Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
OTHY200 Neuroscience, Neurodevelopment AND (OTHY201 Social Determinants of First Peoples Health and Wellbeing OR OTHY211 Social Determinants of First Peoples Health and Wellbeing ) AND OTHY202 Ergonomics and Occupational Health and Safety AND OTHY203 Occupational Therapy Interventions for Physical Conditions AND OTHY204 Occupational Participation and Disability AND OTHY205 Mental Health Recovery in Occupational Therapy 1 AND OTHY206 Upper Limb Orthoses and Rehabilitation AND OTHY207 Vocational Preparation and Rehabilitation
Teaching organisation
150 hours of focused learning.Unit rationale, description and aim
Occupational therapists play a vital role in working with older people in restoring and maintaining function, roles, participation and health. In this unit students will draw upon their theoretical knowledge and skills in occupational therapy principles, models and practices as applied to older adults. Students will consider the impacts of the ageing process on a person’s occupational performance, their roles, participation and health, and identify and apply evidence-based interventions relevant to older adults’ goals. Knowledge gained in this unit will culminate in the design of a group program for an older population that demonstrates students’ understanding of how a wellness and enablement approach can be implemented within an occupationally focused context. The overall aim of this unit is for students to further develop and apply their knowledge and skills about the impact of ageing on occupational performance, roles, participation and health to implement evidence-based intervention. This unit contains one learning outcome from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework (HCF, 2014) specifically addressing the HCF cultural capability Advocacy.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe the life stage of older adults and the social determinants of health for this population | GC1, GC2 |
| LO2 | Analyse the influence of physical, social, cultural and institutional environments on the health, wellbeing and participation of older adults | GC2, GC7, GC11, GC12 |
| LO3 | Apply knowledge of the factors associated with ageing to the promotion of ongoing health, well-being and participation | GC2, GC3, GC7, GC11, GC12 |
| LO4 | Select and appraise occupational therapy interventions for older adults and their carers across a range of health care settings using an evidence-based framework in consideration of ethical and medico-legal principles | GC2, GC6, GC7, GC11, GC12 |
| LO5 | HCF 16.3 - Devise strategies for diagnosing and treating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients from the perspective of the social determinants of health | GC1, GC5, GC6, GC11, GC12 |
Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (AOTCS) 2018
Australian occupational therapy competency standards (AOTCS) 2018 developed within this unit are:
| Standard/Attributes/Criteria | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
Standard 1 - Professionalism An occupational therapist practises in an ethical, safe, lawful and accountable manner, supporting client health and wellbeing through occupation and consideration of the person and their environment. An occupational therapist: 1.1 Complies with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia’s standards, guidelines and Code of conduct. 1.2 Adheres to legislation relevant to practice. 1.3 Maintains professional boundaries in all client and professional relationships. 1.4 Recognises and manages conflicts of interest in all client and professional relationships. 1.6 Incorporates and responds to historical, political, cultural, societal, environmental and economic factors influencing health, wellbeing and occupations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. 1.7 Collaborates and consults ethically and responsibly for effective client-centred and interprofessional practice. 1.9 Identifies and manages the influence of her/his values and culture on practice. 1.10 Practises within limits of her/his own level of competence and expertise. 1.11 Maintains professional competence and adapts to change in practice contexts. 1.12 Identifies and uses relevant professional and operational support and supervision. 1.15 Addresses issues of occupational justice in practice. 1.17 Recognises and manages any inherent power imbalance in relationships with clients. | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Standard 2 - Knowledge and learning An occupational therapist’s knowledge, skills and behaviours in practice are informed by relevant and contemporary theory, practice knowledge and evidence, and are maintained and developed by ongoing professional development and learning. An occupational therapist: 2.1 Applies current and evidence-informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice. 2.2 Applies theory and frameworks of occupation to professional practice and decision-making. 2.6 Maintains and improves currency of knowledge, skills and new evidence for practice by adhering to the requirements for continuing professional development. 2.7 Implements a specific learning and development plan when moving to a new area of practice or returning to practice. 2.9 Maintains knowledge of relevant resources and technologies. | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Standard 3 - Occupational therapy process and practice An occupational therapist’s practice acknowledges the relationship between health, wellbeing and human occupation, and their practice is client-centred for individuals, groups, communities and populations. An occupational therapist: 3.1 Addresses occupational performance and participation of clients, identifying the enablers and barriers to engagement. 3.2 Performs appropriate information gathering and assessment when identifying a client's status and functioning, strengths, occupational performance and goals. 3.3 Collaborates with the client and relevant others to determine the priorities and occupational therapy goals. 3.4 Develops a plan with the client and relevant others to meet identified occupational therapy goals. 3.5 Selects and implements culturally responsive and safe practice strategies to suit the occupational therapy goals and environment of the client. 3.6 Seeks to understand and incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples experiences of health, wellbeing and occupations encompassing cultural connections. 3.7 Reflects on practice to inform and communicate professional reasoning and decision making. 3.8 Identifies and uses practice guidelines and protocols suitable to the practice setting or work environment. 3.9 Implements an effective and accountable process for delegation, referral and handover. 3.10 Reviews, evaluates and modifies plans, goals and interventions with the client and relevant others to enhance or achieve client outcomes. 