Occupational Therapy to Improve Activities of Daily Living of People With Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

Evidence Connection articles are offered by the American Occupational Therapy Association's Evidence-Based Practice Program to inform and assist occupational therapy practitioners in methods that translate findings from the literature into usable knowledge for daily practice. These articles can guide professional reasoning and help practitioners operationalize findings from systematic reviews into practical strategies that can improve patient outcomes and support evidence-based practice. This Evidence Connection article is based on findings from a systematic review of interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to improve performance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for adults with Parkinson's disease (Doucet et al., 2021). In this article, we present a case study of an older adult with Parkinson's disease. We discuss suggested evaluation tools and intervention strategies that might be used as part of occupational therapy to address limitations and meet his desired needs for improved participation in ADLs. A client-centered, evidence-based plan was constructed for this case.