURE PROGRAM
IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY
January 2018
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A group of occupational therapists in Korea conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of an individualized leisure activity program, compared with the leisure programming already available in the facility (Jung, Park, & Kim, 2018). The older adults who participated in individualized leisure had statistically significant improvements in the following areas (Jung et al., 2018):
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- Self-esteem
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- Depression
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- Life satisfaction
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- Upper extremity function
WEBSITE INSPIRATION
The inspiration for this Scholarly Project began in the winter of 2018, when Master of Occupational Therapy students Olivia Mayasich and Alexis Tyce, under the advisement of Cindy Janssen, presented their own project titled, "Using Leisure as a Therapeutic Activity to Enhance Health, Well-Being, and Quality of Life among Long Term Care Residents" (Mayasich, Tyce, & Janssen, 2019). The authors revealed the great need for meaningful OT interventions in SNFs and proposed methods for using leisure as a therapeutic activity.
Based on the literature, practice implications, and resources provided by Mayasich, Tyce, and Janssen (2019), the authors of this website set out to expand upon their Scholarly Project and make the information readily available to OT practitioners working in SNFs. To view a downloadable version of the project that inspired this website, click the link below.
AUTHORS & CONTRIBUTORS
ELIZABETH (LIZZIE) HAUCK
Master of Occupational Therapy Student
University of North Dakota
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Lizzie is passionate about seeing occupational justice and evidence-based practice in action with older adults. Her dream for this website is to see it become a practical,
go-to resource for OT practitioners working in skilled nursing facilities. She wants this website to be a non-judgmental place for OT practitioners to come and be inspired to implement occupation-based interventions that incorporate leisure.
SUMMER MILLER
Master of Occupational Therapy Student
University of North Dakota
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Summer is passionate about the health and well-being of older adults. Summer's hope for this website is to provide a resource for OT practitioners that empowers them to implement client-centered, occupation-based, evidence-based practice to promote occupational justice for residents in skilled nursing facilities.
SCLINDA JANSSEN, PHD, OTR/L, CLA
Project Advisor & Contributor
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Sclinda Janssen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Occupational Therapy at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota. She specializes in gerontics, service learning, interprofessional practice, community based health promotion, and aging in place. Her practice background includes 15 years working primarily in skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and home health.
OLIVIA MAYASICH, MOT, OTR/L
Contributor & Author of Project that Inspired Website
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Olivia graduated with a master’s in occupational therapy from the University of North Dakota in 2019. She now works as a therapy supervisor and splits her time between three facilities. She has always had a passion for working with older adults and during her time at UND, she realized how important individualized physical and mental care is for this population--to improve their health and quality of life. She has begun to implement aspects of her leisure program into the care provided for
long-term care residents.
ALEXIS TYCE, MOT, OTR/L
Contributor & Author of Project that Inspired Website
Alexis graduated from the University of North Dakota with a master's in occupational therapy in 2019. She currently splits her time between a clinic and hospital where she sees outpatient, inpatient acute, swing bed, inpatient mental health, and pediatric clients. She has also partnered with a local senior housing and assisted living facility to continue her passion of working with older adults.
MICHAEL A. PIZZI, PHD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Associate Professor
Department of Occupational Therapy
Dominican College, Orangeburg, NY
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Dr. Pizzi teaches OT theory and practice, health and wellness, community-based practice and maturity courses. He is the creator of the Environment-Health-Occupation-Wellness (E-HOW) Model. He also developed the Pizzi Health and Wellness Assessment (PHWA) and the Pizzi Healthy Weight Management Assessment (PHWMA) which have been utilized in several research studies and were presented at AOTA 2014-18.
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Click his photo for a full biography.
SPECIAL THANKS
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Cindy Janssen who has guided us through this project with endless encouragement, knowledge, and enthusiasm. This project would not be what it is without you!
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We would like to thank Olivia and Alexis for allowing us to build upon their project and make their excellent work available to OT practitioners.
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Thank you to Joan for being the inspiration for Alexis and Olivia's scholarly project as well as this website.
Special thanks to the residents and employees of Nelson County Care Center for letting us spend time with you and take beautiful, priceless pictures for our website.
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We would like to thank Dr. Michael Pizzi for his practice model which has served as a theoretical guide. We also thank him for his enthusiastic support of this project.
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Thank you to Alyssa Turner-Strong and Jennifer Zacha for assisting us with taking beautiful pictures of residents in Nelson County Care Center.
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Thank you to Kevin Bortnick, OTD, OTR/L, for authoring the assessment text book used as a resource for this website. His book served as a wonderful resource that enriched and enhanced the value of our product.
Special Considerations
STUDENT PROJECT
This website was developed by Elizabeth Hauck, Summer Miller, and Sclinda Janssen (advisor) in partial fulfillment of graduation requirements for a master’s degree by the Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota. Although they were continuously under the academic and professional advisement of a licensed occupational therapist, at the time this website was created, the students had limited clinical experience. We acknowledge that the information on this website could be expanded upon and enriched by clinical experience. This should be considered when consuming the content of the website.
All photos were used with permission.
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ACCREDITATION
The UND Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). For information regarding accreditation, contact the ACOTE at (301) 652-2682, or ACOTE, c/o Accreditation Department, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. The website is www.acoteonline.org. All basic professional programs must comply with the Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapist, 2011.