Assessment of older adults' decision-making capacity for independent living: Findings from a nominal group technique meeting in Ireland.

Introduction: Occupational therapists are one of the nominated professions who can assess decision- making capacity in according to recent Irish legislation. However, the process of implementing this legislation into practice remains unclear for therapists. The aim of this study was to form a consensus on recommended procedures for occupational therapists when assessing older adults' decision-making capacity for independent living.

A Systematic Review of Effective Interventions and Strategies to Support the Transition of Older Adults From Driving to Driving Retirement/Cessation.

Background And Objectives: In most western countries, older adults depend on private cars for transportation and do not proactively plan for driving cessation. The objective of this review was to examine current research studies outlining effective interventions and strategies to assist older adults during their transition from driver to driving retirement or cessation.

Research Design And Methods: A search was completed across 9 databases using key words and MeSH terms for drivers, cessation of driving, and older adult drivers.

Outcomes of a Fatigue Management Intervention for People With Post COVID-19 Condition.

Objective: Fatigue is identified as one of the most prevalent and persistent problems reported by people with post COVID-19 condition that negatively impacts on everyday living and resumption of pre-COVID-19 lifestyle. A pilot occupational therapy fatigue management intervention was designed for patients presenting with post COVID-19 condition fatigue.

Design: A retrospective analysis was carried out after the delivery of the fatigue management intervention.

Advanced practice occupational therapy led triage and treatment clinic for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome in an Irish public hospital.

Introduction: A pilot CTS Triage and Treat clinic led by an Advanced Practice Occupational Therapist was established to address the CTS wait list at a large urban hospital. The aims of this pilot were to develop a clinical triage and screening protocol to inform the stratification of patients for suitable treatment options and to reduce waiting time.

Methods: A cross sectional study with follow up was conducted, patients on the wait list at time of commencement of the pilot and subsequent referrals over a 1-year period were recruited.

experiences of working with early inflammatory arthritis: a qualitative study.

Purpose: To describe the impact of early inflammatory arthritis on work participation.

Materials And Methods: Thirty individuals (24 women) of working age (age 18-69 years) with inflammatory arthritis (<2 years duration) who were in paid employment or fulltime education were interviewed using qualitative description methodology. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.

A multidisciplinary-led early arthritis service to manage client-identified participation restrictions in early inflammatory arthritis: A qualitative study of service user and staff perspectives.

Background: The impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) on occupational performance and on participation in meaningful life roles is recognised. However, limited research has explored how clinical services support broader life impact and participation restrictions associated with early disease as part of routine healthcare. This exploratory study was undertaken to describe how a novel multidisciplinary-led early arthritis service approach addresses client-identified participation restrictions in early IA.

The impact of an occupational therapy group cognitive rehabilitation program for people with dementia.

Introduction: This study was conducted to examine the impact of a group cognitive rehabilitation program for people with dementia on everyday memory function and quality of life.

Methods: Participants included in the study were community-dwelling adults with a diagnosis of dementia. The intervention was a 5-week occupational therapy lead group cognitive rehabilitation program delivered once a week for 1.

Assessing Older Adults' Decision-Making Capacity for Independent Living: Practice Tensions and Complexities.

Decision-making capacity (DMC) is a salient issue due to increasing ageing populations and associated dementia-related diseases. Legislative and policy developments emphasise older adults' rights to participate in decision-making. Fifty-two occupational therapists working with older adults from a range of practice settings in Ireland participated in focus groups to discuss their contribution to multidisciplinary assessments of older adult's DMC for independent living.

"My role as a parent, to me, it has narrowed" the impact of early inflammatory arthritis on parenting roles: a qualitative study.

Purpose: To explore the impact of early inflammatory arthritis on participation in parenting roles.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four individuals (20 female) aged between 32 and 62 years with early inflammatory arthritis (<2 years duration) and who were parents of dependent children (≤21 years) were interviewed. A qualitative description study design was used, and thematic analysis methodologies were employed in the data analysis.

Assessment of older adults' decision-making capacity in relation to independent living: A scoping review.

With a growing global ageing population, approaches to assess and support decision-making are becoming more pertinent. This scoping review aimed to identify and map current knowledge on assessment of older adults' decision-making capacity in relation to independent living. A five-stage scoping review framework was followed.

Approaches for assessing decision-making capacity in older adults: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: This review will identify and map existing evidence on current approaches to determining decision-making capacity in older adults. It will provide a summary of available evidence and policies and identify gaps in research.

Introduction: Assessment of decision-making capacity is emerging as an important issue in society and healthcare.

Occupational therapy and decision-making capacity assessment: A survey of practice in Ireland.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to explore occupational therapy practices regarding decision-making capacity assessment and to examine factors that impact on engagement in this area.

Methods: Occupational therapists in Ireland were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online questionnaire.

Results: One hundred and seventy-two occupational therapists responded.

Effects of An Occupational Therapy Memory Strategy Education Group Intervention on Irish Older Adults' Self-Management of Everyday Memory Difficulties.

An occupational therapy memory strategy education group (MSEG) was developed to assist clients with varying levels of memory impairment to adopt strategies to manage memory impairment in their daily lives. Participants were healthy older adults presenting with subjective memory complaints (SMC, n = 14), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 33), or early stages of dementia (n = 13). Clients and their caregivers attended a one-hour session each week for six weeks.

A comparison of service organisation and guideline compliance between two adjacent European health services.

Introduction: Outcomes in stroke patients are improved by a co-ordinated organisation of stroke services and provision of evidence-based care. We studied the organisation of care and application of guidelines in two neighbouring health care systems with similar characteristics.

Methods: Organisational elements of the 2015 National Stroke Audit (NSA) from the Republic of Ireland (ROI) were compared with the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP) in Northern Ireland (NI) and the United Kingdom (UK).

Factors Influencing the Clinical Stratification of Suitability to Drive after Stroke: A Qualitative Study.

While a clinical pre-selection screening process for a stroke patient's suitability for driving has been acknowledged, little is known about the factors or processes influencing this screening typically conducted by clinicians practicing at a generalist level. This study explored this clinical stratification process through the use of semi-structured interviews with senior occupational therapists (n = 17) and stroke physicians (n = 7) using qualitative description methodology. The findings revealed a trichotomy stratification of stroke patients for driving in the clinical setting; those who are fit to drive, unfit to drive, and a "maybe" group who need more detailed assessment and observation.

Exploring the relationship between self-awareness of driving efficacy and that of a proxy when determining fitness to drive after stroke.

Background/aim: The inclusion of a driving specific self-awareness measure may assist the clinical screening process to determine fitness to drive after stroke. This article reports on the use of the Adelaide Driving Self-Efficacy Scale (ADSES) and a proxy ADSES for completion by a significant other in assessment of fitness to drive post-stroke.

Method: A prospective study among a clinical sample of stroke patients was conducted incorporating an off-road occupational therapy assessment, an on-road assessment and a six-month follow-up.

Occupational therapy practice in predriving assessment post stroke in the Irish context: findings from a nominal group technique meeting.

Purpose: Practice in the area of predriving assessment for people with stroke varies, and research findings are not always easily transferred into the clinical setting, particularly when such assessment is not conducted within a dedicated driver assessment programme. This article explores the clinical predriving assessment practices and recommendations of a group of Irish occupational therapists for people with stroke.

Method: A consensus meeting of occupational therapists was facilitated using a nominal group technique (NGT) to identify specific components of cognition, perception, and executive function that may influence fitness to return to driving and should be assessed prior to referral for on-road evaluation.