Transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) persons experience a variety of health and psychosocial disparities, necessitating a need for unique, evidence-based interventions to facilitate occupational engagement and ensure...
The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was to create a one time, educational session, Caring for those who Care, for caregivers of cancer survivors at the Indianapolis chapter of Cancer Support Community...
Sexuality is one area of performance resulting in both direct and indirect deficits post brain injury; however, clinicians rarely address this topic during the rehabilitative process (Stocchetti & Zanier, 2016). The purpose of...
The purpose of this doctoral capstone experience was to develop administration and leadership skills in regards to occupational therapy practices in the skilled nursing facility environment through literature review,...
Acute psychiatric facilities serve individuals with serious mental illnesses in hopes of providing adequate care to promote a successful community reintegration, although many facilities lack having an occupational therapist on...
Literature findings showed that there was a need for occupational therapy with cancer survivors due to chronic symptoms from cancer treatment. The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone Project at Cancer Support Community was to...
The human-animal bond has existed and been documented on for centuries, and the use of animals in the healthcare setting has steadily increased since the 1980s. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to improve aspects of...
The Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) is a 14-week long clinical rotation in which students are encouraged to gain advanced clinical skills and experience with program development. The primary focus of this reviewed clinical...
Background/ Objective: Limited ethics education has led to moral distress in practice, contributing to unethical treatment of clients, high turnover rates, and increased healthcare costs.
The Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) is a 14-week long clinical rotation in which students are encouraged to gain advanced clinical skills and experience with program development. The primary focus of this reviewed clinical...
Due to high residential care costs, individuals with dementia are remaining in their community and relying on informal caregivers (Vreugdenhil, 2014). Providing unpaid care for individuals with dementia can negatively impact...
Evidence: Older adults in institutional settings experience limited participation in leisure occupations, often leading to depression and decreased life meaning (Chippendale & Bear-Lehman, 2012; Elias, Neville, & Scott, 2015)....
Mini Minds is a multi-disciplinary outpatient pediatric clinic with a focus on aiding families in achieving occupational well-being through their brain-based learning brand. External and internal analyses of Mini Minds revealed...
Current falls prevention interventions vary in methodology and effectiveness, and there is need for consistent intervention in the clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to determine the content validity of the My...
Over 300,000 children in the United States have been diagnosed with some form of juvenile arthritis. However, there are fewer than 350 board-certified practicing pediatric rheumatologists in the United States, with only 25...
Following the completion of a needs assessment at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Hospital, an increase of medical spending, a lack of patient expectation fulfillment, and the decreased functional outcomes postoperatively were...
Background/Purpose: At Franciscan Senior Health and Wellness PACE Program, the individuals served are 55 years or older and require skilled nursing level care. A programmatic need identified for the site included the creation...
Infants who are discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Indiana University Health North Hospital are not typically followed by the hospital to ensure they are developing appropriately with their peers. A...
Stones Crossing Physical Therapy and Rehab offers clients a variety of treatments and therapists have multiple advanced training and certifications in different skills. Staff wanted an animal assisted therapy (AAT) program to...
Theracare Outpatient Therapy Services provides skilled therapies to children in order to maximize independence in their lives. Prior summer programs have been implemented in the past but with limited research and organization....
Background: The profession of occupational therapy is in need of a framework to guide practitioner understanding of the complex occupational nature of sexuality and intimacy, including assessment, intervention design, and...
This study explored differences in perceptions of evidence-based practice (EBP) between occupational therapy (OT) students and practitioners. Researchers aimed to understand student and practitioner perceptions of barriers,...
The purpose of our study is to examine occupational therapy practitioners' improved knowledge of issues of occupational justice and indication of intent to incorporate it into individual practice after completion of an...
The level of physical activity participation among individuals with disabilities is substantially lower than individuals without disabilities, which is largely attributed to attitudinal,environmental, and programmatic barriers....
