Occupational Adaptation: The Experiences of Older Persons With Physical Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of occupational adaptation among a small number of older Dutch persons with physical disabilities. Occupational adaptation was tentatively defined as overcoming disabling influences on occupational functioning. Eight occupational therapy clients, who were living in the community, were interviewed using an open in-depth interview format. A phenomenological analysis resulted in descriptions of occupational adaptation as a process that required these clients' active engagement. The clients recruited already familiar problem-solving strategies and personal resources as well as resources in their social and physical environments to identify prospects of potential solutions and to create solutions to overcome constraints on occupational functioning. Furthermore, participants strived for finding satisfaction through occupations, a meaning theme which emerged as the object of occupational adaptation. Satisfaction through occupations was found in maintaining daily routines and engaging in fulfilling occupations.

Occupational Engagement and Adaptation in Adults with Dementia: A Preliminary Investigation

“…These results are congruent with other studies that have identi-fied reasons why people participate in occupations, including: remaining useful; maintaining identity; providing a sense of enjoyment; providing respite from anxiety; experiencing satisfaction; maintaining a sense of control; retaining independence; maintaining social contact; having basic needs met; being habitual/familiar; passing time; learning; developing interests; feeling appreciated; and having a sense of value and purpose (Acton, Mayhew, Hopkins, & Yauk, 1999;Bontje et al, 2004;Egan, Hobson, & Fearing, in press;Hammell, 2004;Hasselkus, 1998;Jonsson et al, 1999;Klinger et al, 1999;Wallenbert & Jonsson, 2005).…”

“…Nygard (2004) mentioned that there are limitations to an individual's potential to adapt behaviour effectively due to the fact that dementia affects one's ability to learn and change one's behaviour. More emphasis may need to be placed on adapting the occupation; however most of the literature on adapting occupations has focused on other diagnoses, such as osteoarthritis and physical disabilities (Bontje, Kinebanian, Josephsson, & Tamura, 2004;Klinger, Spaulding, Polatajko, MacKinnon, & Miller, 1999). The aim of this study is to address these gaps in the literature by exploring the occupational adaptations individuals with dementia make in response to their memory difficulties and the motives they attach to favoured occupations.…”

Occupational Adaptation as a Construct: A Scoping Review of Literature

“…Occupational adaptation was described in a majority of the studies as a manner of coping, being resilient, and as a use of appropriate strategies in response to altered or changing life situations (Dale et al, 2002;Nayar & Stanley, 2015). Several authors framed occupational adaptation during the presence of adverse life events as: (a) a result of engagement in occupations necessary for healing (Ammann, Satink, & Andresen, 2012); (b) a manner of reestablishing life balance (Gruwsved, Söderback, & Fernholm, 1996); (c) a process of overcoming disabling influences on occupational functioning (Bontje, Kinebanian, Josephsson, & Tamura, 2004); (d) an iterative process of occupational accommodation and occupational assimilation as experienced in a sense of loss (Hoppes & Segal, 2010); and (e) a process of reclaiming roles and participating in alternate occupations (Gibbs, Boshoff, & Stanley, 2015). In a grounded theory study approach to understanding the experiences of immigrant women, Nayar and Stanley (2015) defined occupational adaptation as a strategy to proactively respond to altered situations and broaden one's occupational choices.…”

The Effectiveness of Interactive Metronome® as a Restorative Modality to Improve Cognition and Motor Performance in Healthy Older Adults in Eastern North Carolina

“…While the study has a small population and there was no control group, the outcomes measured over time appear to be more than just improvements based on learning curves or by chance [25]. The type of improvements noted in the participant's daily activities come as gradual changes that are incorporated into their level of ability and performance, sometimes without notice [27]. This is much the same way we fail to see our decline in performance as we age and find that looking over one's shoulder as you pull out of the driveway is more difficult than it used to be.…”