Skip to main content

Peer-Reviewed Journal Article

While searching the AOTA website for journal articles about occupational therapy and the group process, I found an article that stood out to me. The article I chose was on the benefits of group occupational therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease. All participants in the study had been diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The volunteers were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received group occupational therapy for 10 sessions with a duration of 2 hours. Both groups were also followed medically. The outcomes included functional autonomy, dexterity, patients' impressions, physical and motor signs, and behavioral changes.

The group intervention sessions followed the pattern of:

  1. Arrival (welcome and socialization)
  2. General mobility activities
  3. Rest period and socialization 
  4. Dexterity activities
  5. Functional activities
  6. Educational activities
  7. Departure (informal exchange and socialization)
The results showed that the intervention group maintained their functional status over 1 year, whereas the control group showed a decrease of their independence with the progression of the disease. At 6 months, the intervention group showed diminishing of bradykinesia and akathisia. Also, observations showed better quality of life, socialization, and family interaction in the intervention group.

What I liked most about this article were the outcomes chosen in the study; both physical and psychological outcomes were tested. Most interesting to me were the results involving the psychological outcomes. The intervention group showed improvement in their socialization, quality of life, perception of disease, and other factors. I have heard over and over from professors that mental health is involved in any case and this article helped make that more clear to me. Often times, mental health may not be the focus of intervention for patients with Parkinson's but this article is evidence that it is an important aspect. 

The article shows that groups can be beneficial for people with similar diagnoses. People are able to share insight about their conditions and socialize with people similar to them. I like that in the group sessions provided multiple opportunities for socialization throughout. 

In conclusion, I think this article is good evidence of the benefits of group occupational therapy with patients with Parkinson's disease and beyond. I look forward to using the group process in my future career as an occupational therapist. 


Guthier, L., Dalziel, S., and Gauthier, S. (1987). The benefits of group occupational therapy for patient's with Parkinson's disease. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 41(6), 360-365.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Neuro Note 1: Me Before You

Me Before You I chose to watch Me Before You for my first neuro note. I chose this movie because of the hype it has received. Critics claimed that the movie misportrayed disability. I wanted to see for myself. Although the movie is probably the saddest movie I’ve ever seen, it left me with many reflections. Will Traynor was a successful, fun loving young man whose life was altered when he was hit by a motorcycle which resulted in a spinal cord injury. Will became depressed and felt like there was no reason to live. I think sometimes it’s too easy to just think about the physical changes when you think of SCI, but it’s important to recognize the emotional toll as well. His life was completely turned upside down and he had a difficult time dealing with it. I’m sure this is a common theme with SCI and I think it can be difficult for people to imagine. I’ve always, from a young age, strived to treat everyone equal because you NEVER know what someone is going through. ...
2 comments
Read more

Case Study: Ruby Bowen by Caroline Montague

Ruby Bowen, at the age of 63, began to notice differences in her memory and her ability to perform her daily activities. She was later diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common type of Dementia. As the Alzheimer's progressed, she stopped doing the things she loved and began being agitated with her family. When the OT evaluation was performed, she was in the late-stage. Dressing and eating independently with adaptive equipment were interventions chosen for Ruby. Because she enjoyed gardening, that would be important to incorporate in to her interventions. My grandmother was also diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the last few years of her life. The progression of the disease is very hard to watch as a family member and i'm sure it's frustrating for the person. I appreciated hearing Caroline's grandmother's story as it is similar to my own.
Post a Comment
Read more

Neuro Note 5: Still Alice

I chose to watch Still Alice for my last neuro note because Alzheimer's was the last topic we discussed in class. I have found it interesting and helpful for my learning during the course of class to watch, read, or listen to something that relates back to the most recent subject we have discussed. For much of my life, when I have heard the term Alzheimer's, my immediate thought is of an older person losing their memory.  I associate this with Alzheimer's because that was the experience I had with my grandmother and similar stories that have been shared with me. The film Still Alice gives a different perspective of the disease. Alice is a professor who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's at a younger age than the typical diagnostic age. She learns that the type she has is familial Alzheimer's which is a type we discussed in class, meaning that it is genetic and her children have a 50% chance of having the gene. The film gives an interesting view of Alzhe...
Post a Comment
Read more