Surgical treatment for breast cancer can lead to decreased upper extremity range of motion and strength, and increased risk of developing lymphedema. These factors can hinder an individual's ability to perform necessary...
Background/Purpose: A need for an early mobilization program was identified at a large Midwest hospital. This hospital does not have an early mobility program, but is in the early program design phase. Therefore, the purpose of...
The Lafayette Family YMCA established a community partnership with Franciscan Health and the two organizations are a part of a building that offers services from both organizations. The purposes of this doctoral capstone were:...
Purpose: The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) project was to develop effective and inclusive safe transfer training for support staff at Garden Center Services (GCS), propose a plan to increase accessibility...
Play is a major occupation that contributes to child development and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine how caregiver anxiety impacts play with children with disabilities. Using a qualitative...
When working with children who have sensory processing disorders (SPD), occupational therapists (OTR) will utilize a wholesome approach by providing sensory-based treatments, relationship-based interventions, developmental...
The purpose of an occupational therapy student being placed within the home modification and assistive technology departments was to address the need regarding follow-up about the effectiveness of services and how products...
Caregivers and parents of children with disabilities face barriers to participation in spiritual settings and community events. Families accepted into church environments have been shown to have increased participation and...
After experiencing a life-altering diagnosis, individuals often have difficulty re-establishing their occupational identity (Scaffa, Reitz, & Pizzi, 2010). When individuals are discharged from the rehabilitation hospital, they...
The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience was to expand the pediatric program at a rural outpatient center by increasing awareness of the role occupational therapy plays with children, increasing appropriate referrals,...
Hippotherapy is a unique treatment tool used by occupational, physical, and speech therapists to meet patients' functional goals. Hippotherapy requires several individuals to facilitate a successful and safe session and...
The purpose of this study was to examine parent perceptions of early intervention services in the Fort Wayne area. After the completion of a needs assessment, it was determined there was a lack of communication among therapy...
Background: Smartphones have become a valuable tool on which many rely to complete a myriad of tasks on a daily basis, and occupational therapists have begun to consider them as possible tools to support the daily occupations...
Many veterans have difficulty with reintegration into civilian life due to factors including psychological health, social interaction, physical health, housing, finances, education, and/or legal matters (Elnitsky, Fisher, &...
The proportion of adults aged 65 and older in the United States is steadily rising as the baby boomer population continues to age (Alzheimer's Association, 2017). Given the prevalence of older adults with neurocognitive...
The purpose of my doctoral capstone experience was to explore the role of occupational therapy in the prevention and treatment of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). My project consisted of three main components: a) developing...
While the intensive environment of the NICU can act as a barrier to parents fulfilling the parental occupation, evidence demonstrates that family-centered, developmentally supportive care leads to more successful outcomes for...
Background Head preference may be influenced by various factors, and several developmental skills rely on midline positioning of the head. If left untreated, head preferences can lead to significant conditions, such as...
This doctoral capstone experience aimed to explore the readability of early intervention therapist notes to improve health literacy in a pediatric therapy clinic. As defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association...
This article aims to explore the distinct value of occupational therapy in the community-based cancer survivorship setting through the integration of occupational therapy and health promotion and wellness education into a...
The role of an occupational therapy manager is critical in order to advocate for the profession of occupational therapy while also guaranteeing clinical practice is maintained (AOTA, 2011). However, occupational therapy...
Falls are a leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injury, and fear of falling decreases older adults' independence and ability to do typical activities. Multifactorial falls prevention programs have been effective in decreasing...
This Doctoral Capstone Project explored the benefit of adding sensory based activities to physical education (PE) classes at DAMAR with students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This project aimed to increase the...
Occupational therapy addresses fine motor skills throughout the lifespan, but there is limited evidence for how understanding a functional tool's purpose and the presence of environmental cues impact a transitioning infant's...
