Evidence Synthesis and Clinical Recommendations for Supporting School Students With Sensory Processing Challenges: A Rapid Review.

Importance: Children with sensory processing challenges often need supports to access, participate in, and achieve at school. However, research on best practice is varied, presenting difficulty for practitioners to assess the appropriateness of each support.

Objective: To provide evidence-informed recommendations regarding best practices in school-based supports for students with sensory processing challenges via a Rapid Evidence Assessment of current literature.

The experiences of occupational therapists supporting children with self-regulation needs: A qualitative descriptive study.

Introduction: Occupational therapists support children with self-regulation needs to engage in meaningful occupations at home, school, and in the community. However, little is known about how Australian practitioners perceive their role working with children with self-regulation needs in the Australian healthcare context. Therefore, we explored the contemporary practice experiences of Australian occupational therapists working with children 4-12 years referred for self-regulation support, to better understand elements constituting efficacious service delivery to enhance occupational engagement.

An Investigation of the Professional Resilience Strategies Used by Experienced Occupational Therapists.

There is a paucity of research into the strategies occupational therapists use to maintain career longevity professional resilience. The objective of the study was to identify the strategies used by occupational therapists to maintain their professional resilience. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data from a cross-sectional survey that investigated the professional resilience strategies used by experienced occupational therapists.

Measurement of Self-regulation in Preschool and Elementary Children: A Scoping Review.

Aims: This scoping review sought to identify and characterize measurement of self-regulation in preschool and elementary aged children.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Review (ScR) guidelines were applied. Databases from the fields of allied health, education, medicine, and social sciences were searched including: CINAHL, Education Database (ProQuest), Education Research Complete, EMBASE, ERIC, iNFORMIT Combined, Medline, PsychINFO, Social Sciences (ProQuest), Teacher Reference Center, and Web of Science.

Australian National Aged Care Classification behaviour assessment and people living with dementia in residential aged care: Inclusive language for reform?

Objective: To examine the language of the behaviour assessment in the new Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) funding instrument. We explored whether the (BRUA) will support an inclusive and progressive approach for people living with dementia in residential aged care.

Methods: Databases were searched to identify publicly available literature relating to the development of the AN-ACC and BRUA, and hand searches of reference lists and selected websites were completed to identify additional grey literature, dementia language and best practice guidelines.

Using ethics of care as the theoretical lens to understand lived experiences of caregivers of older adults experiencing functional difficulties.

The lived experiences of caregivers of older adults in Ghana are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to explore and discuss the lived experiences of these caregivers using the Ethics of Care as a theoretical lens and Interpretative phenomenological analysis as the methodological approach. Ten caregivers in receipt of social welfare services on behalf of older adults were recruited from the Social Welfare Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in southern Ghana.

Economic Effects of Occupational Therapy Services for Adults in Acute and Subacute Care Settings: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Research supports the clinical effectiveness of hospital-based occupational therapy to improve functional outcomes, but no synthesis of economic evaluations of occupational therapy services provided in these settings has been published.

Objective: To determine the economic value of occupational therapy services in acute and subacute care settings.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, EconLit, Embase, National Health Services Economic Evaluation Database, PsycINFO, ProQuest (Health and Medicine and Social Science subsets only), OTseeker, and gray literature.

Self-reported quality of life following stroke: a systematic review of instruments with a focus on their psychometric properties.

Purpose: To evaluate the psychometric properties of common health-related quality-of-life instruments used post stroke and provide recommendations for research and clinical use with this diagnostic group.

Methods: A systematic review of the psychometric properties of the five most commonly used quality-of-life measurement tools (EQ-5D, SF-36, SF-6D, AQoL, SS-QOL) was conducted. Electronic searches were performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE on November 27th 2019.

Psychometric properties of measures of upper limb activity performance in adults with and without spasticity undergoing neurorehabilitation-A systematic review.

Introduction: This systematic review appraises the measurement quality of tools which assess activity and/or participation in adults with upper limb spasticity arising from neurological impairment, including methodological quality of the psychometric studies. Differences in the measurement quality of the tools for adults with a neurological impairment, but without upper limb spasticity, is also presented.

Methods: 29 measurement tools identified in a published review were appraised in this systematic review.

Changes in emotions and perceived stress following time spent in an artistically designed multisensory environment.

Self-management strategies that enhance positive emotions are considered most effective to cope with stress and maintain good mental health and well-being. An artistically designed multisensory environment, The Sensory-Art Space (SAS), was installed in a university in NSW Australia as a new self-management intervention. The design of the SAS was informed by evidence regarding the benefits of viewing art, experiencing nature and accessing sensory rooms.

The roles and capacities of social workers in the lives of older adults seeking healthcare and their caregivers in Ghana.

