Occupational Therapy for People with a Disability

Health care access

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Pools of Hope serves a Medically Underserved Population, in a Medically Underserved Area; and, according to the CA State Parks Community Fact Finder, our target communities of North Long Beach, Compton and Paramount are Severely Disadvantaged. Eighty percent of Pools of Hope’s clients are living at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level and 85% qualify for free or reduced-price programs. Individuals participating in Pools of Hope’s programs experience symptoms from a variety of health conditions including cerebral palsy, spinal cord and brain injury, autism spectrum disorder, limited mobility, orthopedic conditions and morbid obesity. Occupational therapy is an evidence-based practice that fosters numerous benefits for people living with a disability, including improved daily living, enhanced motor skills, increased independence, and greater social connectedness. Pools of Hope's holistic approach to well-being offers equitable access to specialty health services for individuals.

Building on a recent pilot project that provided occupational therapy for unpaid family and friend caregivers, Pools of Hope is seeking support to expand OT direct services to individuals of all ages that are living with a physical or developmental disability from under-resourced regions of the South Bay and South Los Angeles. Led by an experienced, licensed Occupational Therapist, Pools of Hope's aquatic- and land-based OT program will support healthy living skills development, with the tools and resources needed to thrive. The core competencies that the OT training will address include, but are not limited to: Activities of daily living; Body mechanics; Emergency response (falls, incidents, fires); Food, nutrition, and meal preparation; Housekeeping; Infection control and cleanliness; Physical safety and accident/injury prevention; Rehabilitation and restorative care; Crisis prevention & intervention; Understanding aging; Managing stress; Self-care; Communication skills development; and Problem solving. Weekly sessions will be available for a length of approximately 45-60 minutes. Participants will receive handouts, laminated activities, pen grips, theraputty, and other resources that will enhance learning in-class and at home. Pools of Hope will provide culturally-appropriate care techniques for improving daily living, simplifying tasks, making modifications and adaptations, strengthening fine and gross motor skills, enhancing self-awareness, and improving quality of life.

According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, approximately 42% of older adults over 65, 22% of adults, and 10% young adults ages 18-24, are living with some form of disability. The Los Angeles County Health Survey (LACHS) found that people with a disability experienced poor physical and mental health nearly 8 days month; 44% of adults were food insecure; 40% of adults ages 18-39 had difficulty accessing care; and 1-in-4 adults experienced depression with low rates of social and emotional support. In addition. the rates of people with a disability were higher among African American residents.
If successful, Los Angeles County residents with a disability will have greater access to culturally-competent specialty care services through Pools of Hope. OT is demonstrated to improve mental health and social well-being, reduce rates of depression, and teach skills for reducing stress and anxiety. Pools of Hope will provide equitable, inclusive OT for diverse at-risk residents.

Pools of Hope is proposing an early-stage project that builds off of a successful pilot program and expands the population served. With funding from the LA2050 Challenge, we will expand the population served to include individuals of all ages that are living with a physical or developmental disability, symptoms of aging, injuries or chronic conditions. We will measure success by tracking the number of people served and the number of OT sessions provided. In addition, pre-and post-surveys will be disseminated to determine changes in behavior and improvements in mental health, social well-being, stress reduction, and ability to better manage daily tasks. The proposed OT program is scalable and in the long-term would be offered to all residents from our under-resourced service area to build equitable access to specialty health services that can improve quality of life.