A study done in 2018 ranked the United States by drug use (Kiernan, 2018). Indiana was ranked 7th in the lineup for having the biggest drug problem (Kiernan, 2018). Indianapolis has many addiction centers to address this issue,...
The Doctoral Capstone Experience encapsulated integrating evidence, clinical skills, and occupational theory into an interprofessional education session to set a standard of practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)...
This paper explores the effectiveness of an occupation based pre-employment workshop implementing resume building and interview skills at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center domiciliary in Indianapolis, Indiana. A needs...
Nearly half a million people died from drug overdoses between 2000-2014, an average of 78 Americans each day (Costa, 2016). Today, Indiana is ranked 15th in the nation for drug overdose (Indiana House Democratic Caucus, 2017)....
This study examined occupational therapy's role in implementation of fine motor activities and fine motor exercises within the Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) exercise program to improve overall fine motor skills and coordination in...
The objective of this project was to further develop a home exercise program while implementing quality improvement strategies. The needs of the Community Health Network outpatient clinic were assessed via survey which was sent...
The Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was a 14-week long clinical rotation in which students were given the opportunity to gain advanced clinical practice skills and enhance their skills in program development, client...
The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to provide education and resources regarding the role of occupational therapy (OT) with Parkinson's disease (PD), coping skills, self-management, wellness, and fall prevention...
Individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) deal with various secondary complications that can affect their physical, emotional, and social health (Sezer et al., 2015). Having support from one's community can enhance these...
Feeding and eating problems are common among children with and without disabilities and can have long lasting adverse effects on both the child and their family. After conducting a needs assessment at Bloom Pediatric Therapy,...
At a long-term care facility in mid-western Ohio, a secured memory care unit was created to provide structure, routine, and activities for individuals with early to late stages of dementia. There has been a lack of education...
Adults with disabilities can experience limited engagement in social participation due to limitations and barriers. There is a need for increased social participation of individuals with disabilities within the community...
This qualitative study examined the influence of bridge employment on roles and routines in older adults. The participants included seven older adults, age 55 and above, who had retired from their primary employment and were...
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by intense emotions, self-harm, low or unstable self-image, and risky behaviors, among other symptoms (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The purpose of this study...
Background: State standards have shifted the focus of kindergarten curricula, increasing the amount of testing completed in schools, directly impacting the amount of time students spend in hands-on and exploratory play. With...
The purpose of the Doctoral Capstone at the Rehabilitation hospital of Indiana Northwest Brain Injury Center (INBIC) was to complete the initial stages of program development for a concussion clinic. Educational resources were...
This study aims to describe how occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are addressing side effects and occupational performance deficits of cancer survivors in order to analyze current practice trends. Survey methodology with...
The purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) was to develop and implement a program to address cancer survivors' sexual health and intimacy concerns at Cancer Support Community of Central Indiana. Program development...
The purpose of the study was to determine risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon. A prospective case series format and mixed method design was...
"Introduction: Cancer survivors continue to experience complications that last months to years following diagnosis and treatment which can impact daily life. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of...
Participation in group-based dance activities is thought to positively impact a child's overall health and wellness. Though researchers have investigated the effects dance has on a person's overall health and wellness, Kids...
The aim of this project was to obtain grant funding to assist A Caring Place in purchasing multiple computer-based, person-centered devices from Its Never 2 Late (iN2L) technology. A Caring Place is an adult day service center...
The effect of individuals in our community experiencing both substance use disorders and homelessness impacts and impairs their occupational performance in their everyday lives (McNaughton, 2008). Occupational therapy (OT) can...
Background: The Fall Observation Report at Spring Hill Village (SHV) in 2018 showed that there were 222 falls reported. After discussing with all therapy staff, they stated there are no fall prevention or simple home...
Veterans experiencing homelessness secondary to behavioral health or mental health conditions require proper care to address the barriers to successful participation in occupations. Occupational therapists hold the...
