Engagement in Personally Valued Occupations Following Stroke and a Move to Assisted Living

ABSTRACT

Research regarding valued occupations following stroke has been carried out almost exclusively with stroke survivors who have returned to their own homes following hospital discharge. We explored engagement in personally valued occupations following stroke and discharge to an assisted living facility. Four women aged 72–87 were followed at 6, 9, and 12 months post stroke. All of the women desired to engage in personally valued occupations to continue to: (1) develop skills and knowledge and contribute to others through occupations of personal interest and (2) improve their health, mobility and function. Opportunities to engage in such occupations were generally present within the AL facilities. However, there were barriers to making use of these opportunities. Challenges for AL facilities wishing to make changes that would allow for enhanced engagement in personally valued occupations included recognition of residents’ individual skills and desires to use these skills and identification of individualized information regarding residents’ interests.

KEYWORDS.  :

• Housing for the elderly
• frail elderly
• social participation
• occupational deprivation