Day Sally, Laver Kate, Radford Kylie, Jeon Yun-Hee, Low Lee-Fay
Sally Day, PhD, MPH, BAppSc (OT), is Research Fellow, Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;
Kate Laver, PhD, MClinRehab, BAppSc (OT), is Professor of Allied Health and Active Ageing, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Am J Occup Ther. 2025 Mar 1;79(2). doi: 10.5014/ajot.2025.050895.
Occupational therapy interventions are a crucial part of dementia care and have been shown to be effective in research trials. However, the acceptability and inclusivity of occupational therapy interventions to treat dementia for people from diverse groups are unclear.
To explore factors contributing to the delivery of acceptable and inclusive community-based occupational therapy interventions for people with dementia from diverse groups in Australia.
Exploratory qualitative study in which interviews and focus groups were used. Data were analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis.
Community-based occupational therapy in Australia.
Purposive sampling was used to recruit 26 participants. Eight people with experience of dementia from diverse groups (ethnic minority, sexual minority, and socially or economically disadvantaged groups) participated in individual interviews; occupational therapists participated in focus groups (n = 10) and interviews (n = 8).
Three key themes were developed to support inclusivity: (1) knowing the person at the center of the care, (2) collaboration, and (3) perception of occupational therapy for people with dementia. Acceptable and inclusive occupational therapy interventions for dementia occurred when people from diverse groups felt valued and received tailored interventions, were confident in and partnered with the therapist, and understood the purpose of therapy.
Therapists require support to apply cultural humility and to build skills to overcome barriers to providing culturally safe and acceptable care. Plain-Language Summary: People from diverse groups include ethnic minority, sexual minority, and socially or economically disadvantaged groups as well as Indigenous populations. We know community-based occupational therapy interventions improve function and quality of life for people with dementia and their families, but we do not know whether they work for people from diverse groups. We asked people with experience of dementia from diverse groups and occupational therapists in Australia what they thought. We found that occupational therapy interventions for dementia are acceptable to diverse groups when the therapist works in partnership, providing an intervention that is meaningful to them. To be inclusive, therapists need to empower people from diverse groups to participate equally in the intervention. They need to make sure families understand the purpose of the intervention. Some occupational therapists may need training to build skills and knowledge as well as support to overcome barriers and to provide acceptable and inclusive interventions.
职业治疗干预是痴呆症护理的关键组成部分，并且在研究试验中已被证明是有效的。然而，职业治疗干预对不同群体的痴呆症患者的可接受性和包容性尚不清楚。
探讨有助于为澳大利亚不同群体的痴呆症患者提供可接受且包容的社区职业治疗干预的因素。
采用访谈和焦点小组的探索性定性研究。数据采用反思性主题分析进行分析。
澳大利亚基于社区的职业治疗。
采用目的抽样法招募了26名参与者。八名来自不同群体（少数族裔、性少数群体以及社会或经济弱势群体）且有痴呆症经历的人参与了个人访谈；职业治疗师参与了焦点小组（n = 10）和访谈（n = 8）。
形成了三个支持包容性的关键主题：（1）了解处于护理中心的人，（2）合作，以及（3）对痴呆症患者的职业治疗认知。当不同群体的人感到被重视并接受量身定制的干预措施、对治疗师有信心并与其合作、理解治疗目的时，就会出现可接受且包容的痴呆症职业治疗干预。
治疗师需要获得支持，以应用文化谦逊态度并培养技能，克服提供具有文化安全性和可接受性护理的障碍。
不同群体包括少数族裔、性少数群体、社会或经济弱势群体以及原住民群体。我们知道基于社区的职业治疗干预可改善痴呆症患者及其家人的功能和生活质量，但我们不知道这些干预措施对不同群体的人是否有效。我们询问了澳大利亚不同群体中有痴呆症经历的人和职业治疗师他们的看法。我们发现，当治疗师与患者合作，提供对他们有意义的干预措施时，痴呆症的职业治疗干预对不同群体是可接受的。为实现包容性，治疗师需要使不同群体的人有能力平等参与干预。他们需要确保家庭理解干预的目的。一些职业治疗师可能需要培训以培养技能和知识，以及获得支持以克服障碍并提供可接受且包容的干预措施。
