Shoshannah E. Williams
http://hdl.handle.net/10361/7658
2024-03-29T06:35:12Z
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The lived experience of older adults'occupational adaptation following a stroke
http://hdl.handle.net/10361/7672
The lived experience of older adults'occupational adaptation following a stroke
Williams, Shoshannah; Murray, Carolyn
Background/aim: Following a stroke, individuals' abilities may not match the demands of their environment and occupations, resulting in compromised occupational performance. The process of adaptation can enable adjustment of the way occupations are performed to achieve occupational mastery. The purpose of this honours study was to investigate and describe older adults' lived experience of occupational adaptation following a stroke. Methods: An interpretative phenomenological approach was used. Participants in the community were recruited through Domiciliary Care service co-ordinators. In-depth interviews were conducted with three men and two women, aged 68-78 years who had experienced a stroke up to 14 years ago. Data were analysed using the Colazzi's method to formulate themes. Results: Experiencing a stroke is initially a 'shock to the system' and while 'your whole life changes', there are still ways to 'get on and do your best'. The theme 'your whole life changes' had three subthemes: 'apprehension and fear', 'problem solving' and 'stretching the limitations'. Resilience, motivation and effort are the required qualities for adaptive responses after stroke. Coping strategies identified to facilitate occupational mastery include the use of humour, touch, expressing anger, using self-talk, maintaining hope, having a sense of being fortunate and supportive friends and family. Conclusion: These findings support an empowering approach to therapy, facilitating clients to identify and utilise individually appropriate coping strategies to negotiate negative emotions and apprehension and enable the required personal qualities for occupational adaptation.
This article was published in the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal [© 2012 Occupational Therapy Australia] and the definite version is available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1440-1630.12004/full
2013-02-01T00:00:00Z
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The experience of engaging in occupation following stroke: a qualitative meta-synthesis
http://hdl.handle.net/10361/7660
The experience of engaging in occupation following stroke: a qualitative meta-synthesis
Williams, Shoshannah; Murray, Carolyn
Introduction: A meta-synthesis is a means of extracting data from multiple qualitative studies about the same topic, re-analysing the findings and bringing them together as a collective whole. Data from six qualitative studies that investigated the experience of engaging in occupation following a stroke were extracted and reanalysed with the purpose of gaining a greater understanding of the subjective experience to inform occupational therapy practice. Methods: Six databases were systematically searched for literature published in English during 1990-2011. Seven studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool; six of these were included in the meta-synthesis. Findings: Five conceptual themes regarding occupational engagement emerged from the review: an emotional response, impact on identity, role of significant others, community access and the process of occupational adaptation. Conclusion: Engagement in occupation following a stroke is linked to self-identity and an emotional response; both of these, in turn, have an impact on capacity for occupational adaptation. Individuals are situated within a context of significant others and community. These findings give occupational therapists greater insight into the experience of older people following stroke in community settings.
This review was published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy [© 2013 The College of Occupational Therapists Ltd.] and The Journal's website is at: https://goo.gl/LGmjo7
2013-01-01T00:00:00Z