The Home Able Program: a program to promote occupational engagement in the homebound population

There is a growing phenomenon in a sector of the United States population where senior citizens and disabled persons that are deemed as homebound are becoming increasingly dependent on their caregivers and as a result, they are experiencing an evolving disconnection from their occupational identity. The problem being considered is that as older adults become homebound, they begin to receive support services for assistance with self-care and home management. From this, the experience of the homebound consumer reducing engagement in necessary tasks in the home causes a decline in functional abilities which then reduces engagement in portions of the functional tasks that they may still possess the skills to participate in safely. To address this issue, research has explored how function and restorative based training for caregivers can improve quality of life, health, and function, as well as reduce health care costs. The Home Able program is a caregiver training program designed to promote occupational engagement for persons living in the community in private residences. This program has been developed as an evidence-based health promotion program designed to increase physical and mental health of persons that are homebound. The format of the program will include individual and group format training for state funded caregivers on the positive health impact of occupational engagement. Then, homebound consumers who are participants in the Home Able program will receive a series of six weekly in-home sessions focusing on identification of barriers that are impeding participation in meaningful functional activities in the home and education on compensatory strategies that can be implemented for the homebound consumer to achieve participation in meaningful occupations. A research project has also been developed to coincide with program implementation to determine how participation in the Home Able Program will impact fear of falling, depression and self-perceived quality of life. The design of the study with compare the homebound consumer’s fear of falling, depression and self-perceived quality of life using standardized measurement tools prior to program participation, and after completion of the Home Able program. The results of this research project will help substantiate the positive health impact on functional mobility, mental health and enrollment in the Home Able program to help foster buy-in from local and national stakeholders