As Ghana's older population increases in number and proportion, the social and healthcare needs of older adults and their caregivers become more critical highlighting the relevance of social workers' contribution in assisting older adults and their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to explore social workers' contributions, discussed against the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) Policy on Ageing and Older Person framework. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach making use of semi-structured interviews to collect information from eight social workers at the Social Welfare Unit in Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Lived Experiences of Older Adults Regarding Their Functional Activities in Ghana.

Research on disability largely draws on epidemiological data, often conducted in more developed countries. To date, there is little research related to older adults in Ghana, Africa. The purpose of this study was to strengthen understanding of how older adults in Ghana perform functional activities, referenced against the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF) framework.

Do factors across the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework relate to caregiver availability for community-dwelling older adults in Ghana?

Introduction: In Ghana, the care needs of older adults in the later years has become a critical issue given population ageing and increased proportions of older adults with difficulties with functional abilities. However, factors related to caregiver availability is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine how the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF) framework relates to caregiver availability for community-dwelling older adults in Ghana.

Supporting at-risk older adults transitioning from hospital to home: who benefits from an evidence-based patient-centered discharge planning intervention? Post-hoc analysis from a randomized trial.

Background: Subgroups of older patients experience difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADL) following hospital discharge, as well as unplanned hospital readmissions and emergency department (ED) presentations. We examine whether these subgroups of "at-risk" older patients benefit more than their counterparts from an evidence-based discharge planning intervention, on the following outcomes: (1) independence in ADL, (2) participation in life roles, (3) unplanned re-hospitalizations, and (4) ED presentations.

Trial Design And Methods: This study used data from a randomized control trial involving 400 hospitalized older patients with acute and medical conditions, recruited through 5 sites in Australia.

A systematic review of the psychometric properties of the Action Research Arm Test in neurorehabilitation.

Background/aim: The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) measures upper limb activity limitations in people with acquired brain injuries. Evidence relating to the use of this test in neurorehabilitation is scattered. This review identifies, rates and synthesises evidence on the original 1981 ARAT use within neurorehabilitation.

Reliability of the Australian Therapy Outcome Measures for Occupational Therapy (AusTOMs-OT).

Background/aim: The delivery of evidence-based health care requires the routine adoption of outcome measures that are valid and reliable. The Australian Therapy Outcome Measures for Occupational Therapy (AusTOMs-OT) was developed in Australia to capture a global snapshot of status for any client, and has preliminary psychometric evidence to support use. Building on the psychometric evidence of the AusTOMs-OT will provide therapists and researchers with further information as to how best to apply the AusTOMs-OT in their field.

A trial based economic evaluation of occupational therapy discharge planning for older adults: the HOME randomized trial.

Objective: To compare the cost effectiveness of two occupational therapy-led discharge planning interventions from the HOME trial.

Design: An economic evaluation was conducted within the superiority randomized HOME trial to assess the difference in costs and health-related outcomes associated with the enhanced program and the in-hospital consultation. Total costs of health and community service utilization were used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, activities of daily living and quality-adjusted life years.

Measuring functional ability in hospitalized older adults: a validation study.

Purpose: To examine the internal consistency, construct validity and responsiveness of functional assessments tools when used with hospitalized older adults.

Materials And Methods: The functional ability of 66 patients was assessed using a semi-structured interview scale (n = 16 tools). The assessment of motor and process skills was administered during hospital admission and again at three months post-discharge.

Occupational Therapy Predischarge Home Visits in Acute Hospital Care: A Randomized Trial.

Objectives: To determine whether an enhanced occupational therapy discharge planning intervention that involved pre- and postdischarge home visits, goal setting, and follow-up (the HOME program) would be superior to a usual care intervention in which an occupational therapy in-hospital consultation for planning and supporting discharge to home is provided to individuals receiving acute care.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Acute and medical wards.

Functional Assessments Used by Occupational Therapists with Older Adults at Risk of Activity and Participation Limitations: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: The use of functional assessments to evaluate patient change is complicated by a lack of consensus as to which assessment is most suitable for use with older adults.

Objective: To identify and appraise the properties of assessments used to evaluate functional abilities in older adults.

Methods: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials of occupational therapy interventions was conducted up to 2012 to identify assessments used to measure function.

A systematic review protocol to evaluate the psychometric properties of measures of function within adult neuro-rehabilitation.

Background: Spasticity in the upper limb is common after acquired brain impairment and may have a significant impact on the ability to perform meaningful daily activities. Traditionally, outcome measurement in spasticity rehabilitation has focused on impairment, however, improvements in impairments do not necessarily translate to improvements in an individual's ability to perform activities or engage in life roles. There is an increasing need for outcome measures that capture change in activity performance and life participation.

Functional assessments used by occupational therapists with older adults at risk of activity and participation limitations: a systematic review and evaluation of measurement properties.

Background: Older adults experience activity and participation limitations that are associated with ageing. Activity and participation limitations affect an older adult's ability to engage in meaningful daily activities and valued life roles. Occupational therapists provide interventions to reduce such limitations and monitor client change to ensure that interventions are effective.