Occupational life in the home environment: the experiences of people with disabilities

There is a need to empirically explore the occupational engagement of people with disabilities to support the development of occupational therapy interventions.

This study describes how people with disabilities experience their occupational lives in their home environment.

Thirteen people with physical disabilities living at home were interviewed and data were subsequently analysed using a constant comparative method.

The findings showed that interactions between the individuals and their environment influenced their experiences of engaging in occupations and the meaning of their home. Occupations formed three categories: always performed with others, occasionally disrupted or deprived. These were particularly related to the social support that was provided under different conditions. This condition formed a central category: access to social support for occupations. Their experiences of performing occupations in the home also formed another central category: transformed meaning of the home.

By understanding enabling conditions as well as barriers to occupational engagement, effective occupational therapy interventions can be developed to support the occupational lives of people with disabilities.