Driving Behaviors and Community Mobility of Older Adults Living Independently

Date Presented Accepted for AOTA INSPIRE 2021 but unable to be presented due to online event limitations.

This mixed-methods online survey collected self-report data from 88 older adults on self-restricting driving behaviors. Data identified trends in various factors, including overall driving behaviors, community mobility, use of alternative transportation, and age of older adults independently living in urban and suburban California. Increased self-restricted driving behaviors were reported with the increased age of respondents. This change in driving results in diminished occupational participation.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Elisa Chan, Alyson Bothman, Lisa Bullard, Nicholas Chambers, and Derek Colvin

Contributing Authors: Chiao-Ju Fang

Meaning of Driving for Older Adults

Date Presented 04/20/21

The meaning of driving for older adults was investigated using qualitative in-depth interviews. Eleven adults, currently driving and residing in suburban low-income housing, were interviewed twice. After verbatim transcription of the first interview, the second interview confirmed and expanded data. Six unique themes emerged: driving integrated into identity, driving is meaningful and important, barriers to driving, supports for driving, driving cessation, and alternative transportation options.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Cynthia Evetts

The Lived Experience of Homeless Mothers’ Participation in an OT Leisure Craft Group

Date Presented 03/28/20

This phenomenological, qualitative pilot study aimed to gain insight into the lived experiences of homeless mothers participating in leisure craft groups. Information was obtained using semistructured interviews that sought to explore what meaning was derived from attendance. Informants from the study echoed content from literature regarding benefits of leisure participation. This research supports the application of occupational justice by expanding services to an under-served population.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Carina Mena, Emily Winter, Alison Roozeboom, Lisa Vu, Erica Yee

The Meaning of Driving for Older Adults

Date Presented 03/27/20

The meaning of driving for older adults was investigated using qualitative, in-depth interviews. Eleven adults, currently driving and residing in suburban low-income housing, were interviewed twice. After verbatim transcription of their first interviews, their second interviews confirmed and expanded on the data. Six unique themes emerged: driving integrated into identity; driving is meaningful and important; barriers to driving; supports for driving; driving cessation; and alternative transportation options.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Mimi Stroud, Suzanne Walter, Y. K. Liao, Courtney Stonesifer, Marrah Samantha

Promoting Financial Literacy for Homeless Teens Through a Leisure-Based OT Program

Date Presented 04/04/19

This pretest-posttest quasi-experimental pilot investigation used a client-centered outcomes measure, Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), to identify gains achieved following attendance to OT sessions focused on financial literacy for teens living in a homeless shelter. The teens collaborated with graduate OT students to develop goals and then identified the self-perceived gains following participation in the group sessions.

Primary Author and Speaker: Anna Shaver

Additional Authors and Speakers: Ani Abrahamian, Kelsey Baskovich, Celeste Li

Contributing Authors: Elisabeth Russ, Winifred Schultz-Krohn

The Lived Experience of Homeless Mothers’ Participation in an OT Leisure Craft Group

Date Presented 04/05/19

This phenomenological, qualitative pilot study aimed to gain insight into the lived experience of homeless mothers participating in leisure craft groups. Information was obtained using semistructured interviews that sought to explore the meaning derived from attendance. Informants from the study echoed content from literature regarding benefits of leisure participation. This research supports the application of occupational justice by expanding services to an underserved population.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Rachel Bishop, Kacie Conn, Kaylene de Bord, Darla Gary, Samantha Santos

Promoting Financial Literacy in Homeless Teens Through a Leisure-Based Occupational Therapy Program

Date Presented 4/20/2018

This quasi-experimental pilot investigation used goal attainment scaling as the outcome measure to determine the effect of a leisure-based occupational therapy intervention on the money management skills of adolescents living in a homeless shelter.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Ivana Ang-Asuncion, Kenya Carter, Jessica Cone, Lauren Crane, Lynne Eduvala, Katy Entrekin

Effectiveness of an Occupational Therapy Work Readiness Program for Homeless Parents

Date Presented 4/19/2018

Homeless parents completed a 6-wk occupational therapy program at an emergency homeless shelter that addressed self-identified goals to improve work readiness skills. Significant gains in self-identified work readiness skills were revealed using goal attainment scaling as the outcome measure.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Robert Carey, Ryan Dail, Paul Endish

