Feasibility of Integrating Occupational Therapy Into a Care Coordination Program for Aging in Place

We examined the feasibility and benefit of integrating occupational therapy into a long-term services and supports (LTSS) care coordination program for aging in place.

Clients referred to occupational therapy during a 16-wk trial were evaluated with the In-Home Occupational Performance Evaluation and received education on strategies for aging in place. Clients who indicated readiness for change were assisted in setting personalized goals with goal attainment scaling and received four additional occupational therapy visits.

Of the program's feasibility benchmarks, 87% were met. Twenty-three clients were referred, and 16 clients were evaluated; 37.5% of those evaluated indicated readiness for change, establishing 18 goals with 100% goal attainment.

Integration of occupational therapy into an LTSS care coordination program was feasible. Benefits of adding occupational therapy included a performance-based evaluation that revealed personal factors as barriers to aging in place and gave access to a client-centered service to maximize independence.