What Does Occupational Therapy Have to Offer Older People

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What Does Occupational Therapy Have to Offer
Older People?
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In Norway

• What are the factors
• Demographic
• Economic
• Political
• Historical
• Societal
• That shape responses to older people?

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Remember Increased Lifespan

• A great challenge for health care providers,
  researchers and elders is how to ensure that the
  quality of individual and family life can be
  maintained during the extended lifespan.
• Jackson et al, 2001, pp. 5

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Leading to increased demand for health services
Need for Services
Increasing numbers of older people
Treatment of acute conditions
Increased prevalence of disability
Improved public health
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Occupational therapy for older people in the UK

• A significant shift away from institutional
  provision to services provided to older people in
  the community
• Increased demand as a consequence of the
  development of community and preventive services
• Positive recognition when occupational therapy
  skills are applied to full extent

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The Core Mission of Occupational Therapy

• The human being can attain enhanced health and
  quality of life by actively doing things that are
  personally meaningful and purposeful.
• Nelson, 1997, pp. 11.

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But what about our UK legacy?

• Relationship with other professions
• Professional ideology
• Numbers in comparison with other professions like
  nursing
• Not valuing our strengths

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Negative aspects

• Focus upon assessment only rather than assessment
  and treatment
• Dependency upon other professions for referral
  and for recognition and status
• Poorly developed and implemented evidence base

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A negative cycle..
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A positive approach
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Occupational Therapy in Norway?

• What are the Issues?
• What is your professional legacy?
• What are your strengths?

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The Core mission of Occupational Therapy

• The human being can attain enhanced health and
  quality of life by actively doing things that are
  personally meaningful and purposeful.
• Nelson, 1997, pp. 11.

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The responsibilities of those working with older
people

• Insight into belief systems about older age
• Informed views of expectations of lifestyle post
  retirement
• Knowledge of the impact of ill health and frailty
  upon the quality of life of older people, and how
  a reasonable lifestyle can be maintained despite
  difficulties.

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Above all else..
Demand the quality of service you would want for
yourself and for your family
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New trends in service delivery for older people
in the UK

• Health promotion and prevention of ill
  health/disability
• Treatment of chronic conditions in the community
  with associated requirement for self management
• Inclusive products and better design
• Vocational rehabilitation for older workers

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What do you notice about these trends?
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Impact of new trends upon occupational therapy

• Occupational therapy skills are central
• The occupational therapists must work in
  partnership with older people to deliver the
  agenda
• Occupational therapy must be delivered in the
  community

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Implications for us all

• Importance of trying to understand the experience
  of older age
• A shift away from assessment by professionals to
  empowerment of older people and self assessment
• Ability to be able to work independently and
  accept the responsibility for the risks older
  people might choose to take

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Some examples of research being undertaken in
Sheffield

• Lifestyle Matters an occupational approach to
  healthy ageing
• www.lifestylematters.info
• Gail Mountain, Claire Craig and Caroline Mozley

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More research on lifestyle

• Occupation in older age a European Perspective
• Promoted through the ENOTHE network
  www.enothe.hva.nl
• Gail Mountain, Klara Jackobsen, Patricia De
  Vriendt, Ramon Daniels et al

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More research on lifestyle

• Cultural and health promoting activities for
  older people living in sheltered care settings
• Josie Tetley and Gail Mountain

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Research on self management

• Self management for people with early
  Alzheimers disease and their carers
• Gail Mountain, Esme Moniz Cook, Peter Bowie et
  al
• Also, self management for Parkinsons disease
  and their carers

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More research on self management

• Use of technology for self management of chronic
  pain, stroke and heart disease
• Gail Mountain, Norman Black, Chris Eccleston,
  Huosheng Hu et al

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Research on design

• My Bathroom a study of the application of
  design principles to bathrooms for people with
  disabilities
• Chris Rust and Gail Mountain

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Research on user involvement

• Promoting the involvement of older people in
  partnership working in the UK, Italy and Slovenia
• Gail Mountain, Peter Kokol, Enrica Montu and
  Josie Tetley

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An exciting agenda!

• Who wants to join us???
• Gail Mountain
• g.a.mountain_at_shu.ac.uk