Efficacy of the Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Intervention for Children With Developmental Coordination Problems

Date Presented 4/1/2017

This quantitative investigation provides initial data regarding the efficacy of the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance approach for children diagnosed with developmental coordination disorders. Goal attainment scaling was used as the outcome measure, and significant gains were made in individualized goals for all children.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Nancy Huang, Monique Afram, Cameren Muller, Ashley Sanches, Tiffany Tzuang

Meaning of Routines for Transitioning Foster Youth

Date Presented 4/1/2017

This pilot investigation sought to understand the meaning of routines for foster youth as they transition from independent living programs. The results indicate that transitioning foster youth face many challenges in developing meaningful routines. Transitioning foster youth represent an underserved population.

Primary Author and Speaker: Kyle Shumard

Contributing Authors: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Roles of Occupational Therapists in Driving Rehabilitation Programs

Date Presented 4/7/2016

This qualitative study explored the roles and experiences of expert occupational therapists working in driving rehabilitation. This study sought to understand the clinical reasoning used by experts to competently practice in this arena.

Primary Author and Speaker: Mia Sanchez

Additional Authors and Speakers: Anh Pham, Mayra Bermudez, Neil David

Contributing Author: Winifred Schultz-Krohn

Efficacy of a Manualized Intervention to Enhance Manual Dexterity for Children Ages 5–7 Yr

Date Presented 4/9/2016

This quantitative investigation used a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd Ed. (BOT–2) was used to identify gains in manual dexterity after a 6-wk intervention for young school-age children with manual dexterity deficits.

Primary Author and Speaker: Winifred Schult-Krohn

Additional Authors and Speakers: Christine Gaw, Natalie de Bruijin, Emily Jamieson, Sara Huntley

Use of Goal Attainment Scaling to Measure Outcomes of Sensory Integration With Preschool-Age Children

Date Presented 4/17/2015

Goal attainment scaling (GAS) was used to identify functional changes following sensory integration therapy (SIT) for 5 preschool-age children seen for occupational therapy in northern California. Results indicate positive outcomes of SIT when measured with GAS for preschool-age children.

Occupational therapy intervention to foster goal setting skills for homeless mothers

SUMMARY Occupational therapy intervention was provided to two mothers living in a homeless shelter to foster goal setting skills and the ability to develop a systematic method to meet those goals. The Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) was used as the theoretical framework to guide intervention. Both mothers were able to establish personal goals and work towards meeting those goals but the outcomes varied. The difference in outcomes between the two mothers is described using MOHO with analysis of how occupational therapy services can be used with homeless mothers.

The meaning of family routines in a homeless shelter

OBJECTIVE

This exploratory investigation sought to understand what meaning parents, living in a homeless shelter, attribute to family routines and the nature of those routines.

METHOD

In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 parents living in a homeless shelter. Thematic analysis was employed to develop descriptive codes and themes from transcribed data and field notes.

RESULTS

Parents described family routines focused on three features: promoting intimacy, maintaining or developing a legacy, and connections with the community. These routines seemed to preserve family integrity while homeless and to provide hope for the family to continue into the future.

CONCLUSIONS

Homeless parents, in this investigation, seemed to expend a substantial amount of energy to create or maintain family routines while living in a homeless shelter. Findings suggest that occupational therapy services may help support homeless parents as they exercise their role as the organizer of family routines.

Visual motor skills in homeless children

OBJECTIVE

Identify the visual motor, visual perceptual and motor coordination skills of homeless pre-school and school-aged children living in an emergency shelter for homeless families.

METHOD

All three subtests of the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration-4th Edition, Revised (VMI) were administered to 33 children living in a family homeless shelter.

RESULTS

Homeless children did not display significant deficits in visual motor, visual perceptual or motor coordination skills. However, participants performed significantly better on the motor coordination subtest than on the visual motor and visual perceptual subtests.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous literature had identified visual motor deficits in pre-school homeless children. This finding was not supported in this investigation. The significant difference in performance on the various subtests suggests that these children may benefit from external structure for paper/pencil tasks. Implications for occupational therapy services are made with suggestions for further investigations.