The potential of place-based occupational therapy to support aging-in-place: A qualitative study

Aging-in-place facilitate seniors to stay in their homes throughout the aging process. Place-based Occupational Therapy is a proposed service delivery model aimed at facilitating this. This study explores community occupational therapists' perspectives on how place-based Occupational Therapy could facilitate aging-in-place and the perceived enablers and barriers to this model of care.

The participants were occupational therapists working in the community setting. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. An aging-in-place capability framework was employed to guide the interviews. A generic descriptive-interpretive qualitative research approach was used for the analysis.

Data saturation was reached at the seventh interview (n = 7). Six major themes were generated to explore the perspectives of occupational therapists on a place-based strategy to deliver Occupational Therapy services: (i) maintaining health and function, (ii) partnering with caregivers, (iii) ideal location within neighborhoods, (iv) understanding clients' environment strengthens intervention, (v) facilitating social connections and cognitive wellness, and (vi) enablers for service set-up. Besides financial support, key enablers include clinical expertise and program management experience.

Findings from this study can facilitate future planning of place-based Occupational Therapy services. The services should be fuss-free, short-term and affordable. The service should be sited where many older adults gather in their neighbourhoods, within walkable distance from their homes. Occupational therapists can contribute to program planning to maintain health and function and facilitate relationship building between older adults. There is potential for place-based occupational therapists to contribute to health promotion due to the profession's unique focus on habits and environment.