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 provides a multitude of benefits to patients with a variety of diagnoses due to its ability to impact multiple body systems simultaneously. The various physical, sensory, and psychological benefits of hippotherapy are explained utilizing evidence based literature to support these benefits. This paper was written to explain the benefits of hippotherapy, responsibilities of hippotherapy team members, and to justify the importance of ensuring each member of the hippotherapy team is knowledgeable regarding hippotherapy benefits, responsibilities when assisting with a hippotherapy session, and Health Insurance Probability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines. The researcher implemented a volunteer protocol at a nonprofit hippotherapy clinic to improve volunteers' knowledge and ensure patient safety. The results were assessed using the Goal Attainment Scale following a pre- and post-survey. Succeeding implementation of the volunteer protocol, approximately 40% of post-survey participants showed improved knowledge regarding hippotherapy and 50% demonstrated improved knowledge of HIPAA regulations. This translates into increased efficiency and safety of a hippotherapy session. Therefore, the volunteer protocol can be viewed as a valuable resource implemented at this hippotherapy clinic. Keywords: occupational therapy, benefits of hippotherapy, hippotherapy and Sensory Integration, Hippotherapy and Model of Human Occupation, HIPAA regulations for volunteers, quality improvement model A 16-week doctoral capstone experience (DCE) was completed by a Doctor of Occupational Therapy student (OTS) at the Children's TherAplay Foundation, Inc. in Carmel Indiana. Requirements for the DCE included conducting a needs assessment to create and implement a program based off of the priority populations' needs. Below is an introduction to hippotherapy, detailed needs assessment, and explanation of program implementation at Children's TherAplay.

Creator

• Tracey, Kelsy

Contributors

• Fogo, Jennifer

Publisher

• University of Indianapolis

Language

• en

Identifier

• Tracey.Kelsy.pdf

Keyword

• Health Sciences

• Occupational Therapy

Date created

• 2018-05

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/