An Evaluation of a Clinic-Based Low Vision Device Lending Library.

As the efficacy of low vision service provision is facilitated by clients' access to and proper use of low vision devices, the objective of this study was to evaluate an outpatient clinic-based low vision device lending library program and the functional and psychosocial impact that device use had upon clients. Twenty individuals borrowed portable video magnifiers during the study period. Line items from the and the were analyzed before and after device loan at two months.

Physical Activity Self-Efficacy in Older Adults with Vision Loss: A Grounded Theory Study.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model describing the process of how older adults with age-related macular degeneration develop physical activity self-efficacy. The primary aim of this research was to determine how adults with age-related macular degeneration living in a southeastern metropolitan area develop physical activity self-efficacy. Sixteen older adults with age-related macular degeneration participated in face-to-face interviews and observations of their regular physical activity.

The 'magic' of magic camp from the perspective of children with hemiparesis.

Previous studies have examined the quantitative results of using an organized approach of teaching and learning magic tricks-a therapeutic magic camp-but set aside the qualitative aspect. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the interpretation of the lived experience of children with hemiparesis after they have participated in a therapeutic magic camp. Six children, aged between 11 and 14 years old, with hemiparesis who completed the magic camp program 3 months prior were invited to participate in an in-person individual semistructured interview.

Evaluation of a Magic Camp for Children with Hemiparesis: A Pilot Study.

This single-group open trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a two-week magic camp as a means of hand-arm motor skills training to improve upper limb motor function (unilateral and bilateral) in children with hemiparesis. Seven children with hemiparesis participated in a magic camp program which met 3 days a week, 4 hours each day, for two consecutive weeks for a total of 24 hours. Participants completed three assessments at the beginning of the camp, post-camp, and at a three-month follow-up: the Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT), Children's Hand Experience Questionnaire (CHEQ), and a box opening task that required coordination of both upper limbs.

Pain in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Background: There is little focus on adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in research and health care and insufficient knowledge on how to identify and manage pain in this population.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether pain prevalence in adults with CP is high and to explore variations in pain prevalence of subgroups, pain locations, pain severity and pain interference.

Methods: Potential datasets were identified by experts in the field and literature searches in Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane, from January 2000 to October 2016.

Methodological quality of service learning studies in rehabilitation professions: A systematic review.

Background: Service-learning (SL) has been widely implemented and grown as a pedagogy in the rehabilitation professions. However, assessment on the quality of evidence for the effectiveness of SL related to student learning outcomes and the scope of SL activities related to the occupation of work in the rehabilitation professions is not available.

Objective: This systematic review was to evaluate the rigor of the methodological quality of SL studies and the scope of SL activities related to the occupation of work in the rehabilitation professions.

Using an Education Intervention to Increase Preparedness Among Pet Owners: Results of a Pilot Study.

Objectives: Households with pets are considered a high-risk population, presenting many challenges to response and recovery efforts. Research indicates that households with pets are less likely to evacuate during disasters, and pets left behind pose a health risk to relief workers and the general public. This pilot study explores a brief education intervention targeting households with pets as a method of increasing general household preparedness, with the purpose of facilitating evacuation and protective behaviors in this population.

Falls prevention interventions for older adults with low vision: A scoping review: Étude de portée sur les interventions visant à prévenir les chutes chez les aînés ayant une basse vision.

Background: Older adults with low vision are especially vulnerable to falls. There are no comprehensive reviews of fall prevention interventions for older adults with vision loss who live in the community.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to review the evidence regarding community-based falls prevention interventions that appear inclusive of and/or accessible to individuals with low vision.

Multi-morbidity, disability and adaptation strategies among community-dwelling adults aged 75 years and older.

Background: The impact of multi-morbidity and disability on the use of adaptation strategies in older adults has not been well researched.

Objective: This study investigated categories of adaptation strategies that community-dwelling older adults use to complete their daily activities, identified factors that are associated with the use of behavioral adaptations, and examined the relationship among multi-morbidity, disability and adaptation strategies in this population.

Methods: A mixed methods research design was used.

Factors Associated With the Use of Standardized Power Mobility Skills Assessments Among Assistive Technology Practitioners.

This study investigated self-reported prevalence of and factors affecting clinicians' use of standardized assessments when evaluating clients for power mobility devices (PMDs), and explored assessments clinicians typically use when carrying out PMD evaluation. An e-mail survey was sent to assistive technology professionals listed in the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America directory. Three hundred fifty-four respondents, qualified to conduct formal power mobility skills assessments, completed the online survey.

