Date of Award

12-2023

Document Type

Oral Presentation/Poster

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Health Science

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Ranelle Nissen

Keywords

long-term care facilities, loneliness, social isolation, lack of meaningful occupation, Occupational therapy, group sessions, meaningful activties

Subject Categories

Occupational Therapy

Abstract

The use of long-term care facilities continues to grow as the population ages. According to the Kaiser Foundation (2022), 1.1 million individuals were residing in a long-term care facility in the United States in 2022. Individuals reside in long-term care facilities for a variety of reasons including limitations in function and the need for supervision (Sengupta et al., 2022). Residing in long-term care facilities often nurtures a feeling of loneliness, social isolation, and lack of meaningful occupation (Choi, Ransom, & Wylie, 2008; Mitchell et al., 2022; Slettebø et al., 2017). Occupational therapy is a profession that is primed to address this issue as it works to improve occupational performance and engagement in everyday activities. The aim of this project was to evaluate the current activity programming at Avera Sister James in Yankton, South Dakota, and to provide skilled occupational therapy group sessions with the hope of improving occupational function and overall mood amongst residents.

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