3.11 Evaluates client and service outcomes to inform future practice. 3.12 Uses effective collaborative, multidisciplinary and inter-professional approaches for decision-making and planning. 3.13 Uses appropriate assistive technology, devices and/or environmental modifications to achieve client occupational performance outcomes. 3.14 Contributes to quality improvement and service development. | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Standard 4 - Communication Occupational therapists practise with open, responsive and appropriate communication to maximise the occupational performance and engagement of clients and relevant others. An occupational therapist: 4.1 Communicates openly, respectfully and effectively. 4.2 Adapts written, verbal and non-verbal communication appropriate to the client and practice context. 4.4 Uses culturally responsive, safe and relevant communication tools and strategies. 4.5 Complies with legal and procedural requirements for the responsible and accurate documentation, sharing and storage of professional information and records of practice. 4.6 Maintains contemporaneous, accurate and complete records of practice. 4.7 Obtains informed consent for practice and information-sharing from the client or legal guardian. 4.8 Maintains collaborative professional relationships with clients, health professionals and relevant others. 4.9 Uses effective communication skills to initiate and end relationships with clients and relevant others. 4.10 Seeks and responds to feedback, modifying communication and/or practice accordingly. 4.11 Identifies and articulates the rationale for practice to clients and relevant others. | LO1, LO2, LO4, LO5 |
Content
Topics will include:
Ageing
- Theories of ageing
- Pathophysiological & psychosocial aspects of ageing
- Healthy ageing, wellbeing and participation of older adults
- Cultural perspectives of ageing
- First People’s perspectives of ageing
- Ethical and medico-legal considerations
- Consumer experiences and impact of ageing
Service delivery models
- Australian Context and Policy
- Health Promotion, Participation and Wellbeing in Older Age
- Advance Care Planning and End of Life Care
Occupational therapy and ageing
- Mental Health & Cognition: Dementia, Delirium & Depression
- Falls: Prevention & management
- Home Modifications & enabling environments
- Assistive technologies
- Driving, Transportation and Community Access
- Caregiving Responsibilities and Caring for Older Adults
- Sexuality, intimacy & relationships in older age
- Ageing in the Workforce & Transition to Retirement
- Residential aged care
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit utilises blended and case-based learning. Lectures will be used to provide essential knowledge that will be applied in tutorials. Self-directed online learning will complement these approaches. Adopting a blended learning strategy supports students to meet the learning requirements, including completion of assessment tasks, in this intensive block-taught unit.
Tutorials are guided by case-based learning which focuses on presenting students with different case scenarios an occupational therapist may experience with an older person. In resolving the scenarios, students need to draw on their professional reasoning skills to locate relevant information from the case to identify core occupational performance and participation issues and interventions to address the client's goals. Students also engage in five (5) hours of professional practice in relation to assignment three. This professional practice experience involves students interviewing an older person about their experience of ageing, providing a person-centred understanding of ageing in Australian society. Learning and Teaching approaches included in this unit were developed in collaboration with First Peoples’ cultural advisors.
Assessment strategy and rationale
OTHY400 has three assessment tasks; an online examination (Assessment 1), an individual written assignment (Assessment 2) and a group presentation (Assessment 3).
Assessment 1(online examination) focuses on assessing students’ knowledge of key concepts relevant to occupational therapy with older adults. Assessment 2 involves interviewing an older person and reflecting on their life journey and experiences of ageing. Assessment 3 involves students presenting on an emerging, innovative area of occupational therapy practice to promote healthy ageing. Assessment 2 and assessment 3 both draw on authentic, real-world skills used by occupational therapists working with older adults in practice. Being able to work both collaboratively and individually is essential to future practice as occupational therapists. In order to pass this unit students must:
- Demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome, and
- Obtain a minimum mark of 50% for the unit.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Examination This examination focuses on assessing students’ knowledge of key concepts relevant to the occupational therapy profession and older adults. | 20% | LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Assessment Task 2: Individual Written Assignment An individual written assignment enables students to explore the experience of people as they age. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 3: Presentation A presentation enables students to work collaboratively to present an emerging, innovative area of practice that promotes healthy ageing. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Atwal, A. & McIntyre, A. (2013). Occupational therapy and older people (2nd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Bonder, B., & Bello-Haas, V. (2018). Functional performance in older adults (4th ed.).F.A. Davis Company.
Clemson, L., & Laver, K. (2014). Active ageing and occupational therapy align. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 61(3), 204-207.
Freegard, H., Isted, L., Russell, M., Buchanan, A., Hird, K., Cooper, I., Fielding, A., Godwin, S., Mortley, E., and Migliorino, P. (2012). Ethical practice for health professionals. engage Learning Australia.
Leland, N., Elliott, S. & Johnson, K. (2012). Occupational therapy practice guidelines for productive aging for community-dwelling older adults. Bethesda, Maryland: American Occupational Therapy Association.
Pozzi, C., Lanzoni, A., Graff, M.J.L., Morandi, A. (Eds.) (2020). Occupational therapy for older people. Springer International Publishing
World Health Organization (2021). Decade of Healthy Ageing: Baseline Report. Decade of healthy ageing: baseline report (who.int)
World Health Organization (2017). Integrated care for older people: Guidelines on community-level interventions to manage declines in intrinsic capacity. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/258981.