Factors Associated with Comfort Level of School-Based Occupational Therapists in Providing Low-Vision Services.

This study identified factors associated with the comfort level of school-based occupational therapists in providing services to children with visual impairments. Sixty-one school-based occupational therapists completed an on-line survey. Fifty-four percent of respondents were comfortable or somewhat comfortable when choosing assessments and 84% were comfortable or somewhat comfortable in providing occupational therapy services for children with visual impairments.

Experience of Multisensory Environments in Public Space among People with Visual Impairment.

This qualitative study explored the role of sensory characteristics embedded in the built environment and whether they support or hinder people with visual impairment in their use of public spaces. An online survey link was e-mailed to the presidents and committee members of each state's chapters and associations of the National Federation of the Blind in the United States, resulting in 451 direct invitations to participate. Written responses of the survey questions from 48 respondents with visual impairment were analyzed.

Visual concerns that interfere with daily activities in patients on rehabilitation units: a descriptive study.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of patients with visual concerns that interfere with their activities of daily living (ADL) performance in physical rehabilitation units through occupational therapy assessment. Over the two-month study period, 215 adult inpatients from a physical rehabilitation hospital were evaluated using the Brief Vision Screen (BVS) through ADL. The BVS assessed four areas of visual concerns, namely left visual field, focusing, and near- and low-contrast acuity, while patients engaged in ADL.

Clinical application of low vision rehabilitation strategies after completion of a computer-based training module.

This study evaluated changes in occupational therapists' practice behaviors after completion of an online continuing education (CE) program delivered over a hospital Intranet system. The setting was a large rural medical system covering parts of two southeastern states. A convenience sample of 28 occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants was recruited from the facility therapy staff.

Factors associated with comfort level of occupational therapy practitioners in providing low vision services.

OBJECTIVE. We describe the perceived adequacy of educational preparation for and comfort level of occupational therapy practitioners in providing services to clients with low vision and identify factors associated with the practitioners' comfort level. METHOD.

Outcomes of an exercise program for pain and fatigue management in adults with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to examine the effect of exercise on pain and fatigue in adults with CP.

Method: Twenty-six participants (12 ambulatory, 14 non-ambulatory; 10 males, 16 females; mean age 42.3 ± 11.

Self-reported versus objectively assessed exercise adherence.

OBJECTIVE. We examined agreement of data between self-reported and objectively assessed exercise adherence among women with systemic lupus erythematosus. METHOD.

The process associated with motivation of a home-based Wii Fit exercise program among sedentary African American women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To explore the process associated with the motivation for playing Wii Fit among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Individual in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 14 sedentary African American women with SLE to explore their experiences and reflect on their motivation for playing Wii Fit after completing a 10-week home-based Wii Fit exercise program. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify categories related to participants' motivation.

Survey of the low vision rehabilitation curricula in occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs.

Objective: We examined the preclinical curricular content pertaining to low vision rehabilitation (LVR) included in occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) programs.

Method: An e-mail survey containing questions about program structure and the extent of course material related to LVR in the curriculum was sent to directors of all accredited OT and OTA programs in the United States.

Results: One hundred nineteen programs responded.

Perspectives on home safety: do home safety assessments address the concerns of clients with vision loss?

Purpose: We explored the occupational performance and home safety perspectives of older adults with vision loss. Our study focused on the person-environment interaction to ascertain whether participants' concerns are addressed by three commonly used home safety assessments.

Method: Twenty-two older adults with vision loss participated in face-to-face interviews regarding their perspectives on home safety.

Pain and fatigue consistency in adults with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: To examine the consistency of pain and fatigue and describe pain interference with daily activities in ambulatory (AMB) and non-ambulatory (non-AMB) adults with cerebral palsy (CP) over a 3-month period.

Method: A repeated measures design with 26 participants (12 AMB, 14 non-AMB) acting as their own controls. Pain and fatigue data were collected once per month for three consecutive months using the FACES pain scale and PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale.

Pain in adults with cerebral palsy: impact and solutions.

Studies of health in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) have identified pain as a significant concern. Investigations regarding incidence, intensity, and location in adults with CP found that increasing age and inactivity appeared to be related to pain. Activity and participation in adults with CP seem to be only moderately affected by presence of pain.