Assignment Task
You will select a population from one of the case studies on the following topics: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders; LGBT, People with Severe Mental Illness, People with Physical Disabilities/ People living in rural and remote areas. Contemporary content on the populations in the case studies will be covered in workshops. You will be expected to attend all workshops in the weeks they are scheduled.
In response to the case study, you will reflect on the given reflection questions and analyze your findings on your chosen population in the context of the occupational health and well-being of that person and that population. You are expected to demonstrate competence in the application, analysis, and evaluation of scientific evidence to explain the role of occupation in the promotion of health and equity, the prevention of disease, illness, and dysfunction for the selected persons, groups, and populations. In your essay, you should demonstrate, evaluate, and utilize the principles of the teaching-learning process using educational methods and health literacy education approaches to design occupation-based interventions for your assigned groups, and or populations.
Introduction of the case and population (synopsis of your chosen case and population including the population’s past and present social, cultural, and occupational context).
An analysis and interpretation of the context and issues based on case study and on the literature, and occupational therapy theory.
A brief outline of suggested interventions (e.g. occupational therapy intervention and referral to other services/ health professionals (as appropriate)
An analysis of the likely impact of a relevant government policy or program on your chosen population in the context of the occupational health and well-being of that population.
People with Severe Mental Illness,
Case study: George
George is a 39-year-old Aboriginal man with a diagnosis of schizophrenia living in the Elanora Suburb of the Gold Coast. His first episode was when he was 19 years old. George also has a secondary diagnosis of cannabis abuse. He has had a total of 20 admissions to inpatient psychiatric care since his first admission when he was 19. Stressors in his life tend to precipitate his hospital admissions however at other times he gets unwell when he stops taking his medications.
He was discharged about 3 months ago following a 2-week acute inpatient admission where he had presented with thought broadcasting, auditory hallucinations, withdrawal, suicidality, hyper – insomnia and psychomotor retardation.
When assessed upon admission George was withdrawn and minimally interactive. He only spoke when spoken to but answered in one- or two-word answers. His speech was slow and laboured. He rarely made eye contact and stared down at his shoes throughout the assessment. During group activities with the inpatient OT, George exhibited decreased problem-solving skills, short term memory deficits and decreased attention span. George’s posture is slightly kyphotic, his hips are in a posterior tilt and he shuffles a bit when he ambulates but has no balance problems. His AROM and strength are within normal limits, but his coordination is slow, and dexterity is impaired bilaterally. Since discharged his auditory hallucinations and suicidal ideation have disappeared although he still exhibits the other symptoms albeit to a lesser extent. George lives in a group home with 4 other men with chronic mental illness. George has been living there for several years and gets along with his house mates. His father also has schizophrenia and is occasionally found sleeping rough and wandering the streets. George’s mother is an alcoholic and drinks heavily and regularly. She lets George visit her house when she is sober.
George has one sibling who is not involved with the family in any way. George is independent in his ADLs, with occasional prompting to attend to his selfcare tasks such as bathing or taking his medications. At the group home he is responsible for setting and clearing the table and taking out the trash can weekly.
He does this task when prompted. He does his own laundry when he runs out of clean clothes and usually needs prompting to do so. He spends most of his time in his room. When prompted by staff he occasionally hangs out in the common room watching TV, playing video games. He prefers to be on his own shopping online or else sleeping in his room. He states, “I like being alone”. When he was in high school, he used to work out and was in the basketball team.
He has not been physically active since his graduation from high school. George has gained about 15 kg in body weight since last year and blames the medication he is taking. Before his admission, Gorge worked approximately 8 hrs a week with a cleaning company that contracts to clean offices at night. On many occasions George had to be woken up by the supervisor to get him to work. George’s goals are to return to his job, and he would like to go to school to learn a trade. Following discharge, the case manager has successfully referred George to the NDIS and he is now an NDIS participant.
Reflection Questions:
How have George’s occupational performance patterns been disrupted by the numerous hospital admissions he has had?
What are the key skills that George has difficulties performing and what interventions would you recommend?
What are the key personal, temporal, social, economic, planetary and institutional contexts would you consider for assessment and intervention?
What theory/theories or frames of reference might you use in developing an assessment and intervention plan?
What is the likely impact of the NDIS on George?