Work is recognized as an integral component of most adults' lives and personal identities, often viewed as being essential to gain economic self-sufficiency, social connectedness, and good quality of life (Dennis, & Gitlow,...
The addiction of one individual affects much more than that person; addiction impacts the individual's family, as well as the entire community. Addiction leads to loss of life, social disruption, role disruption, and emotional...
Farming/ranching continuously ranks as one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, however literature indicates current gaps in care between health professionals and farmers/ranchers. Typically, resulting from limited...
Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is thought to enhance developments in the medical field by printing products for the use of patients and health care providers. Researchers have investigated the use and impact of 3D...
This paper summarizes the Doctoral Capstone Experience (DCE) that took place at Indiana University Health North Hospital (IUHNH) in which the student analyzed the occupational therapy protocol for patients following a total hip...
Over 67,000 individuals are injured from firearms each year. Occupational therapists are able to treat individuals with upper extremity injuries. Occupational therapy students are trained in school on the basic upper extremity...
Background: With strict rules on isolation following a bone marrow transplant, the pediatric cancer population suffers from delayed social interaction and developmental skills, impacting
their roles and occupations (Connelly,...
A capstone experience was completed to fulfill academic requirements for a doctoral degree in occupational therapy. The primary goal of the doctoral capstone experience was to develop advanced leadership and administrative...
Background: The campaign to treat pain as a fifth vital sign exacerbated the use of prescription opioids for chronic pain treatment. Prescription opioids are highly addictive substances that have resulted in the staggering...
The primary purpose of this Doctoral Capstone Experience, in unison with clinical skills, was to develop readable educational handouts for patients with various conditions to increase their functional outcomes while minimizing...
Cortical visual impairment (CVI) is the leading bilateral visual impairment in children under the age of 18. CVI is caused by an insult to the posterior visual pathway resulting in difficulties processing what the eye is...
Island Dolphin Care, a not-for-profit, provides dolphin-assisted therapy programs for people with special needs. A needs assessment was completed by the therapy staff at IDC immediately after the therapy season ended in...
Problem Statement: Individuals who are homeless and terminally ill experience a loss of meaningful occupation as their illness progresses (Ko & Nelson-Becker, 2014; Lyons et al., 2002). The holistic practice of occupational...
The level of physical activity participation among individuals with disabilities is substantially lower than individuals without disabilities, which is largely attributed to attitudinal,environmental, and programmatic barriers....
Background: Participants of the local and Miss Indiana pageants, experience a surge in occupations which potentially imposes a threat to overall wellness. In order for these women to maintain their wellness during each phase of...
Background: Play is an essential occupation for children and has a role in facilitating proper child development. The demands related to caring for a child with a disability can be anxiety-inducing for some caregivers, which...
Problem: A need for increased promotion of humanness among people with mental health concerns is prevalent in both the medical and societal realms. Stigma surrounding mental illness from both health professionals and the...
Individuals with disabilities are at an even greater risk for a lack of physical activity and engaging in health promoting behaviors. Home exercise programs (HEP) have been effective in improving patient outcomes and preventing...
Individuals with SUD participated in a 6-week theater intervention to supplement recovery. this research examines the qualitative experience of these participants before, during, and 6 months after the intervention to...
Long-term care facilities provide care to older adults, including individuals with dementia, and promote client-centered care through maximizing functional independence and cultivating one's quality of life (Moyle,...
Domestic violence and addiction recovery are similar in that they both can cause occupational deprivation and a loss of occupational identity (Javaherian, 2006; Steward & Fischer, 2015). This doctoral capstone experience took...
This study examined exercise as it relates to hope and optimism among persons with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The purposes of this study were: 1)To determine the relationships between hope,...
"Background: Researchers completed a retrospective analysis of driving evaluations in a driver-retraining program post diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The purpose of the research was to determine predictors for a...
"Background: Researchers examined existing new driver training records to determine factors associated with successful completion of a driver training program.
Method: Forty-one de-identified driving evaluation and discharge...