Anita Björklund

Occupational balance as used in occupational therapy: A concept analysis

Abstract Occupational balance is a frequently used concept in occupational therapy, but it is complex and differences in content exist. Further knowledge would be valuable for scholars, practitioners, and measurement development. Concept analysis is a way to clarify concepts. The present concept analysis used Walker and Avants procedure for analysing the concept of occupational balance, with 43 articles included in the analysis. The results showed that occupational balance can be defined as the individuals perception of having the right amount of occupations and the right variation between occupations. Three perspectives of occupational balance were identified: in relation to occupational areas, in relation to occupations with different characteristics, and in relation to time use. The knowledge gained may guide the use of the concept, and some suggestions are made for its use and for further research.

Perceptions of life balance among a working population in Sweden.

A life in balance is commonly related to health and well-being. However, our knowledge regarding the perceptions of life balance among the general population is limited. Our aim was to explore the perception of life balance among working people without recent long-term sick leave. Individual interviews were conducted with 7 men and 12 women and analyzed according to grounded theory, aiming at achieving a description. The results showed that life balance includes four interrelated dimensions: activity balance, balance in body and mind, balance in relation to others, and time balance. Life balance was regarded by the participants as health related, promoted by a sense of security, and affected by context and individual strategies. Life balance was also seen as being individually defined and dynamic. The results indicate that the perceptions of life balance might be quite general because they show similarities with previous research on different populations.

Experiences of returning to work after acquired brain injury

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore experiences of returning to work after rehabilitation, from the viewpoint of people with acquired brain injury. A purposive sampling of eight informants was made, and data were collected through personal interviews with open questions. The data were then analysed through qualitative content analyses in five steps, resulting in four main categories of experiences: “A new person”, “Stimulants and fellowship”, “Understanding and support”, and “To reach insight” with appurtenant sub-categories. The overarching theme was “Returning to work after acquired brain injury is a long process”. The conclusion of this study is that returning to work after acquired brain injury requires motivated individuals, flexible work, accommodating labour management, and prolonged environmental support. This study also shows that the informants need support for a long period of time to reach a balance and to obtain a functional working role. In order to achieve this, client-centred rehabilitation, professional teamwork, and longer follow-up periods than those of today are required.

What is considered important for life balance?: Similarities and differences among some working adults

Abstract Life balance seems subjective, health related, and multidimensional. However, the concept is complex. Exploring what people themselves consider more or less important for their life balance and whether this differs between people would develop new knowledge. Q methodology was chosen for the present study, in which 32 working men and women without recent long-term sick leave participated. They sorted 42 statements regarding life balance according to their importance for each participants life balance. The analysis resulted in four different viewpoints concerning life balance. All four viewpoints considered good relationships with those closest to them, as well as knowing that these people were doing well, as important. Each viewpoint also showed a unique orientation towards what was considered important for life balance: occupational balance (viewpoint 1), self-actualization (viewpoint 2), self-awareness (viewpoint 3), and reciprocal relationships (viewpoint 4). The results. showed support for life balance as being a subjective, multidimensional, and health-related phenomenon. The results demonstrated the importance of relationships for life balance and heterogeneity in what people considered important for their own life balance.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis and experiencing everyday life with TNF-α blockers.

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe how persons with RA from an area in western Sweden experience everyday life with TNF-α blockers. A purposive sampling of 11 women and four men, with an age ranging from 25 to 70 years, was conducted. A phenomenological approach was used in the study. The data were collected by unstructured in-depth interviews. The data analysis resulted in six code groups, of which four have appurtenant sub-groups. The six code groups are: “A noticeable change dominates the picture”; “Change in bodily and mental symptoms enables activity”; “Enabling care for oneself and others”; “Enabling improved or continued productivity”; “More rewarding leisure time”; and “Drawbacks of the medication”. The findings show that most of the informants had experienced dramatic changes in their daily lives since the medication reduced their symptoms, resulting in an increased level of activity.

Older persons have ambivalent feelings about the use of monitoring technologies

BACKGROUND: As they age, older persons prefer to continue to live in their own homes. Sensors in the environment and/or bodily worn systems that monitor people might contribute to an increased sens ...

