Occupational Therapy in an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program: Performance and Satisfaction Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Occupational Therapy
• Aphasia Research

Background:

• Chronic stroke survivors with aphasia often face challenges in daily activities and social participation.
• Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Programs (ICAPs) aim to improve functional outcomes but may benefit from specialized interventions.
• Occupational therapy's role in addressing participation goals for this population requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based occupational therapy intervention within an ICAP.
• To assess improvements in participation in instrumental activities of daily living, social, leisure, work, and volunteer activities.
• To determine the impact of occupational therapy on functional participation goals for individuals with chronic stroke and aphasia.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 19 participants with chronic stroke and aphasia over 3 years.
• Participants engaged in a month-long, intensive, interprofessional, community-based program.
• Occupational therapy interventions focused on collaborative goal setting and problem-solving.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in participation in valued activities (p < .01) as measured by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure and Goal Attainment Scaling.
• Two domains of the Stroke Impact Scale also showed significant improvement (p < .05).
• The intervention demonstrated positive effects on functional participation.

Conclusions:

• Occupational therapy is a valuable component of ICAPs for individuals with chronic stroke and aphasia.
• Collaborative goal setting and problem-solving within an interprofessional team enhance functional participation.
• This approach effectively addresses the participation goals of stroke survivors with aphasia.