Janet Richmond

The experience of being a motorised mobility scooter user

Abstract Purpose: To explore the individual experience of being a scooter user and the ways in which scooters impact the individual’s community and social engagement, daily activities and enhances mobility. Methods: A qualitative, constructive framework utilising purposive sampling and a semi structured interview was used with 14 individuals. Questions were categorised according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework into the three areas of activities, participation and environmental factors. Results: The three main themes identified through the research were knowledge, engagement and environments. Knowledge included a lack of concise information, and adequate trialling and training prior to purchase. Engagement consisted of participation and interaction demonstrating scooter use resulted in increased participation, role maintenance, choice, freedom and social interaction. Environments highlighted discrimination from the wider population and building design and barriers. Conclusions: The research demonstrated a strong positive impact on individual’s engagement from using a scooter, while highlighting a lack of adequate knowledge about scooters, batteries, skill ability and design along with environmental challenges of discriminatory attitudes and physical barriers. The research indicates the need for pre-purchase assessments and trials along with improvements in community attitudes and environments. Implications for Rehabilitation Development of a pre-purchase assessment including specific core skills for scooter use is of great importance to minimise accidents and death as a consequence of scooter driving. Education and training of prescribers and suppliers of scooters is important to match needs and skills to enable a better fit of scooter to user. Incorporation of adjustability of features within the standard design of scooters, including type of driving controls, seat height, and adjustment of distance to controls, will enable greater fit of scooter to the user s needs.

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Powered Mobility Devices on Older Adults’ Activity Engagement

ABSTRACT Purpose: To systematically review the impact powered mobility devices have on engagement in independent occupations for adults with acquired mobility limitations. Method: Electronic search of CINAHL Plus, Medline, PsychInfo, OT Seeker, Joanna Briggs Institute, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database. Search terms included combinations of words to encompass all terms most likely used for powered mobility. Results: Eleven studies were eligible for inclusion. One study was a true experimental design; four studies were pre-experimental, and six were nonexperimental. Studies indicated positive improvements to occupational engagement and independence while environmental barriers were identified as negatively impacting occupation and increasing risk of injury or accident. Conclusions: Drawing conclusions from this research are problematic due to varying methodological quality. This review suggested two distinct themes: environmental barriers generate difficulties and challenges, which can subsequently result in accident or injury, and access to powered mobility impacts positively on areas of independence, quality of life, mobility and engagement.

Working Sandwich Generation Women Utilize Strategies within and between Roles to Achieve Role Balance

Increasingly, women simultaneously balance the roles of mother, parental carer and worker. However, individual role balance strategies among these working ‘sandwich’ generation women have not been thoroughly explored. Eighteen women combining these three roles were interviewed about their individual role balance strategies. Findings were identified through the framework analysis technique, underpinned by the Model of Juggling Occupations. Achieving and maintaining role balance was explained as a complex process accomplished through a range of strategies. Findings revealed the women used six within-role balance strategies: living with integrity, being the best you can, doing what you love, loving what you do, remembering why and searching for signs of success. The women also described six between-role balance strategies: maintaining health and wellbeing, repressing perfectionism, managing time and energy, releasing responsibility, nurturing social connection and reciprocating. These findings provide a basis for health care providers to understand and potentially support working ‘sandwich’ generation women.

Issues affecting Australian grandparents who are primary caregivers of grandchildren: a review

ABSTRACT The aim of this review was to identify current issues affecting grandparents who are raising their grandchildren in Australia. The study systematically reviewed 12 studies that evaluated supports for grandparents. The Checklist Analysis of Research for Systematic Review and the Quantitative and Qualitative Checklist were used to evaluate the studies. Five support issues affecting grandparent-headed families were evidenced in the literature as being of priority. These include stress, intergenerational conflict, community support, legal and financial aspects, policies and service frameworks. The paucity of research implies that further funding for large-scale research is required. Implications for informal primary carers of grandchildren are that the lack of legal status and the sustained burden of care will continue to negatively impact upon the grandparents’ well-being. Further research to identify priorities and develop intervention strategies supported by policy development is required to enhance the health and well-being of grandparent carers and their grandchildren.

Perceptions of the Role of Occupational Therapy in Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

The role of occupational therapy in community child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) multidisciplinary teams is not well documented. This qualitative study investigated the perception of occupational therapy practice held by community CAMHS workers in the Perth, Australia, metropolitan region. Eight mental health community CAMHS professionals took part in semi-structured interviews. Three themes emerged which included team membership, the nature of the work, and the team and occupational therapy. This article focuses on the third theme. Findings suggest a limited understanding of the scope of occupational therapy practice. Implications for occupational therapy in CAMHS are discussed.