Daily Eating Events among Co-living and Single-Living, Diseased Older Men

Objectives: To analyse, describe and compare the frequency and energy intake of eating events, including specific food items, among diseased older men living in ordinary housing.Design: Descriptive and explorative.Setting: Interviews were performed in the participants’ home.Participants: Thirty-five co-living and 26 single-living men, 64–88 years of age. Participants had one of three chronic diseases associated with difficulties in buying and preparing food and with difficulties related to the meal situation: Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or stroke.Measurements: A repeated 24-h recall was used to assess food intake and meal patterns.Results: Eating events were distributed over a 24-h period. Co-living men had a higher (p=0.001) number of eating events/day; both hot and cold eating events were consumed more frequently. There was no difference between groups concerning energy intake. Co-living men more often had hot eating events cooked from raw ingredients (p=0.001) and a greater mix of vegetables/roots (p=0.003) included in such eating events.Conclusion: Single-living men may constitute a vulnerable group from a nutritional perspective, while co-living men, besides the pleasure of eating with another person, seem to get support with food and eating events from their partners. Hence, the group of single-living men, particularly those with a disability, should receive particular attention with regard to possible food-related difficulties.

The impact of occupational therapy and lifestyle interventions on older persons’ health, well-being, and occupational adaptation

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a four-month occupational based health-promoting programme for older persons living in community dwellings could maintain/improve their general health and well-being. Further, the aim was to explore whether the programme facilitated the older persons’ occupational adaptation. Methods: The study had a quasi-experimental design, with a non-equivalent control group combined with semi-structured interviews. The intervention group comprised 22 participants, and the control group 18. Outcomes were measured using the Short Form 36, Life Satisfaction Index-Z and Meaningful Activity Participation Assessment. Content analysis, based on concepts from the Model of Occupational Adaptation, was used to analyse the interviews. Results: The intervention group showed statistically significant improvements in general health variables such as vitality and mental health, and positive trends for psychological well-being. There were no statistically significant differences between the intervention group and the control group, but the groups were not fully matched. The qualitative analysis based on Occupational Adaptation pointed out social aspects as a compliment to the overall results. Conclusions: Participating in meaningful, challenging activities in different environments stimulates the occupational adaptation process; this is something occupational therapists could use to empower older persons to find their optimal occupational lives.

Changes in community mobility in older men and women. A 13-year prospective study.

Community mobility, defined as “moving [ones] self in the community and using public or private transportation”, has a unique ability to promote older peoples’ wellbeing by enabling independence and access to activity arenas for interaction with others. Early predictors of decreased community mobility among older men and women are useful in developing health promoting strategies. However, long-term prediction is rare, especially when it comes to including both public and private transportation. The present study describes factors associated with community mobility and decreased community mobility over time among older men and women. In total, 119 men and 147 women responded to a questionnaire in 1994 and 2007. Respondents were between 82 and 96 years old at follow-up. After 13 years, 40% of men and 43% of women had decreased community mobility, but 47% of men and 45% of women still experienced some independent community mobility. Cross-sectional independent community mobility among men was associated with higher ratings of subjective health, reporting no depression and more involvement in sport activities. Among women, cross-sectional independent community mobility was associated with better subjective health and doing more instrumental activities of daily living outside the home. Lower subjective health predicted decreased community mobility for both men and women, whereas self-reported health conditions did not. Consequently, general policies and individual interventions aiming to improve community mobility should consider older persons’ subjective health.

Holistic and biomedical concepts of health: a study of health notions among Swedish occupational therapists and a suggestion for developing an instrument for comparative studies.

The objectives of this study were to inquire into notions of health among a group of 439 Swedish occupational therapists and to test a model derived from a qualitative study by Björklund & Svensson with a representative sample of occupational therapists in Sweden. The data were collected through a questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The means and ranking of the health notions showed that Swedish occupational therapists most frequently hold holistic notions of health, and to a lesser extent biostatistical ones. Most Swedish occupational therapists indicate that being clearly conscious of ones health notions is important both to themselves and to their profession. The test of the model provides a step towards developing an instrument for measuring notions of health that clearly distinguishes between holistic and biomedical ones and that could possibly be used for comparative studies.