Occupational Therapy and Diabetes Management

This course was created to show the progress that was made during a 14-week occupational therapy doctoral capstone. This capstone was created to explore the feasibility and success of occupational therapy intervention and diabetes management. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing in the United States and if the way we address and treat this disease is not modified, the healthcare system in the United States will become overwhelmed. The model that is currently used within healthcare is not sustainable and diabetes will soon become one of most costly diseases to treat in this country. Diabetes also has a significant impact on the patient, as it often comes with certain stigmas and biases. A diagnosis of diabetes can affect a patient’s ability to participate in their chosen occupations and activities of daily living. This is where occupational therapy comes into the picture. The thought is that occupational therapists can analyze and evaluate the routines and habits that the patient already has and suggest modifications that can help them with the management of their diabetes. This was the overarching goal of this capstone. This course contains 3 different learning objectives that were addressed within in this capstone experience and the learning activities that were completed to meet these objectives.