Importance: Evidence supports interventions for social participation for older adults with low vision.Objective: This systematic review examined the evidence for interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to maintain, restore, and improve performance and quality of life in leisure and social participation for older adults with low vision.Data Sources: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, OTseeker, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for articles published from January 2010 to March 2017 that described interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice for older adults with low vision (mean age 55+).Study Selection and Data Collection: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines were followed and applied for this review. Exclusion criteria included publications outside of the period of the study, participants with mean age <55 yr, and interventions outside the occupational therapy scope of practice.Findings: The search yielded 455 articles, of which 3 Level III studies met the inclusion criteria. Low evidence with high risk of bias was found for interventions supporting social participation. Group therapy, more hours of direct service over a shorter duration, and fitting with low vision devices resulted in improvements in social participation and other outcomes. Conclusion and Relevance:Little evidence exists to support occupational therapy interventions in the areas of leisure and social participation. More research is needed in these areas.What This Article Adds: There continues to be a need for research studies in the areas of leisure and social participation.I n 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO; 2013) estimated that 285 million people were living with visual impairment. In 2018, WHO estimated that 1.3 billion people were living with some type of visual impairment, the majority over age 50. WHO categorized this population as follows: for distance vision, 188.5 million people with mild visual impairment, 217 million with moderate to severe visual impairment, and 36 million with blindness, and for near vision, 826 million people with visual impairment (WHO, 2018). Low vision, a classification of visual impairment, affects near and distance vision, creating challenges for older adults' engagement in leisure and social participation.The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA; 2014) described leisure and social participation as intrinsically motivating activities that support engagement in the community with family and friends. Low vision affects the ability to see family, friends, and everyday items in the home and community, challenging the participation of older adults with low vision in leisure and social activities. Older adults with low vision who have not received rehabilitation have been found to limit their physical and social life spaces (Rudman et al., 2010). Engagement in leisure and social participation in the home and community helps promote overall health and wellbeing (Nastasi, 201...

Introduction: In order to live in a world created for the sighted, older adults with visual impairment must adapt to complete vision-dependent activities that require reading, writing, and object identification. The objective of this study was to explore the occupational lives of three older adults with visual impairment. Method: A qualitative study with four interviews each and two observation sessions each was conducted with older adults with visual impairment. Data were analyzed by participant and across participants using open, axial, and selective coding. Codes were refined throughout the process yielding the themes of the study. Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: an occupational life of doing, an occupational life rich with well-being, and an occupational life filled with motivation for independence. Participants were highly motivated to complete their occupations and activities independently. Participation in activities in the home and community environments provided participants with life satisfaction and happiness. Through problem-solving skills, adaptations, and support of family and friends, participants successfully completed their desired occupations. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of motivation and support to facilitate participation in occupations in the home and community environments.

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Introduction Light plays a crucial role in facilitating or hindering participation in reading. The purpose of this study is to examine the preferred lighting and actual lighting levels for reading for adults with visual impairment at a center for the blind. Method This mixed-methods study gathered reading acuity level and lighting preferences for reading for 18 adults with visual impairment. The researcher used the Warren Text Card to measure reading acuity, and participants identified the preferred lighting level for reading on the LuxIQ 2. A Lighting Inventory was used to record lighting at the site. Findings Preferred lighting levels varied for adults with visual impairment. Preferred lux ranged from 250–5000 and kelvin ranged from 3000–6500 degrees. Reading acuity significantly improved (<.01) with increased lighting ( t = 3.441). The actual lighting levels at the center did not meet preferred lighting levels for reading. Conclusion Adults with visual impairment preferred increased levels of lighting for reading. As desired levels varied across participants, recommending customized lighting for each individual is optimal. Occupational therapists ideally should evaluate lighting and educate clients on how to increase lighting levels to the preferred level of lighting for reading to optimize reading performance.