Occupational roles of people with disabilities: work, family, independence and social participation

The objective of this study is to describe the everyday needs and occupational roles of adults and old adults with disabilities in a medium port city of the Sao Paulo provincy, Brazil. Method: sixteen adults and older adults age mean 61.7 an standard deviation 17.2 participated in this study. Those selected were people with physical and/ or sensory impairment, to the exclusion of people with alterations in verbal and / or cognitive impairments. The instruments used for data collection were the Mini Mental State Examination (as a criteria to exclude subjects with cognitive imnpairments), the Role Checklist and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed the predominance of elderly females among people with disabilities (n = 10). The interviews showed labor relations and family functions as important roles, followed by the desire for independence in carrying out other activities such as leisure, housework and greater social participation. Conclusion: The research highlighted the importance of looking at the occupational roles of people with disabilities in their daily lives, understanding that the expansion of the role of these people in their occupational performance can promote good health and increased participation in social life