What Is Inclusive Occupational Therapy for People Living With Dementia? Lessons From Collaborative Workshops With...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Occupational Therapy
• Cultural Competency in Healthcare

Background:

• Occupational therapy (OT) offers benefits for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.
• Research on OT interventions for dementia often excludes culturally diverse populations and Indigenous peoples.
• These underserved groups have distinct needs and face health inequities, necessitating culturally tailored approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors enabling culturally inclusive and acceptable occupational therapy interventions for people with dementia.
• To identify necessary adaptations for delivering dementia care that respects diverse cultural backgrounds.
• To utilize inclusive research methods to address gaps in current literature and practice.

Main Methods:

• Employed best-practice research methodologies for engaging with diverse dementia populations.
• Conducted three collaborative workshops utilizing co-design principles.
• Applied content analysis to map findings to a cultural adaptation framework after group problem-solving exercises.

Main Results:

• Twenty-one participants from diverse communities with lived dementia experience engaged in the workshops.
• Participants affirmed their acceptance of core occupational therapy intervention components.
• Key priorities for inclusive interventions included understanding the individual, establishing therapeutic rapport, and demonstrating cultural humility.

Conclusions:

• Therapist attributes, including cultural awareness, responsiveness, and flexibility, are crucial for inclusive OT delivery.
• Collaborative, partnership-based approaches enable meaningful participation of diverse dementia communities in research.
• This inclusive model can inform higher-level healthcare improvements for marginalized populations.