The impact of within and between role experiences on role balance outcomes for working Sandwich Generation Women

Abstract Women combining paid employment with dual caring responsibilities for children and aging parents, otherwise known as the sandwich generation, experience both benefits and costs related to role participation and quality of life. However, previous literature is inconclusive regarding the impact of this role combination on role balance. In the context of these mixed findings on role balance for working sandwich generation women, this study aimed to explore how within role characteristics and between role interactions are related to role balance for these women. This aim was achieved through the use of a questionnaire administered to 18 Australian working sandwich generation women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients, with findings suggesting the women studied tended to experience neither role balance or role imbalance. Within-role characteristics, particularly within the mother and family member roles, were related to role balance. In addition, between-role conflict and role interactions involving either the home maintainer or family member roles had the greatest impact on role balance.

The Role of Adult Day Services in Supporting the Occupational Participation of People with Dementia and Their Carers: An Integrative Review

The increasing numbers of people with dementia places considerable stress on health and aged care services and has resulted in the development of community adult day services. Aim: The aim of this integrative review is to determine the extent to which these services support the occupational participation of people with dementia, and how they impact their primary carers. Method: The mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to identify relevant studies in the period 2011–2016. Results: Nine databases were searched and yielded 16 articles with a variety of research designs for inclusion in the review. Conclusions: Findings indicate that adult day services use a range of approaches to support attendees and their carers. In spite of these efforts, there appears to be a lack of interest in utilizing these services while a person is in the early stages of dementia. This suggests that policies in aged care, such as aging-in-place, need to consider the pressure and stress they exert on carer’s quality of life. Another consideration is to better promote the benefits of participating in adult day services in the early stages of dementia for both the attendees and their carers, thereby delaying the tendency towards early institutionalization.

Viewpoints of working sandwich generation women and occupational therapists on role balance strategies

Abstract Occupational therapists need to be cognizant of evidence-based role balance advice and strategies that women with multigenerational caring responsibilities can implement independently or with minimal assistance, as role balance may not be the primary goal during many encounters with this population. Hence, this study aimed to identify the viewpoints on the most helpful role balance strategies for working sandwich generation women, both from their own perspectives and from the perspective of occupational therapists. This was achieved through a Q methodology study, where 54 statements were based on findings from interviews, sandwich generation literature and occupational therapy literature. In total, 31 working sandwich generation women and 42 occupational therapists completed the Q sort through either online or paper administration. The data were analysed using factor analysis with varimax rotation and were interpreted through collaboration with experts in the field. The findings revealed similarities between working sandwich generation women and occupational therapists, particularly in terms of advocating strategies related to sleep, rest and seeking practical assistance from support networks. Differences were also present, with working sandwich generation women viewpoints tending to emphasize strategies related to coping with a busy lifestyle attending to multiple responsibilities. In contrast, occupational therapy viewpoints prioritized strategies related to the occupational therapy process, such as goal setting, activity focused interventions, monitoring progress and facilitating sustainable outcomes.

Developing Bilateral and Spatial Concepts in Primary School-aged Children: An Empirical Evaluation of the Anker Bilateral Spatial System

Background: Visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties contribute to school-aged learning problems. Hence, a need exists to address children’s visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties as early as possible in the child’s school career. Thus, this study reports on the evaluation of the Anker Bilateral Spatial System’s (ABSS) effectiveness in remediating primary school children’s perceptual difficulties. Method: Thirty-one children (17 boys and 14 girls) aged 6 to 12 years who had been identified by their classroom teacher as having observable visual-spatial and visual-motor perceptual difficulties participated in a 10-week pre/posttest intervention study. The study’s pre/posttest assessments included the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), the Spatial Awareness Skills Program Test (SASP), and two subscales of the School Function Assessment (SFA). Results: Paired t-test statistics were calculated on the pre/post intervention scores. Paired t-test statistics calculated (p = .05) that significant change had occurred in the writing speed (t = -3.978, p < .001). Conclusion: Given that the study’s Year 1 students made progress in more areas of remediation than did any other year level, it is evident that the ABSS is particularly effective with this year group. Comments Dr. Janet Richmond is currently a lecturer at Edith Cowan University in occupational therapy in the School of Exercise and Health Sciences. Dr. Richmond’s research interests are visual-perceptual development, intervention and remediation in children and adults, attention and cognitive disorders, and aging and disability. She has published two book chapters and additional articles related to her areas of research. Dr. Myra Taylor is a seasoned Research Fellow currently working in Edith Cowan University’s Lifespan Resilience Research Group in the School of Psychology and Social Science. Dr. Taylor’s research interests include infant and child development; child and adolescent attentional, emotional, behavioral, and learning disorders; family resilience; antisociality; adolescent and youth street violence; and criminal offending. She has published a number of books, book chapters, and articles in these and related areas. Ms. Sarah Evans is an occupational therapist who has been working in pediatrics for seven years. She works mostly with primary school children and is passionate about helping each child reach their potential. Ms. Evans understands the importance of evidence-based practice and fervently supports research that may benefit her clients.