Identifying Occupational Performance Issues with Older Adults: Therapists’ Perspectives

Abstract

Background Identifying occupational performance issues is an essential component of the occupational therapy process. Little attention has been paid to therapists’ management of this aspect of geriatric practice. Purpose This study explored therapists’ approach to identifying occupational performance issues (OPI) with older adults. Methods Information gathered from semi-structured interviews was analyzed using Polkinghorne's (1995) analysis of narrative method. Findings The study demonstrated how therapists prepare clients to engage in the OPI identification process; use interviewing strategies to build trust; and tap into client narratives to foster hope in occupational possibilities. Implications Findings suggest that therapists require a complex set of highly skilled strategies to engage clients in OPI identification through tapping into aspects of the client's motivational influences, occupational histories, therapy expectations, and generational attitudes about aging. Further study is required to identify ways to overcome structural barriers to more occupational and narrative-based approaches to identifying occupational performance issues.