Psychological Assessments Should Be Included When Evaluating Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities

Occupational therapy practitioners should include psychological assessments in their evaluation of long-term care (LTC) residents to avoid overlooking depression, according to StatPearls [Internet].

“Lack of participation in meaningful occupations, called occupational deprivation, leads to depression among LTC residents, which compromises overall psychological well-being,” wrote Sclinda Janssen, University of North Dakota, and coauthor.

In LTC facilities, occupational deprivation often occurs because of aging and illness-related decline in capabilities. Therefore, it is essential to help residents compensate for these changes by promoting occupational justice. Participating in leisure activities is crucial for enhancing motivation, and physical and psychological abilities, and should be considered when evaluating meaningful activities. It is important to assess impaired cognitive abilities since they are associated with a poor quality of life and psychological well-being. Psychological well-being should target participation in meaningful activities, cognitive abilities, and emotional well-being.

“Occupational therapy practitioners should incorporate these assessments into the traditional rehabilitation evaluations they already conduct,” wrote the authors.

To improve residents' participation, health, well-being, and quality of life in LTC facilities, occupational therapy practitioners can provide the LTC team with psychological assessment results to assist in care planning.

Reference

Janssen S, Grabanski JL. Occupational Therapy. PubMed. Published 2021. Updated February 28, 2023. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537068/